Taco-seasoned beef is smashed directly onto small tortillas and cooked until the edges are crisp on a very hot griddle in this smash tacos recipe. Finish with your favorite toppings for a taco night that combines the best of smash burgers and tacos. These smash tacos also come together faster than traditional ground beef tacos.
Smash Tacos Recipe
If you love smash burgers, you’ll enjoy these smash tacos. The technique delivers the same perks: thin, lacy, caramelized edges with juicy meat underneath, and it takes far less time than cooking a typical burger patty.
Unlike classic ground beef taco filling, which can become dry if crisped, the meat here stays moist beneath a deeply browned crust. Cooking the meat directly on the tortilla helps retain moisture and keeps the filling from sliding out as you eat.
This method makes taco night quicker, more satisfying, and a lot of fun. It’s become our go-to for a fast, delicious meal.
Smashed Tacos
Use small corn or flour tortillas—both work well, so choose based on preference. Street-taco-sized flour tortillas or standard corn tortillas are ideal. For toppings, be creative: shredded lettuce, cotija or grated Mexican cheese, cilantro, pickled onions, salsa, sour cream, mango, or hot sauce all pair nicely.
You can cook these in a heavy frying pan, but a griddle speeds things up. On a well-heated griddle you can cook many tacos in minutes. The technique works great on electric griddles or cast-iron griddles, the latter even suitable for campfire cooking.
Smash Burger Tacos
I usually fold the tortillas around the cooked meat and toppings like a traditional taco. For best results, fold each tortilla in half as you remove it from the griddle so it holds shape while it cools. If you prefer open-faced tacos, lay them on a cooling rack until ready to serve.
You can also top them like a burger—add cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a creamy sauce for a one-handed sandwich-style taco.
Leftovers reheat well: store cooled tacos in an airtight container and reheat wrapped in foil in an air fryer, toaster oven, or a 350°F oven for a few minutes for a quick, enviable lunch.
Smash Tacos Recipe
Equipment
- Griddle or heavy frying pan
- Spatula
- Sheet pan or plate for holding finished tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 9 small corn tortillas (or street-taco sized flour tortillas)
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning (about 1 teaspoon per taco)
- Olive oil for brushing or spray
- 1 1/4 cups crumbled cotija or grated Mexican-style cheese
Optional but tasty
- Shredded lettuce
- Minced cilantro
- Sliced tomatoes
- Diced mango
- Sour cream
- Pickled onions
- Hot sauce
- Refried beans
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle or large heavy frying pan over high heat.
- Divide the pound of beef into 9 even pieces. Press each piece onto a tortilla, spreading the meat close to the edges.
- Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon taco seasoning over each mound. Working in batches, place the tortillas meat-side down on the hot griddle and press firmly with a spatula.
- Cook about 3 minutes, until the meat is well browned with caramelized bits. Lightly brush or spray the tortilla with olive oil. Slide the spatula under the beef and flip the tortilla; cook another 2 minutes until the tortilla develops browned, lacy spots. Transfer to a sheet pan or plate and sprinkle with cotija or grated cheese. Add desired toppings and serve.
Notes
If you prefer milder tacos, reduce the taco seasoning to 1/2 teaspoon per smash taco. Nutritional information provided elsewhere is approximate and includes only the tortilla, meat, and cheese—toppings are not included.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate values using the specific ingredients you use if exact nutrition facts are needed.
