Beloved for its crispy browned crust, a smash burger is a beef patty that is smashed down with a spatula or weight right at the start of cooking. The method yields a thin patty with undeniably delicious browning on the outside (thanks to all the nooks and crannies) and a juicy inside. This recipe basically mashes up the fabulous smash burger with the equally fabulous quesadilla for a handheld dinner that you’ll want to make over and over again. Bonus: this smash burger taco recipe is super easy to prepare. A taco seasoning packet gives ground beef max flavor with practically zero fuss.
If you have a griddle, this is a great opportunity to use it. It can speed up the cooking time as it can cook up to four smash burger tacos at a time.