Smash Tacos with Cheddar and Special Sauce
By Jonah Pike
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
These taco mash-ups are a good option for me when I'm craving burgers and tacos․ Cooked seasoned ground beef on top of a flour tortilla is topped with cheddar cheese and sour sauce․ The flour tortilla fries in a skillet․ I use medium flour tortillas to keep the filling from falling off the side․
I make the sauce in advance and let it sit while I work on the meat․ I spread the meatballs over most of the tortilla and use my fingers to help embed onion in the meatballs․ Onion pieces stick to the tortilla and are transferred to the pan when I move the tortilla․ Using gloves can reduce the messiness of working with raw ground beef․
I use a nonstick pan and cook everything over low-to-medium heat․ Cook the meat for 3 to 4 minutes until browned and cooked through․ Turn and cook the tortilla for 1 to 2 minutes․ You can add shredded cheddar cheese at this point․ Take the tortilla off the heat when the cheese is melted and the edges of the tortilla are just browning․
Place one cooked taco assembly on a cutting board at a time and top it․ Fold the taco assembly while it is warm․ Foods with thin taco filling will not fall out when you cut a taco․ Plates are suitable serving vessels for tacos as a casual meal․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Four tacos will make a small meal, Each person can fold their own at the cutting board․
- The beef is seared in a light coat to flavor the hamburger․ Beef patties are not made in advance․
- Medium tortillas won't crack when heated in a pan and can be used to serve four meatballs․
- Sharp cheddar cheese melts into the meat and tortilla when pan-fried; there is no need to bake․
- Pickle slices in the sauce topping provide sour notes to the burger topping, Pickle slices are optional in the burger topping for children․
- A nonstick skillet is used to cook all the food, More avocado oil can be added while cooking other batches of food․
Ingredients
- •4 medium flour tortillas
- •1 lb ground beef
- •1 tablespoon Montreal steak spice
- •¼ cup onion (finely chopped, divided into 4 equal amounts)
- •salt (to taste)
- •1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
- •2 tablespoons avocado oil (more as needed, using 1/2 tablespoon at a time for cooking tacos)
- •1 cup lettuce leaves (sliced, for serving)
- •¼ cup cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
- •3 tablespoons ketchup (for the sauce)
- •3 tablespoons mayo (for the sauce)
- •½ tablespoon sriracha (for the sauce)
- •2 tablespoons onion (finely chopped, for the sauce)
- •3 tablespoons pickles (finely chopped, for the sauce)
Instructions
- 1
Mix the ketchup, mayo, sriracha, finely chopped onion, and pickles in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.
- 2
Combine the ground beef and Montreal steak spice in a medium bowl, using gloves to mix evenly. Divide the beef into 4 equal meatballs.
- 3
Press 1 meatball onto each tortilla, spreading it over most of the surface. Add 1 portion of chopped onion to each, press it gently into the beef, and season with salt to taste.
- 4
Heat 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 tortilla meat-side down and cook for 3–4 minutes, until the beef is browned and cooked through.
- 5
Flip the tortilla with the beef facing up. Add cheddar cheese and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the tortilla is golden and the cheese melts.
- 6
Move the taco to a cutting board. Add the sliced lettuce, chopped cilantro, and prepared sauce, then fold it in half and slice if desired.
- 7
Cook the remaining tortillas the same way, adding more avocado oil as needed between batches. Serve hot with extra sauce and your favorite toppings.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
625
Protein
30g
Fat
46g
Carbs
22g
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