I hopped on the smashed taco trend and made these turkey smash burger tacos a little lighter than what I’ve seen on TikTok. They came out delicious!
Smash Taco Recipe
This six-ingredient smashed taco recipe was a hit in my house! If you have a griddle, Blackstone, or cast iron skillet, these healthy smashed tacos are a must! The ground turkey is seasoned and smashed with a burger press, then topped with cheese, corn tortillas, avocado, and pico de gallo. Plus, these high-protein tacos have 41 grams of protein in two tacos. If you love tacos, here are more dinner ideas: Beef Tacos, Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lettuce Slaw, and Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos.
Ingredients
- Ground Turkey: I bought 93% lean ground turkey to make these tacos lighter.
- Taco Seasoning: You can make homemade taco seasoning or buy it at the store. I prefer making it because it’s cheaper and healthier than premade versions.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese mix
- Tortillas: You’ll need eight corn tortillas.
- Avocado: Thinly slice one Haas avocado, for topping.
- Pico de Gallo: I have a simple recipe for homemade pico de gallo, a salsa with tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Store bought also works.
How to Make Smash Tacos
I made this smash burger taco recipe on Reels if you want to see the steps below in action.
- Prep: Before you start cooking, get all your ingredients out and prep the toppings so everything’s ready.
- Turkey: Season the ground turkey with taco seasoning, and roll it into eight balls weighing two ounces each.
- Smash Turkey: Heat your griddle, Blackstone, or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and spray with oil when hot. Working in batches, put the turkey balls on the pan, leaving enough room so they won’t touch when they’re pressed down. Smash the meat as thinly as possible with a round burger press, a large spatula with a mallet on top, or a small saucepan. Cook until the bottoms brown.
- Tortilla and Cheese: Flip the turkey, and top each patty with two tablespoons of cheese and a tortilla. Press down on the tortilla, and cook for two minutes until the bottom of the turkey browns and the cheese melts. Flip and cook for another minute to char the tortillas. Transfer the tacos to a plate, meat side up.
- Serving: Top each smash taco with avocado and pico de gallo.
What to Serve with Smashed Tacos
This easy smash burger tacos recipe would be delicious with black beans and rice, pinto beans, Mexican brown rice, or cilantro lime cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. For some veggies, make this Skillet Mexican Zucchini or Grilled Corn Salad. And don’t forget a drink! Try this Citrus Margarita Spritzer or Zero-Proof Jalapeño Paloma .
Storage
These smashed tacos are best eaten right after they are made. If you have extra raw turkey, you can refrigerate it for one day and cook it the next to have fresh tacos. If you want to make the entire smash taco and save it for later, let them cool and then refrigerate them. To reheat, warm on the griddle or in the
microwave and then top with the cheese, avocado, and pico.
Variations
- Meat: Swap ground turkey for lean ground beef or ground chicken.
- Salsa: If you don’t have time to make pico de gallo, some supermarkets sell it premade. You can also use any jarred salsa or make my No-Cook Red Salsa or Salsa Verde.
- Tortillas: Substitute flour tortillas for corn.
- Avocado: Switch out the sliced avocado for guacamole.
More Taco Recipes You’ll Love
- Shrimp Tacos
- Tofu Tacos with Potatoes and Jalapeños
- Air Fryer Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Cilantro-Lime Fish Tacos
Smash Taco Recipe
Equipment
- a round burger press or large spatula
Ingredients
- 1 pound 93% ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese mix
- 8 corn tortillas
- 4 ounces avocado, sliced thin (from 1 haas)
- 1 cup pico de gallo, homemade or store bought
- parchment paper, cut into squares
Instructions
- Prep all your ingredients so everything is ready.
- Season ground turkey with taco seasoning and roll into 8 balls, 2 ounces each.
- Heat a large griddle, black stone or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- When hot, spray with oil. Working in batches add turkey balls leaving enough space in between so they have room to spread and top with parchment.
- Using the press or a large spatula with a mallet pushing down on it, smash them all down as thin as possible. Cook until the bottoms are browned.
- Flip, top each with about 2 tablespoons shredded cheese then top with tortilla.
- Use the press to press down well on each. Cook about 2 minutes, until the bottom of the turkey browns and the cheese melts. Flip and cook 1 more minute so the tortillas char. Transfer tortillas to a plate, meat side up.
- Top with sliced avocado and pico de gallo, plus salsa if desired. Fold and eat right away.
