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Summer is here, and that means one thing: burgers are officially on the menu. But if you’re like us, you don’t always feel like dealing with the grill on a weeknight, and the standard pan-fried hamburger, delicious as it is, can get a little boring after awhile. That’s pretty much the reason why we became so obsessed with the TikTok-viral smash burger tacos, which are made with a flour tortilla, ground beef, and the typical burger toppings. But what if you’re still looking for something a little more exciting? Sunny Anderson, co-host of The Kitchen, has just the recipe for you. Basically, the Food Network star decided to lean in to the taco aspect of these viral smash burgers, giving them a bold Tex-Mex flavor so craveable, we have a feeling taco night and burger night are about to become one in the same ’round these parts.
The most important aspect of this smash burger taco recipe is the technique. Anderson’s smash burger tacos include onion and jalapeño, beef, cheese, and tortillas, along with some fresh toppings. To get started with cooking, the onions and jalapeños are added in six piles to a cast iron griddle (if you’re working with a traditional skillet, you can make these in batches of three). Top those piles with balls of ground beef, a sprinkle of cheese, and a tortilla. Then using a spatula (or your hand, if you’re not afraid of a little heat), smush everything down onto the hot skillet, so the beef flattens out and reaches the edges of the tortillas. The veggies cook in the rendered fat from the beef, the beef gets nice and crispy around the edges, the cheese melts, and the tortilla keeps everything together.
The smash burger tacos get flipped and cooked for about a minute on the tortilla side, and then can get folded up into a taco. This is where Anderson takes another opportunity to introduce some Tex-Mex vibes to the recipe. She tops the smash burger tacos, which are filled with beef, cheese, onions, and jalapeño, with fresh tomatoes and lettuce, and a drizzle of chipotle sauce.
It’s easy to make the chipotle sauce yourself. It’s a combination of Mexican crema and mayonnaise, which is then seasoned with chipotles in adobo, lime juice, garlic, and cumin. You can adjust the spiciness to your own tastes by adding more or less chipotle, and don’t be afraid to make a double batch to use on sandwiches all week — it can last up to five days in the fridge.
Cheesy, beefy, spicy, and satisfying, Sunny Anderson’s Tex-Mex smash burger tacos are definitely going on our menu this summer.
In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty:
Watch: How to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet
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