Smash Burger Taco is a fun twist that combines a burger and a taco into one delicious item. These taco style burgers bring all the flavors of a burger onto a soft flour tortilla instead of a hamburger bun, topped with beef patty, melty cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and my homemade burger sauce.
This easy burger taco recipe makes for a tasty and quick dinner ready under 25 minutes. I can attest that it is well love by both kids and adults alike!
Cheeseburger Tacos
What’s up, taco + burger?! Oh we are having such fun time with this delicious AND fun concoction!
I’ll admit that when I first saw these viral smash burger tacos (or smash tacos, or burger tacos, hamburger tacos, cheeseburger tacos…seriously, call it whatever you wish!) on Instagram, I didn’t expect to be as obsessed with it as I am today.
I tried it once and started making my own by lightly seasoning the patties, adding my beloved house sauce that I use on my Smash Burgers, along with pickles and grape tomatoes.
That’s when I discovered the perfect combination that make these smash burger tacos the absolute best taco+burger combination out there.
I’m super proud of this creation and have made this about 10X since then. I told you the obsession is real! Here’s how this delicious burger tacos are made:
- Spread seasoned raw beef on top of a soft flour tortilla
- Sear raw ground beef along with tortillas on a skillet, ground beef side down first to form a crusty edge and seal the beef to the tortillas
- Topped with melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles
- Drizzled with burger sauce
Smash Burger Tacos combines all the amazing juice flavors of an all American hamburger and simplifies it in a small flour tortilla. We use flour tortillas instead of burger buns, but rest assured, this substitution is totally worth it.
Just like burger bowls or pepperoni pizza burgers, these hamburger tacos are a fun twist to the traditional burger. It is pretty random and pretty awesome in a completely non-conventional way.
Forget about that dilemma most people face when they wonder whether to go with a taco or a burger…because now you and have the best of both worlds!
Other non-conventional yet totally delicious recipes we love include: Baked Salmon Sushi Bowl, Cheese Stuffed Burgers, Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowl, French Onion Chicken, and Burger Bowl. Just sayin’…
Kitchen Tools
To make a solid smash burger taco, you will need:
- A solid skillet or griddle – a griddle has a large surface area so you can make many burger tacos in one go. If you are using a skillet, choose one that retains heat well for best results.
- A burger press or large metal spatula – used to press onto the tortilla to flatten the meat.
Ingredients
As for the ingredients that make up these yummy smash burger tacos, here’s what they are:
- Ground beef: use a high lean meat one such as 90/10 or 93/7 so that there is not a lot of extra grease when you sear the meat and tortillas on the skillet
- Flour tortilla: I typically use a 6-inch flour tortilla and that yields about 7 burger taco. I prefer flour to corn for this cheeseburger taco recipe for its texture and taste. Corn tortillas also break more easily.
- Garlic powder: we are using this to season the ground beef
- Onion powder: another spice used to season the ground beef
- Paprika: for the seasoning of the ground beef patties as well – it’s important that the patties are flavorful!
- Salt and black pepper: used to open up the flavors of the ground beef
- Toppings: add on your favorite burger toppings! I always make sure to add lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and cheese
For the Burger Sauce
- mayonnaise – use good quality mayo. I like Hellmann’s.
- ketchup
- garlic – use minced fresh garlic for best flavor. In a pinch, you can use garlic powder
- smoked paprika – brings a touch of smoky flavor to the burger sauce
How to Make It
Burger Sauce
Start by preparing the burger sauce – bringing together ketchup, mayonnaise, minced garlic and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
Whisk to combine, then set aside.
the cheeseburger tacos
We are making smash burger tacos on the stovetop. You’ll need a large skillet or griddle that heats consistently to make these taco smash burgers.
It only takes about 20 minutes to bring these bad boys together. It’s such an easy process!
First, you’ll want to season ground beef with some basic seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika so that the meat patty comes with good flavor.
Work the seasonings into the ground beef so they are well combined, but avoid over-mixing to make sure the meat comes out tender.
Thinly spread raw ground beef directly onto the flour tortilla.
Heat a the skillet or griddle until it is hot.
When heated, place the flour tortilla beef side down onto skillet. Cooking oil is not needed because searing the meat will produce excess grease.
Press the ground beef into the skillet using a metal spatula or burger press to smash down the meat and let the tortillas make contact with the skillet. This will create a crispy crust of the ground beef.
Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until ground beef is no longer red and is cooked fully on one side.
Then flip and cook the other side.
Once meat is cooked, melt cheese on top by placing cheese over the beef and covering the skillet for a few seconds until cheese melts.
Transfer smash tacos from skillet onto plate.
Now that the actual ground beef tacos are done, let’s top it with the good stuff!
Bring together all your toppings – lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese, and the hamburger sauce.
Once it’s loaded, fold that burger taco into half and take a big bite!
It’s a burger, but eat it like a taco!
These smash burger tacos should taste like a juicy, delicious burger on a tortilla shell. Slightly crunchy, juicy, creamy, tangy, with hints of sweetness.
I love to throw some fries into the air fryer while I make the burger tacos on the skillet and serve it with the tacos.
YUMMY!
How to Serve It
Smash Burger Tacos go well with classic American summer dishes such as:
- French fries
- Cheesy potato wedges
- Chips and salsa
- Fruit salad
Variations and Subsitution
- Other Topping Ideas: Other yummy topping includes bacon, grilled onions, and sautéed onions, spinach, avocado and bell peppers.
- Other Sauce Ideas: If you can make it, I really think my burger sauce is superior. However, you can also use mayo, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce etc as condiments for your cheeseburger taco.
Storage and Reheating
Store smash burger tacos separately from toppings and sauces to avoid tacos from becoming soggy.
Reheat burger taco in a skillet over medium heat to crisp the tortilla again. In a pinch, microwave to reheat – tortillas will not be crispy if reheated this way. Once smash burger taco is reheated, top with toppings and sauce before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Use Leaner Meat: Choose lean ground beef (90% or higher in lean content) to ensure your burger patty is flavorful and juicy, while also minimizing grease when pan frying.
- Avoid Over-mixing the Meat: don’t overmix seasonings into the beef – overworking the meat can make the meat tough.
- Thin Patties: Make sure to spread the ground beef thinly on tortillas so that it cooks evenly and quickly.
- Hot skillet: To char the beef patties, make sure the skillet it hot before adding the tortilla + ground beef
- Press while Cooking: Use a heavy metal spatula or burger press to gently press the tortillas (when it is meat side down) into the pan for maximum contact and crispiness.
- No overcrowding: Don’t overcrowd the skillet as it will be harder to smash down the beef thinly, and it may not cook evenly. Be patient and go with one at a time if you don’t have a large skillet or griddle.
Frequently Asked Questions
When pan frying the tortilla (beef side down), press tortilla down onto skillet with a spatula or burger press so raw ground beef is pressed down onto the skillet and cooked flat.
Use a cast iron for best results, let skillet heat up before adding the tortilla, and press the beef well into the skillet using a heavy spatula or round flat weight made for this purpose. Cook on high heat so that the beef forms a char faster than it cooks.
Cook the beef patty tortilla portion and then refrigerate or freeze them. When ready to eat, heat the burgers on tortilla on a hot skillet until heated, then top the tacos with burger toppings.
Flour tortillas work best because they’re soft and flexible, making it easier for the beef to stick. Corn tortillas can work, but they’re more prone to cracking.
They’re best served fresh, but you can prep the toppings and sauce ahead. Cook the tacos just before serving for the best texture.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
Other Recipes You Will Enjoy
- The Ultimate Homemade Burger
- Crispy Beef Tacos
- Hot Honey Wings
- BBQ Chicken Tacos
- Chicken Parmesan Sliders
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Smash Burger Taco
Ingredients
Burger Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ⅛ tsp smoked paprika
Burger Tacos
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 7 flour tortillas 6 inch
Toppings
- 2 cups lettuce shredded
- 8 oz pickles drained
- 1 cup grape tomatoes sliced
- 7 slices American cheese
Instructions
- Combine Burger Sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Grab a medium sized mixing bowl. Place ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper into the bowl. Using your hand, gently mix until seasonings are incorporated. Make sure you do not over-mix.
- Lay out 7 flour tortillas. Place an equal amount of the seasoned ground beef on each tortilla. Use a fork to thinly spread the ground beef over the flour tortilla.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, place the flour tortilla in the skillet meat side down. Press it down to flatten the meat. Cook for a few minutes, until the meat is mostly cooked through. Flip and allow to cook for a couple more minutes.
- Place a slice of cheese on the meat (tacos should now be meat side up). Cover with a lid until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat, set aside.
- Repeat until all of the tacos are cooked.
- Top tacos with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and drizzle with burger sauce.
- Serve and enjoy!
OK – I never got putting hamburger on top of a tortilla and cooking it. But if you follow the recipe, this is fabulous! I added a bit more spice to the hamburger, such as Ancho chili, doubled the smoked paprika, added a little more pepper, and a little bit of cayenne.
YUM! I love your spice addition! So glad you enjoyed this recipe <3