Smash Burger Tacos – This Viral Recipe is Worth the Hype!

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If you haven’t heard of the viral sensation smash burger tacos that have been taking social media by storm, then you’re in for a treat! This quick-cooking, deliciously-greasy smash burger and taco hybrid is a fantastic “burger” to make on the griddle or in a cast iron skillet!

You guys already know how I feel about classic smash burgers. They’re the greatest, and I didn’t think they could get much better. But when I heard about smash burger tacos?! My mind was blown. It’s the best of both worlds!

You combine all of the delicious, juicy meat from a burger with the soft, floury tortilla, and then pile on all your favorite sauces and fixings – that’s a taste of heaven right there.

And not only are burger tacos delicious, but they are SO versatile. When my wife and I started chatting about smashed taco recipes and getting inspired, it was like the floodgates were opened. Southern BBQ, spicy Mexican, Italian-style, Indian-spiced… you can go around the world and back again with burger tacos.

But, before we get carried away, let’s start with a classic. I want to show you how to make a simple smash taco, with ground beef, burger sauce, cheese and pickles. And, once you’ve mastered the classic, you can go on your own burger taco adventure.     

What are smash burger tacos?

Not to be confused with taco burgers, smash burger tacos, sometimes called smash tacos, are a fusion of smash burgers and traditional tacos.  Like smash burgers, smashed tacos are made by pressing ground meat onto a hot griddle or hot skillet, creating a thin patty with a perfectly browned exterior.  However, the similarities stop there.  

Instead of smashing the ground beef by itself, you place a flour tortilla on top and press that into the meat as you smash it on the griddle.  And instead of serving the burger on a traditional hamburger bun, you serve it folded up in the tortilla like a taco.

There are tons of variations to the smash burger taco like these Smashed Philly Cheesesteak Tacos and these Smashed Greek Gyro Tacos, but the most popular version of the viral smash burger tacos includes iceberg lettuce, melty cheese, and a homemade burger sauce.

What do I need to make smash burger tacos?

Our favorite smash tacos are served with a homemade Big Mac sauce and classic burger toppings. Here’s what you need to make them:

• Ground beef – An 80/20 ground chuck works best because the fat adds juiciness and flavor.  If you want to use lean ground beef, I suggest that you don’t go leaner than 85/15.  Remember, the flour tortillas soak up the excess grease as these delicious Big Mac tacos cook – and you don’t want to miss out on that!
• American cheese – You’ll need one slice of cheese for each of the burger patties.  American cheese is preferred because of superb melting qualities.
• Flour tortillas – The size of the tortillas matters! After making TONS of these smash tacos, I definitely recommend using the fajita sized tortillas. The tortillas should be about 6″ in diameter.
• Burger toppings – Including diced onion, dill pickle slices, and shredded iceberg lettuce.
• Burger seasoning – You can use your favorite burger seasoning or a simple blend of salt and pepper.
• Burger sauce – I HIGHLY recommend that you mix up your own burger sauce for these “tacos”. So much better than plain ketchup and mayo! We made a copycat Big Mac sauce, but there are so many different burger sauce recipes you can make with things like mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and even horseradish!

Why you should make Smash Burger Tacos 

Quick but delicious: Minimal effort, maximum flavor. Burger tacos go from griddle to plate in a matter of minutes, but are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.  

Ride the trend: OK, not every new food trend is a good thing. But smash burger tacos are absolutely one of the good guys. When you make these burger tacos, you’re going to have all of your friends drooling and begging for the recipe.    

Low cost: You’re already going to have all of the ingredients for this smashed taco recipe. You don’t have to buy any fancy ingredients or make a special trip to the store. Smash tacos are all about transforming the basics into the brilliant.

Smashed Tacos Video

More of a visual learner? You can watch me make 4 different types of smashed burger tacos on my YouTube channel here:

How to Make Smash Burger Tacos

The best thing about making these viral smash tacos is how easy and fast they are to whip up! Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner that the whole family will love! Just follow these steps:

1. Preheat a griddle to about 425-450°F. This is medium to medium-high for most outdoor griddles, include the Blackstone.
2. Gently roll the ground beef into balls that are about 2.5 to 3 ounces each. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can use a 1/3 cup measuring cup and loosely pack the beef.
3. Place the burger ball onto the heated griddle surface, and place a tortilla on top.
4. Push down firmly with a burger press or a stiff spatula until your burger is flat, and cook for 3-4 minutes.  
5. Using a griddle spatula, scrape around the edges of the burger to loosen it from the griddle and flip.  Immediately add a sprinkling of burger seasoning or salt and pepper, and top with a slice of American cheese.
6. Move the smash burger patty over to the cooler side of the griddle to let the cheese melt – this will probably only take about 1-2 minutes.  Then transfer the cooked tacos to a plate.
7. Add burger sauce and all your favorite burger toppings – shredded lettuce, diced onion and pickles.  

Recipe Tips:

Don’t worry about the meat: I’ve been asked so many times about whether it’s OK to put a tortilla over raw meat. The simple answer – it’s fine! The meat is pressed thin, so it cooks quickly and evenly. The griddle is hot enough to cook the meat all the way through. It’s flipped, so heat can penetrate from both sides of the smash taco. And, you can always double check that the beef is cooked through with a digital meat thermometer. So you absolutely don’t need to worry about cross contamination!

Don’t overwork the beef: When people are working with meat, they can sometimes get a little heavy-handed. When you’re shaping the beef patties for your cheeseburger tacos, remember to be gentle. If you overwork the meat, it can tighten up and make your patty less soft and juicy – and nobody wants that!  

Don’t get too crispy: When you flip the smash taco over onto the tortilla side, make sure to show it a bit of extra love. Keep it moving on the griddle or move it over to the cooler side, and make sure to take it off as soon as the cheese has melted. You don’t want the edges of the tortilla to get too crispy – you want it to stay pliable enough to fold.

Modifications for Smash Tacos:

Swap the meat: One of the best things about burgers is how versatile they are. And, with smash burger tacos, if you can smash it, you can use it! Why not try ground sausage, chicken, or even a bean patty for vegetarian friends.

Get creative: For this smashed taco recipe, I’ve stuck with classic burger toppings. But trust me. The possibilities with smashed taco burgers are endless. I’ve made Mexican smash tacos with ground beef and chorizo, shredded Mexican cheeses and Pico de Gallo; a breakfast smash taco with breakfast sausage, scrambled eggs and cheese; and a pizza smash taco with pepperoni, mozzarella and marinara sauce. The only limit to burger tacos is your imagination!

Make your own delicious homemade burger sauce:  Homemade burger sauce recipes are super easy to make, and most of the ingredients are probably already in your fridge.  Another favorite sauce of mine combines mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce.  Feel free to experiment with different flavors to make this smash burger taco recipe your own!

What should I serve with Smashed Burger Tacos:  

I don’t know about you, but I can’t ever eat just one taco. So if you want to munch your way through a stack of these burger tacos, I wouldn’t blame you.  

But, if you’re in the mood for the full burger and fries experience, try my Easy Loaded Cheese Fries. They’re really easy to make, and you can cook them on the griddle at the same time as your burger tacos.

Or if you want to go for something a little healthier – or at least less carb-heavy! – serve the smash tacos with my crunchy Mexican Street Corn. It’s spicy, fresh, zesty – the perfect  complement to rich, meaty burger tacos.  

How to Store and Reheat

You probably won’t have any leftover tacos, but just in case – Store smash burger tacos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.  For best results, store the toppings and the burger tacos separately so that the lettuce and onions don’t get soggy.  You should also store any leftover Big Mac sauce in its own container.

​Reheat in the microwave for about 45 seconds (times will vary) or in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Can I make smash burger tacos in a skillet?

Absolutely!  As I always say, a Blackstone griddle is very similar to a large skillet.  Most foods that you cook in a stovetop skillet can also be cooked on an outdoor griddle.  

To make the smash burger tacos recipe in a cast iron skillet, just follow the same steps listed above.  The only difference is, you’ll only be able to cook one beef patty at a time in the skillet.

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