No. 28International · Dinner

Smash Burger Tacos

Name: Smash Burger Tacos
Yield: 8 tacos
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 1 lb (500 g) ground beef, ideally 80–85% lean; 8 small flour tortillas, about 6 inches across; ¾ tsp fine salt; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 8 thin slices cheddar; A little neutral oil, only if needed; ½ cup mayonnaise; 2 tbsp ketchup; 1 tbsp yellow mustard; 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish, drained; 2–3 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce; 2 medium tomatoes, diced; ½ small white onion, finely diced

My closest friends K&A are obsessed with smash burgers, so when this one went viral I knew we had to try it. You press beef straight onto a flour tortilla, sear it beef-side down until it's deeply browned, then flip it so the tortilla crisps in the burger fat. Cheese, crunchy iceberg, tomato, onion and a big spoonful of burger sauce: all the good parts of a cheeseburger, folded into a crisp tortilla. A huge hit, and one viral idea actually worth making.

Jump to recipe

Two crispy smash burger tacos with shredded lettuce and tomato in a steel taco stand — Shot on my phone. Eaten seconds later.No. 28

Serves: 4 (8 small tacos)
Total: 30 min
Hands-on: 30 min
Season: Year-round

Method

Get everything ready. Stir together the sauce ingredients. Shred the lettuce and dice the tomatoes and onion. Have the cheese ready: these move quickly once they hit the pan.
Press the beef onto the tortillas. Divide the beef into 8 portions of about 2 oz (60–65 g) each. Press one portion onto each tortilla in a very thin, even layer, right to the edges, since the beef shrinks as it cooks. Season the beef with salt and pepper just before cooking.
Heat the pan. Heat a cast-iron skillet or flat griddle over medium-high heat. If needed, wipe it with a very light coating of oil. The beef will release its own fat.
Cook beef-side down. Place a tortilla beef-side down in the hot pan and press firmly with a wide spatula (or a burger press, see my notes) for a few seconds for good contact. Leave it alone for 2–3 minutes, until the beef develops a browned crust. Work in batches without crowding.
Flip and add cheese. Slide the spatula under the beef, scraping up the crust, and flip the whole taco. Add a slice of cheese right away. Cook another 1–2 minutes, until the tortilla is golden and crisp and the beef is cooked through: ground beef should reach 160°F (71°C), and timing will vary with thickness and heat. If the cheese needs help melting, cover briefly with a lid.
Top and fold. Transfer to a plate, spoon on burger sauce and add onion, tomato and a generous handful of iceberg. Fold gently and eat immediately.

Raw ground beef pressed thin onto a flour tortilla, about to go into the pan — Thin. Thinner than that.No. 28

A slice of cheddar going onto a flipped, crisp smash burger taco in the pan — Flip, then cheese. Immediately.No. 28

From my kitchen

Thin beef is essential. An even, thin layer cooks quickly and gives you plenty of browned edges. This is the whole trick.
For ultimate crispiness, use a burger press. I use a smash burger press instead of a spatula. It presses the beef flatter and harder against the pan, so you get more crust and crispier edges.
Watch the tortilla after flipping. Lower the heat if it browns before the beef finishes cooking.
Pour off the fat between batches. Leave a light film for crisping, not a pool.
Prep ahead, cook at the last minute. Make the sauce and chop the toppings in advance, then serve the tacos as they come out of the pan.
Timing: about 30 minutes with a big griddle. Give yourself 40–45 if you're cooking them one at a time.