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Smashed Cheeseburger Tacos

Smashed cheeseburger tacos with crispy-edged beef patties and melted American cheese, folded into buttery flour tortillas. A quick burger-to-taco fusion with classic toppings and special sauce for easy, layered bite-sized tacos.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American Fusion
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Smashed cheeseburger taco filling
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Use 80/20 for best browning and crisp edges.
  • 8 flour tortillas Use small tortillas so they fold neatly.
  • 8 American cheese slices 1 slice per taco.
  • 0.25 cup butter, melted For brushing the tortillas before smashing.
  • 0.5 cup shredded lettuce To pile inside each folded taco.
  • 0.5 cup diced tomatoes For fresh crunch and juiciness.
  • 0.25 cup diced onions Adds bite to balance the richness.
  • 0.25 cup pickles, chopped Chopped for even distribution.
  • 0.333 cup special sauce Mix mayo, ketchup, and mustard (exact amounts to taste).
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Form and season the patties
  1. Form the ground beef into 8 small balls and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Press each ball slightly to help it flatten faster on the griddle.
Smash and melt
  1. Heat a griddle or large skillet over high heat, then brush tortillas with melted butter.
  2. Place tortillas on the hot surface and put a beef ball on each, then smash flat with a heavy spatula.
  3. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the beef develops a crispy crust, then flip tortilla and beef together.
  4. Immediately top with American cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Fold and fill
  1. Remove tacos from the heat, fold like a taco, and let them stay folded so the cheese sets.
  2. Fill each taco with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced onions, chopped pickles, and special sauce.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the heat high and press firmly for a deep, crispy crust before flipping. Store leftover filled tacos in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days; rewarm the beef and tortillas separately for best texture. Freeze unfilled patties/tacos only—freeze up to 1 month, then reheat and assemble fresh. For a lighter option, use 90/10 ground beef and a reduced-fat cheese slice if you want less fat while keeping the smash technique.