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Smash Burger Tacos

Smash burger tacos with ultra-thin crispy beef patties cooked on a smoking hot griddle and folded into tortillas for a cheesy, melty taco fusion bite. Each taco gets lacey, caramelized edges and a cheese ooze pull as soon as it hits the hot surface.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American Fusion
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef (80/20)
flour or corn tortillas
  • 8 small flour or corn tortillas
cheddar or American cheese
  • 8 slices cheddar or American cheese
lettuce
  • 1 shredded lettuce
pico de gallo
  • 1 pico de gallo
jalapeños
  • 1 sliced jalapeños
sour cream
  • 1 sour cream
hot sauce
  • 1 hot sauce
salt and pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the patties
  1. Divide the ground beef into 8 equal portions and roll each into a ball, then season with salt and pepper. Keep portions roughly the same size so they smash evenly.
Smash and melt the cheese
  1. Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking hot. The surface should look like it’s ready to sizzle the moment meat touches it.
  2. Place the tortillas on the griddle, then set 1 beef ball on each tortilla. Keep the beef centered for clean taco folds.
  3. Smash the beef as thin as possible with a heavy spatula. Aim for an ultra-thin patty so edges crisp up within minutes.
  4. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges are crispy and lacey, with visible browning around the perimeter. This is when the patty starts to hold its shape.
  5. Flip the tortilla and beef together in one motion. Cook briefly so the underside matches the crisp, browned look.
  6. Immediately add cheese on top of the hot beef and cook for another 1 minute until melted. Look for the cheese to ooze so you get the pull when you lift a taco.
Assemble the tacos
  1. Fold the crispy beef-and-cheese layer into a taco shape. Serve right away while the cheese is still molten.
  2. Fill each taco with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, and hot sauce. Add toppings to taste, keeping the first bite balanced with crunch and tang.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the pan at true high heat and smash immediately after placing the beef so the edges develop a lacey, crispy crust. Store leftover beef-topping components in the fridge for up to 3 days, but assemble tacos fresh for best texture; freezing cooked beef works up to 2 months and reheat in a hot skillet to re-crisp. For a lighter swap, use 90/10 or 93/7 ground beef to reduce fat while keeping the same smash technique.