These viral smash burger tacos have caramelized, richly flavored beef patties on top of extra crispy, golden brown flour tortillas. Learn the proper cooking techniques to get the best sear on the taco burgers and how to make a copycat Big Mac sauce for a sweet and tangy topping.
Why smash the burger patties?
Smash burgers require you to take a ball of meat and smash it directly on a sizzling pan to create a super-thin, crispy, caramelized burger patty. I prefer smashed patties because I love the extra crunchy and flavorful texture, that you don’t get on thicker, stacked patties.
Unlike traditional smash burgers, where you smash the meat directly onto the pan, I recommend gently smashing the ground beef onto the tortilla in a thin and even layer before cooking. This helps the meat stick to the tortilla better, and you can get even seasoning over the thin layer of meat. Get the meat as far to the edges of the tortilla as possible because the meat will shrink as it cooks.
How did smash burger tacos become popular?
I’ve always loved golden brown, caramelized smash burgers, so when I first saw smash burger tacos going viral on TikTok with extra crispy tortilla shells, I knew I had to try them. This recipe is basically a burger on a tortilla. It’s best to take the name “smash burger taco” not too seriously because it’s seared meat on a flour tortilla, and not many people know where or how this Internet trend started.
However, some traditional Mexican foods might have influenced this type of burger besides straight-up tacos, like flautas (rolled flour tortillas with meat inside), tacos dorados, or Mexican American fusion restaurants that have put meat patties onto tortillas for decades.
The most popular version is the Big Mac version, and this is what we’re making in this recipe. The best thing about this recipe is that you can spin this burger taco any way you like with different flavors like cajun seasonings and BBQ sauce, or you can even use meatless proteins like falafel mix.
Ingredients in smash burger tacos
- Ground beef – For best searing and caramelization, use a fattier ratio of ground beef, like 80/20 or 75/25. I’ve used leaner ratios before, like 85/15 or 90/10, and it’s harder to sear properly since there’s less fat. The fat ratio also impacts the flavor of the burgers. With higher fat content, I used a little less salt and pepper to season the meat.
- Flour tortillas – I tested flour and corn tortillas for this recipe and prefer flour tortillas because the meat sticks to them better, and they have a better texture when cooking in the pan. Our recipe calls for 6-inch flour tortillas for 3 oz (85 g) of meat.
- American cheese – Kraft Singles American cheese is the best type of cheese for melty, smashed taco burgers. I’ve tried natural American cheese and found it didn’t melt properly or fast enough in the pan.
- Simple seasonings – Since we’re using such fattier ratios of beef, you only need salt and pepper to season these smashed burger tacos.
- Burger sauce – I made a copycat Big Mac burger sauce with rich mayo, tangy and sweet dill relish, onions, and lots of other seasonings. You can use different types of sauce, like teriyaki sauce or BBQ sauce.
- Toppings – If you want to stick to Big Mac-inspired smash burger tacos, I recommend iceberg lettuce, diced white onions, and sliced pickles. But this is truly by preference, and you can also add avocado, tomatoes, pickled red onions, or bacon.
The burger sauce
The burger sauce for this recipe is a copycat Big Mac sauce from McDonald’s. Big Macs were my go-to order when I was a kid. After reviewing the nutrition information on the website, I made a similar rich and tangy sauce with:
- Mayonnaise is the base of the sauce and has a lot of rich flavor and a thick texture.
- Sweet dill relish gives a sweet and tangy taste to the sauce.
- Grated white onion with juice has a hint of spiciness.
- White vinegar adds a slight acidity to this sauce.
- Seasonings and spices like paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper add many savory and layered flavors.
Smash burger cooking technique
Before starting to cook the smash burger tacos, you’ll need some necessary equipment: a well-seasoned cast-iron, a burger press (or a small and heavy sauce pot), a metal turner, and a thermometer. These items helped a lot in creating a caramelized burger.
Here’s the cooking technique to get those extra seared and caramelized smashed tacos:
- Preheat the cast–iron pan to 400°F without any oil or butter. It’s okay if you see some smoke coming, but keep an eye on the temperature because it rises fast once it hits 400°F. I would recommend cooking outside if possible to reduce smokiness and smell in the house.
- Once the pan is heated, carefully lower the tortilla with the meat side facing down into the pan.
- Immediately put the burger press on top of the tortilla and hold firmly for one minute. You may encounter some splatter.
- After searing, leave the burger press on the tortilla and remove the plastic from the American cheese slice.
- Remove the burger press and set it aside.
- Use a metal turner to lift the meat from the pan and check for caramelization. If nicely seared, turn the smashed taco over and immediately place cheese on top to melt. Cook the tortilla for another minute until the bottom is nice and crispy. Use the turner to move the tortilla around to prevent burning–this side will cook very quickly too.
- Transfer to a serving plate and top with burger sauce, lettuce, onions, and pickles.
- Use a thermometer to check if the pan’s hot enough before making another smash burger taco.
Smash Burger Tacos
Ingredients
Burger sauce (½ cup serving)
- ½ c mayonnaise
- 4 tsp sweet dill relish
- 2 tsp grated white onion with juice
- ½ tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Burgers
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef 80/20 or 75/25
- 8 flour tortillas 6-inch
- 1 ¼ tbsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 8 slices Kraft Singles American cheese
Toppings
- shredded iceberg lettuce
- pickles
- diced white onions
- diced tomatoes optional
Equipment Used
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board
- grater
- mixing bowl
- spatula
- weighted scale
- Sheet pans
- cast iron pan
- burger press, or heavy pan
- metal turner
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients: ½ c mayonnaise, 4 tsp sweet dill relish, 2 tsp grated white onion with juice, ½ tsp white vinegar, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp granulated sugar, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir until incorporated. Place in a food storage container with a lid and chill in the fridge until time to serve.
- Portion the 1 ½ lbs ground beef into 3 oz (85 g) sections. Try not to move the beef around too much to prevent the meat from becoming chewy once cooked.
- Take one 8 flour tortillas and place one 3 oz section of beef on top. Use your fingers to gently spread the meat over the tortilla in a thin, even layer as close to the edges as possible. Repeat with all the tortillas and meat sections.
- Sprinkle 1 ¼ tbsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper evenly across all the patties. You can also add other types of seasonings if desired (that don't contain salt).
- Preheat the cast iron to high, about 400°F.
- Carefully place the tortilla, meat side down, away from you since oil from previous burgers may splash.
- Use a burger press (or heavy pot) to press it onto the pan with firm, even pressure for at least 1 minute or until the meat looks caramelized on the bottom when you check with a metal turner. Pressing down during this first point of contact helps to keep the meat from curling too much.
- Keep the burger press on the tortilla while you remove the plastic on the American cheese slice. Remove the burger press and set aside.
- Use a metal turner to the tortilla over and add one the 8 slices Kraft Singles American cheese on top of the meat. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until the tortilla is crispy on the bottom with golden edges. You can also use a thermometer to check the meat temperature is above 160°F.
- Transfer the finished burger to a plate and top with burger sauce, shredded iceberg lettuce, pickles, and diced white onions.
- Check the temperature of the pan to make sure it’s 400°F. Repeat with the rest of the burgers. Serve immediately.
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