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Smash Burger Tacos

Smash burger tacos with ultra-thin, crispy patties and caramelized edges, cooked fast on a griddle and tucked into warm taco shells. Each taco gets melty American cheese, dill pickles, fresh tomato, shredded lettuce, and red onion.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Fusion
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Smash burger filling
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tbsp butter for the griddle
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
Taco assembly
  • 4 taco shells corn or flour
  • 4 American cheese slices
  • 8 dill pickle chips
  • 4 tomato slices
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 0.25 cup diced red onion
  • 2 tbsp ketchup to taste
  • 2 tbsp mustard to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Smash and crisp the patties
  1. Heat a cast iron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat and lightly butter the surface. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions and place them on the griddle. Smash each patty very thin, about 1/4 inch thick, using a sturdy spatula.
  3. Cook the patties without moving for 2-3 minutes until the edges are crispy and caramelized. Keep heat at medium-high so the patties stay ultra-thin and fast-cooking.
  4. Flip each patty and immediately top with a slice of American cheese. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the cheese melts.
Warm shells and assemble tacos
  1. Warm the taco shells. Place one smashed burger patty in each shell while the cheese is still melted.
  2. Top each taco with dill pickle chips and tomato slices. Finish with shredded lettuce and diced red onion.
  3. Drizzle with ketchup and mustard to taste. Serve right away so the patties keep their crispy, caramelized edges.

Notes

Pro tip: smash firmly and quickly, then don’t move the patties for the first 2-3 minutes to lock in caramelized edges. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and reheat patties briefly in a hot skillet for best crunch (assemble fresh). Freezing is not recommended for tacos assembled, but cooked patties can be frozen up to 2 months and reheated. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef (90-93%) to reduce calories without changing the smash-burger method.