Smash burgers + tacos + fast-food nostalgia? We're playing chess, not checkers here. You've seen the viral smashed burger tacos all over social media, but these Big Mac smash tacos might just be the best ones yet. Juicy, perfectly seasoned smash burger patties are pressed right into a flour tortilla, cooked until perfectly crispy, then loaded with classic Big Mac toppings and topped with copycat Big Mac sauce. Dinner is about to get dangerously good.
Jump to:
Looking for more easy dinners? I've got you covered! From these juicy pure beef burgers, which pair wonderfully with this roasted garlic aioli, to these lighter homemade burger bowls or crispy turkey lettuce wrap tacos. These meals are simple, budget-friendly and perfect for busy nights.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These Big Mac smash tacos are an easy 20-minute dinner, and perfect for busy weeknights. They also make excellent leftovers for lunch the next day!
- Recreate the nostalgic Big Mac flavor at home, right down to the famous Big Mac sauce.
- There is no fancy grill required to make these smashed burger tacos, just a plain old frying pan works perfectly!
Summarize and Save This Recipe Using:
Ingredients You'll Need
- Ground Beef - The leaner the ground beef, the better. Leaner ground beef produces less grease. Too much grease in the pan could make the tacos soggy. I regularly use longhorn ground beef, which has virtually zero fat content. This recipe has been tested with 80/20 ground beef as well and works great!
- American Cheese - Any kind of cheese can be used on the tacos, but American cheese is the classic cheese choice.
- Big Mac Sauce - Don't skip the homemade Big Mac sauce, I repeat, do not skip the Big Mac sauce!
- Panko, Egg & Cumin - These three ingredients are the trifecta for a delicious burger patty.
- Pickles, White Onion, Iceburg Lettuce - These are the quintessential toppings for a Big Mac taco.
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Customizations & Recipe Variations
- Add Bacon - Bacon Big Mac? Say less. All you have to do to make this is add a couple of pieces of cooked bacon to the finished Big Mac smash tacos.
- Double Cheeseburger Style - Keep some extra ground beef patties to the side and press them into a thin layer (not attached to a tortilla shell). Cook the extra patties in a frying pan until completely cooked. Layer the smash burger tacos with an extra layer of burger patty and cheese on top of the layer that was cooked directly onto the tortilla. To make it a true double cheeseburger taco, forgo the Big Mac sauce and use only ketchup and mustard as the sauce.
- Make It Spicy - Add some sriracha aioli sauce as a topping, or add some red chili flakes into the burger meat.
- Make It a Salad - If you love all the traditional flavors of the Big Mac burger, but want to make it low-carb, try my Big Mac salad!
Try these viral smashed egg tacos for a breakfast version of this recipe on my website!
How To Make Big Mac Smashed Burger Tacos
Step 1
Mix the ground beef with the egg, panko breadcrumbs, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix it well. It is easiest to use your hands to mash the burger meat together.
Step 2
Divide the burger meat into ten equal-sized balls (55-58 grams each).
Working with one tortilla at a time, smash one ball of burger meat per tortilla, pressing it into a very, very thin layer that covers the whole tortilla.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Step 3
In a frying pan over medium heat, place the tortilla meat side down, and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the meat is crispy.
Flip onto the other side, lower the heat slightly, add two pieces of American cheese to the top of the tortilla, cover with a lid and cook for 1 minute, until the cheese is melted and the meat is fully cooked.
Keep a close eye on the tortillas and adjust the heat as necessary, because they can and will burn easily.
Step 4
Add the lettuce, onions, pickles and Big Mac sauce to the tacos and serve right away.
Step 5
To keep the tacos warm while you are cooking the others, preheat your oven to 175°F and place prepared tacos on a wire rack over a baking sheet while you prepare the rest.
Serve these tacos with a side of crispy French fries or take them to the next level with these loaded French fries!
Expert Tips
- Prep the toppings while the tacos cook to save time!
- Using a flat top grill or Blackstone grill will allow you to cook multiple smash burger tacos at once.
- Press the burger meat evenly onto the tortillas to prevent thick spots and uneven cooking.
- Don't move the taco too early. You'll want to wait until there is a deep golden brown crust on the outside of the burger meat before flipping the taco.
- To make these true Big Mac smash tacos, don't skip any of the toppings or the Big Mac sauce!
How To Store Leftovers
Big Mac smash tacos store wonderfully and can (and I'll admit it, have) been eaten cold, and are still delicious and wonderful.
Ideally, store the fully cooked tacos without the toppings or sauce and add that right before you eat them, but if the toppings and sauce are on the tacos, they still store well.
Keep the leftover smash tacos in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a frying pan, in the microwave or oven, and add the toppings and sauce before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Flour tortillas work best because they're flexible and hold the beef well. Corn tortillas may crack.
You can prep the sauce and toppings ahead, but cook the smash tacos fresh for the best texture and crispiness.
Yes, but homemade Big Mac sauce tastes fresher, lets you control the flavor and takes literally less than 5 minutes to make!
More Taco Recipes
Looking for more delicious taco recipes like this? Try these:
If you made these Big Mac Smash Tacos or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Big Mac Smash Tacos (Smashed Burger Tacos)
↑ click the stars to rate this recipe ↑
Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Frying Pan with Lid
Ingredients
- 10 (7-inch) Flour Tortillas
- 1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
- 1 large Egg
- ¼ cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 20 slices American Cheese
- 2-3 large Dill Pickles chopped
- ½ medium White Onion finely diced
- 2 ½ cups Iceberg Lettuce shredded
- 1 recipe Big Mac Sauce
Instructions
To Cook Smash Burger Tacos
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Divide the meat into 10 portions (55-58 grams each) and roll into balls.
- Spread each portion of burger meat onto a tortilla in a very thin, even layer, pressing the meat all the way to the edges.
- Heat a skillet or a flat top over medium heat. Place the tortilla beef side down and cook for 3-4 minutes, until browned and crispy. Flip, add two slices of American cheese, cover with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes until the tortilla is golden brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted. (Keep a close eye on the tortilla after flipping as they can burn easily, and the heat may need to be adjusted)
- Serve immediately, or place cooked tacos on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep warm in a 175°F oven while you finish cooking the remaining tacos.
Assemble and Serve
- Add shredded lettuce, diced onions, chopped pickles and Big Mac sauce. Serve immediately.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
- Ground Beef: Choose lean ground beef so there isn't too much excess fat in the pan. Too much grease from the beef can cause the tortillas to become soggy.
- Toppings: Top each Big Mac smash taco with 2 slices of cheese, ¼ cup lettuce, onions, pickles and 2 tablespoons of Big Mac sauce.
- Prepare the toppings while the tacos are cooking to save time.
- Using a flat top or Blackstone grill will allow you to cook multiple tacos at a time.
- Press the ground beef evenly onto the tortillas to ensure even cooking and to prevent thick spots.
- Don't move the tacos too early when they are cooking. Cook the meat until it has a good crust on the outside and the meat is fully cooked through.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Jessica says
When we first tasted these Big Mac smash tacos, we knew we had created something special. They are so addictive, and all of our recipe testers loved them!