These Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos combine everything you love about a classic smash burger with the ease of a soft taco. Thin, crispy beef patties, melty cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles, onion, and a homemade Big Mac-style sauce are cooked directly onto flour tortillas for a fast, fun dinner that doesn't require buns or a grill.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
Recipe at a Glance
- Cook Method: Skillet or griddle
- Ready In: 20 minutes
- Main Protein: 80/20 ground beef
- Tortillas: 7-inch flour tortillas
- Texture: Crispy beef, soft tortilla
- Best For: Weeknight dinners, game day, smash burger fans
Jump to:
- Recipe at a Glance
- Why These Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos Work So Well
- Big Mac Taco Ingredients
- Do You Cook the Burger on the Tortilla?
- How to Make Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos
- Jeri's Top Tips
- Jeri's Blackstone Grill Hack
- What to Serve with Big Mac Tacos?
- Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
- More Burger Recipes You May Like
- Printable Recipe
- Comments
Why These Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos Work So Well
These Big Mac smash tacos cook best in a hot pan over high heat. Smashing the beef into a thin layer creates crispy edges while letting the excess fat render out, which means less grease and better texture than thicker patties when cooked beef side down first.
Unlike traditional Smash Burgers, these tacos cook in just minutes and stay crispy thanks to the tortilla being added during cooking, not before. The result is a smash burger taco that's juicy, cheesy, and easy to assemble without falling apart.
If you love smash burgers and tacos, this recipe hits the sweet spot between both. It's also delicious with my homemade Smashburger Sauce.
If you love this recipe, check out these Big Mac Sloppy Joes next!
Big Mac Taco Ingredients
These Big Mac smash burger tacos use simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
- Ground Beef. Use an 80/20 blend. I tried making them with extra-lean ground beef and venison, and it didn't work.
- Cheese. American cheese slices melt best and give these tacos that classic Big Mac flavor, or use thinly sliced cheddar cheese.
- Tortilla Shells. I recommend 7-inch soft flour tortillas. You can also use gluten-free tortillas.
- Lettuce. Classic iceberg lettuce is nice and crispy and just perfect.
- Onions. You can use white onions like in the original Big Mac or use thinly sliced red onions like I did.
- Pickles. Use your favorite sandwich or hamburger pickles; I prefer Yum Yum sweet pickles, my refrigerator bread and butter pickles, or my canned bread and butter pickles.
- Big Mac-style Burger Sauce. This is my version made with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and a touch of sugar. If you already have my Smashburger Sauce on hand, it works here too.
Do You Cook the Burger on the Tortilla?
Some smash burger taco recipes press raw beef directly onto the tortilla before cooking. I tested both methods and prefer cooking one side of the burger first, then flipping and adding the tortilla.
This keeps the beef crispy, ensures it's fully cooked, and prevents the tortilla from becoming greasy or soggy.
How to Make Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos
Make the Big Mac Sauce
- Step 1: Combine Ingredients. Add all of the ingredients for the sauce to a small bowl.
- Step 2: Mix. Whisk together until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Burgers
These burgers cook fast, so have the tortillas and cheese slices ready before you start cooking.
You can use a burger press (like the antique one we used from my husband's grandparents), the bottom of a cast iron skillet, or a flat spatula.
- Step 3: Prep. Preheat a cast iron skillet, griddle, or grill to medium-high. Divide the ground beef into 8 equal-sized portions and roll into balls (2 ounces each).
- Step 4: Smash the Burgers. Place a beef ball on the hot suface, top with parchment paper, and smash it down with a spatula or burger press to flatten it as thin as you can. Remove the parchment paper and season with salt and pepper. Repeat for the remaining burgers. Cook for 2-3 minutes until crispy.
Tip: If you don't have a large surface, cook the burgers in batches of 1 or 2 at a time.
- Step 5: Flip and Cook. Flip the burgers, season again with salt and pepper, and cook for another 2 minutes. Place a slice of cheese on each patty followed by a tortilla shell.
- Step 6: Flip Again. Flip the patties so the tortilla shell is now on the bottom. Place another slice of cheese on top of the burger. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the grill, tortilla side down.
Assemble the Smashburger Tacos
- Step 7: Add Toppings. Top each taco with shredded lettuce, diced onions, and pickles.
- Step 8: Serve. Drizzle a generous amount of Big Mac sauce over top and serve immediately. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the finished tacos if you want a true Big Mac Vibe. Enjoy!
Jeri's Top Tips
- Thin Patties: Smash the burger patties as thin as you can so they get nice and crispy.
- Customize: Not a fan of pickles or onions? Leave them out! You can also use canned cowboy candy instead of pickles.
- Keto-Friendly: Use low-carb tortillas and your favorite sweetener instead of sugar in the sauce.
- Kid-friendly: These Big Mac tacos are easy for kids to hold and less messy than burgers
Jeri's Blackstone Grill Hack
Blackstone grills are all the rage now because they are easy to use and have a large flat top surface. However, I don't have a Blackstone grill or a Traeger Flatrock Flat Top Grill (not yet, anyway), so I use a cast iron Camp Chef griddle that I place directly on my Traeger pellet grill, which works perfectly! If you have a cast iron griddle, place it on your BBQ or pellet grill to make these delicious tacos! If you have any questions about this, let me know, I'm always happy to help! 🙂
What to Serve with Big Mac Tacos?
Crispy Sides: Pair with crispy frozen french fries, air fryer curly fries, or crispy air fryer sweet potato fries.
Salad: Serve with creamy mayo coleslaw, Greek cucumber salad, or tomato basil cucumber salad.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
To Store: These smashburger tacos are best when served fresh, but they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
To Reheat: Place in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes on each side until heated through. Cover with a lid to keep the steam in to prevent them from drying out.
Make Ahead: You can cook the burger patties ahead of time and flash freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw the patties in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a skillet for a quick meal anytime!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Of course! Add additional toppings like jalapenos, avocado slices, or crispy bacon.
I haven't tried it with ground turkey. Lean meats like venison didn't work well because they were dry; beef fat keeps the burgers juicy and prevents the tortilla shell from drying out.
A smash burger is a ball of meat squished into a thin patty for a crispy texture, whereas a regular burger is thicker and takes longer to cook.
Yes, but they won't be quite as crispy. You can bake the smashed beef patties on a sheet pan at 425°F until cooked through, then assemble the tacos. For best results, finish them in a hot pan to crisp the tortillas.
More Burger Recipes You May Like
Did you love this recipe?
Then please leave a 5-star rating and/or review below! You can also save it! Just tap the heart symbol ❤️ in the lower right corner of your screen, and the recipe will be stored in your own recipe box!📥
Printable Recipe
Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 16 slices American cheese (or thin-sliced cheddar cheese)
- 8 soft tortilla shells (7 inches)
- 2 cups iceberg lettuce (shredded)
- ½ cup onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup sweet pickles
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Big Mac Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Make the Big Mac Sauce: In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, relish, mustard, sugar, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat: Heat a cast iron skillet, griddle, or grill to medium-high.
- Make the Burgers: Divide ground beef into 8 equal-sized portions and roll into balls (about 2 ounces each).
- Smash the Burgers: Place a beef ball on the hot surface and quickly smash it down with a spatula or burger press to flatten it as thin as possible. (Place parchment paper between the meat and whatever you're using to flatten it). Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until crispy.
- Flip and Cook: Flip the burgers over, season with salt and pepper again, and cook for 2 minutes. Place a slice of cheese on each patty followed by a tortilla shell. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Flip Again: Flip the patties so the tortilla shell is now on the bottom. Place another slice of cheese on top of the burger. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the grill, tortilla side down.
- Add Toppings: Top each taco with shredded lettuce, diced onions, pickles, and a generous amount of Big Mac sauce over the top. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Save This Recipe 💌
Enter your email below and I'll send the recipe straight to your inbox! Plus, you'll get new recipes from me each week!
Notes
- Cooking the burger first before adding the tortilla keeps the beef crispy and prevents greasy tacos.
- These tacos are fun for kids to make and eat. Set up a toppings bar and let them build their own tacos.
- Store leftover burger patties and toppings separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Reheat patties in a skillet before assembling fresh tacos.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Comments
No Comments