The Original Smash Burger Tacos

Smash burger tacos are a crispy beef patty pressed directly into a flour tortilla on a screaming-hot griddle, fusing the two together as the beef sears. Flip it, add melted cheese and classic burger toppings (sauce, shredded iceberg, pickles), and fold. No bun needed. I created this recipe and posted it to Instagram and TikTok on March 23, 2023. It reached over 16 million views on Instagram and 3.8 million on TikTok, going globally viral within days, covered by the Washington Post, TODAY Show, Good Morning America, and Food Network.

I spent four days testing this before posting: flour vs. corn tortillas, meat weight, heat levels, the flip technique, until every element was dialed in. This is that recipe, unchanged.

Tacos and burgers had a love child, and it’s absolutely delicious. Made famous through my social media, this recipe took over the internet quickly with countless variations. There’s a reason for that. Sear these up and serve the whole family, and you’ll see why.

We’re talking a seared beef patty pressed into a crispy tortilla, topped with your favorite burger toppings such as homemade burger sauce, iceberg lettuce, crispy dill pickles, and a slice of cheese (or two).

How the Smash Burger Taco Was Created

It started with a craving for burgers, no buns in the house, and a brand new griddle I was itching to use. The technique came from a breakfast taco I’d been making for years: crack an egg into a pan, smash a tortilla into it, and the egg bonds to the tortilla as it cooks. I applied that same logic to ground beef.

The first attempt didn’t work perfectly, so I spent the next four days testing: flour tortillas vs. corn (flour won, better bond, more pliable, closer in flavor to a bun), meat portion size (3 oz is the sweet spot), heat management (the flip has to land on a cool surface or the tortilla fries and won’t fold), and the right combination of toppings.

On March 23, 2023, I posted the recipe to Instagram and TikTok. The Washington Post called me “the person we have to thank for starting the spark.” The internet made it their own quickly and I’m glad it did, but this is where it started.

Important Tips

• Flour tortillas are key. Corn tortillas will work, but not near as well. The meat sticks to the flour tortillas better when seared, and can fold easier after the fact. Plus the flavor of the flour tortillas matches the missing buns, really emulating the authentic smash burger flavors. Look for smaller flour tortillas, about the same size as a typical corn tortilla.
• Any flat top, griddle, or large skillet will work. This recipe shows the smashburger tacos being seared on a griddle, but this can easily be accomplished with any hot skillet. You just won’t be able to throw down 6 at a time, but at least you’ll have them.
• Have everything ready to go when you start. This smash burger recipe is simple, but it moves quickly. Make sure you’re ready because the meat will sear very quickly. Meat, tortilla, smash, flip, and you’re done!

Step 1: Prepare the Beef

Portion out the beef into golf ball-sized portions, roughly about 2 ounces each. When flattened, they should cover the full surface of the tortilla, sometimes creeping over.

Heat up your searing surface to a high heat. If using a griddle as shown above, do not turn on all of the burners. The tacos will be flipped over, and the flour tortilla doesn’t need to crisp up on the back. It’s best if they are flipped to a surface with ambient heat to keep them warm and pliable.

Season the beef with some Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning or your choice of seasoning (can’t go wrong with salt, pepper, and garlic powder). Place the seasoned side of the beef down onto the hot surface. Find those tortillas quickly, it’s time to smash!

What cut of beef is best for smash burgers?

Use an 80/20 ground beef blend for smash burger tacos. This blend has the right amount of fat to create a thin, crispy crust while remaining juicy. You don’t want dry burgers!

The ideal size for smash burger tacos is 3 ounces each, allowing for the ground beef to cover most of the flour tortilla surface to achieve a thin, crispy burger without shrinking too much.

Step 2: Smash the Burgers with Tortillas

Once the meat is on the hot surface, grab a tortilla and your pressing utensil.

Place the tortilla on top of the ball of meat and smash it down, pressing the burger flat onto the surface. Lift up the press to see if you’ve smashed it into a thin patty, which should smush to the edges of the tortilla. It’s fine if the burger smashes past the edge—trust me, it will cook.

The hot surface will sear the meat within about 2-3 minutes. Watch the color of the beef change from bright red to brown, and the edges should be crispy on the bottom.

What Do You Use to Smash the Tacos?

Use any flat burger press, such as you would to make traditional smash burgers. Flat spatulas don’t work here as well, you’ll need something heavy. One of the best burger presses would be this Stainless Burger Press with a thick handle.

Step 3: Scrape and Flip

Using your metal spatula or scraper, flip the burger with the tortilla side face down, on the cool side of the griddle or a low-temp large skillet. The tortilla does not need to be heated up on the back; otherwise, it will crisp up and cannot fold easily.

The bottom of the burger will be cooked through, so don’t worry. If by chance the meat separates from the tortilla during the flip, just set them back together.

Toppings for Smashburger Tacos

This is the time where you want to throw down a slice of cheese, such as American or cheddar cheese. Give it another minute or two until the cheese melts, and you’re ready to go.

Stick with this recipe combination if you want to make a more classic flavor profile for cheeseburger tacos. Some of our favorites toppings are:

• Homemade burger sauce (recipe below)
• Melty cheese, such as American, Swiss, provolone, or Muenster
• Dill pickles, try the sweet and spicy pickles recipe!
• Chopped onions, or even quick pickled red onions
• Thinly sliced tomatoes
• Shredded or chopped lettuce
• Yellow mustard

Burger Sauce Recipe

Mix together in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

This keeps in the fridge for up to a week and works on anything — smash burgers, regular burgers, fries, and sandwiches.

How to Make Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos

The Big Mac-style version is what most people picture when they search for smash burger tacos — and it’s the variation that went most viral. To make it:

• Cheese: American cheese, melted directly on the patty while still warm
• Sauce: The burger sauce above — this is your “special sauce”
• Toppings: Shredded iceberg lettuce, finely diced white onion, dill pickles
• Finishing touch: A pinch of sesame seeds on top before folding

The sesame seeds are the detail that makes it. They reference the Big Mac bun without needing one. Every element mimics the original McDonald’s flavor profile but with a thinner, crispier patty and a tortilla that absorbs all the juices from the sear.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Burger Recipes to Love

These viral smash burger tacos are a huge hit, but we have plenty more you need to try:

• Smoked smash burgers
• Cowboy butter burgers
• Chicken Big Mac Burger
• Crack burgers (bacon, cheddar, ranch)
• Surf and turf smash burger tacos
• Luther burger (topped with DONUTS!)
• Grilled cheese burgers

Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below — it genuinely helps other people find it, and I read every single one.