Smash Tacos Are Taking Over Taco Night: 15 Smashed, Stuffed and Walking Tacos Your Family Will Ask for Every Tuesday

Smash tacos are the easiest way to make taco night feel brand new again. You press a tortilla straight onto a thin patty of seasoned meat in a hot skillet, flip it, and the meat and tortilla fuse into one crispy, juicy bite with lacy fried cheese around the edges. No shells cracking in half, no filling falling out the back. Home cooks have been swapping in chicken Caesar, gyro and even pizza flavors, and walking tacos are back at every game day party too. Here are 15 smashed, stuffed and walking tacos your family will ask for every Tuesday, plus the simple technique that makes them work. Which one is going on your table first..

Classic Beef Smash Tacos With Crispy Cheese Edges

This is the one that started it all, and it still wins every time. A small ball of seasoned ground beef goes into a hot cast iron skillet, a flour tortilla gets pressed right on top, and the beef spreads into a thin, crusty layer stuck to the tortilla. A handful of cheddar on the pan melts and fries into a golden lace. Flip, fold, and pile on cool lettuce, tomato and a chipotle drizzle. Crispy, juicy and ready in about 15 minutes, these smash tacos taste like a diner burger and a taco rolled into one..

You will need: 1 lb ground beef (80/20), 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt, 8 small flour tortillas, 1 cup shredded cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, thinly sliced red onion, cilantro, 1/4 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1 tsp chopped chipotle in adobo, lime wedges.

How to make it: 1. Mix the beef with the spices and salt and roll into 8 small balls. 2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. 3. Set a ball in the pan, lay a tortilla on top and press down hard with a sturdy spatula until the meat is thin. 4. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until crusty and cooked through, scatter cheese around the edge, then flip and cook 1 minute. 5. Fold and top with lettuce, tomato, onion, cilantro, chipotle mayo and a squeeze of lime.

Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos

Half salad, half taco, completely addictive. Ground chicken is seasoned with garlic and lemon pepper, smashed under a tortilla and griddled with a ring of parmesan that turns into a crunchy, lacy crisp. Then comes the fun part: cold romaine tossed in Caesar dressing, shaved parmesan and crushed croutons for extra crunch. Food sites like Delish have been rolling out new twists on smash tacos lately, and this salad bar version is the one people keep saving. It is also a sneaky way to get picky eaters to eat their greens.

You will need: 1 lb ground chicken, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp lemon pepper, salt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 8 small flour tortillas, 1 cup finely grated parmesan, 3 cups chopped romaine, 1/3 cup Caesar dressing, shaved parmesan, 1 cup croutons lightly crushed, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. Season the chicken and divide it into 8 balls. 2. Press each ball under a tortilla in a hot oiled skillet until thin. 3. Cook about 3 minutes until browned and cooked through, sprinkle parmesan around the edge, then flip and crisp 1 minute. 4. Toss the romaine with the dressing. 5. Fold the tacos around the salad and finish with shaved parmesan, croutons and lemon.

Gyro-Style Smash Tacos With Tzatziki

If you love a street cart gyro, these are going to become a weeknight favorite. Ground lamb, or a mix of lamb and beef, gets oregano, garlic, cumin and a little grated onion, then is smashed thin onto soft flatbreads or flour tortillas. The edges crisp up just like gyro meat shaved off the spit. Stuff them with cool, garlicky tzatziki, tomato, red onion and crumbled feta, and dinner tastes like a trip to a Greek diner. Make the tzatziki first so the cucumber and dill have time to mingle in the fridge.

You will need: 1 lb ground lamb or half lamb and half beef, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 2 tbsp grated onion, salt and pepper, 8 small flatbreads or flour tortillas, 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cucumber grated and squeezed dry, 1 garlic clove minced, 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, 1 tbsp lemon juice, diced tomato, sliced red onion, crumbled feta, shredded romaine.

How to make it: 1. Stir the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon juice and a pinch of salt into tzatziki and chill. 2. Mix the meat with oregano, garlic powder, cumin, onion, salt and pepper and form 8 balls. 3. Smash each ball under a flatbread in a hot skillet and cook 3 minutes until crusty and cooked through. 4. Flip and warm the bread side for 1 minute. 5. Fill with tzatziki, tomato, onion, feta and lettuce.

Pizza Smash Tacos for Family Pizza Night

Pizza night and taco night finally met, and nobody is complaining. Crumbled Italian sausage is smashed under a tortilla, then loaded with marinara, mozzarella and pepperoni that crisps into little cups in the hot pan. Fold it while the cheese is still molten and you get a crunchy, gooey handheld that tastes like the corner slice everyone fights over. Serve a bowl of warm marinara on the side for dipping. Kids love building their own with whatever pizza toppings they like best, from olives to peppers.

You will need: 1 lb Italian sausage with casings removed, 8 small flour tortillas, 1 cup marinara plus more for dipping, 2 cups shredded mozzarella, 24 small pepperoni slices, fresh basil leaves, grated parmesan, a pinch of dried oregano.

How to make it: 1. Divide the sausage into 8 balls. 2. Smash each one under a tortilla in a hot skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the sausage is browned and cooked through. 3. Flip, spread a spoonful of marinara over the meat, add mozzarella and 3 pepperoni slices, then cover for 1 minute to melt. 4. Fold and sprinkle with parmesan, oregano and basil. 5. Serve with warm marinara for dipping.

Breakfast Smash Tacos With Sausage and Eggs

Weekend mornings just got an upgrade. Breakfast sausage is smashed thin under a tortilla until it turns crispy and golden, and a little cheddar fries along the edge. Fill each one with soft scrambled eggs, crispy diced potatoes, avocado and a spoonful of salsa, and you have a hot breakfast you can eat with one hand while the coffee brews. They also make a fun breakfast for dinner night. Cook the eggs low and slow so they stay creamy against the crunchy sausage.

You will need: 1/2 lb breakfast sausage, 6 small flour tortillas, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 6 eggs, 1 tbsp butter, 1 cup cooked diced potatoes, 1 avocado sliced, 2 green onions sliced, salsa.

How to make it: 1. Scramble the eggs gently in butter over low heat and set aside. 2. Divide the sausage into 6 balls and smash each under a tortilla in a hot skillet. 3. Cook about 3 minutes until crisp and cooked through, add cheese around the edge, then flip for 1 minute. 4. Fill with eggs, potatoes, avocado, green onion and salsa.

Walking Tacos for Game Day

Walking tacos are the ultimate no dishes party food. Everybody grabs a single serve bag of corn chips, crushes it gently, slits it open and spoons warm taco meat right inside, then piles on cheese, lettuce, sour cream and salsa. Eat it with a fork straight from the bag while you cheer at the TV. Keep a slow cooker of seasoned beef warm and set out a row of toppings so the kids can build their own between plays. For a smaller crowd, serve them in paper cups instead of bags.

You will need: 2 lb ground beef, 2 tbsp taco seasoning, 3/4 cup water, 10 single serve bags of corn chips, 2 cups shredded cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, sliced jalapenos.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef, drain, then add the taco seasoning and water and simmer 5 minutes. 2. Keep it warm in a slow cooker on low. 3. Gently crush each chip bag and cut it open along one long side. 4. Spoon in the beef and let everyone add cheese and toppings.

Ranch Chicken Walking Tacos

This version swaps the beef for ranch seasoned chicken, and it might just steal the show. Shredded chicken is warmed with ranch seasoning, a splash of hot sauce and melted cheddar, then spooned into bags of tortilla chips and topped with cool lettuce, tomato and a drizzle of ranch. It tastes like a creamy chicken dip and a taco salad in one bite. Start with a rotisserie chicken and it is ready in about 10 minutes, which makes it perfect for busy practice nights and sleepovers.

You will need: 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, 1 tbsp dry ranch seasoning mix, 2 tbsp hot sauce (optional), 1 cup shredded cheddar, 8 single serve bags of tortilla chips, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sliced green onion, ranch dressing.

How to make it: 1. Warm the chicken in a skillet with the ranch seasoning, hot sauce and a splash of water. 2. Stir in the cheddar until melted. 3. Open the chip bags along the side and spoon in the chicken. 4. Top with lettuce, tomato, green onion and a drizzle of ranch.

Sheet Pan Baked Tacos for Busy Weeknights

When you need to feed everyone at once, let the oven do the work. Hard taco shells stand up in a row on a sheet pan, filled with refried beans and seasoned beef and covered in cheese, then bake until the shells are toasty and the cheese bubbles. Every taco comes out hot at the same time, so nobody is stuck waiting at the stove. Top them with lettuce, tomato and hot sauce right on the pan and let everyone grab their own. It is the easiest taco night you will ever clean up after.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 2 tbsp taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water, 1 can (16 oz) refried beans, 12 hard taco shells, 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sliced green onion, hot sauce.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Brown the beef with the taco seasoning and water. 3. Spread a spoonful of refried beans inside each shell, then add the beef. 4. Stand the shells upright in a sheet pan, top with cheese and bake 8 to 10 minutes. 5. Add the toppings and serve straight from the pan.

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos

Set it in the morning and taco night practically makes itself. Chicken thighs or breasts cook low and slow in salsa, a little chipotle in adobo and warm spices until they fall apart with a fork. This smoky, saucy filling is a lot like Mexican chicken tinga, and it is just as good the next day in rice bowls or quesadillas. Spoon it into warm corn tortillas, or turn it into smash tacos by crisping a spoonful on the griddle under a tortilla. One pot can feed the family for days.

You will need: 2 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts, 1 1/2 cups salsa, 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo chopped, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 onion sliced, salt, corn tortillas, chopped cilantro, diced onion, Mexican crema, lime wedges.

How to make it: 1. Put the chicken, salsa, chipotle, cumin, garlic powder and onion in the slow cooker. 2. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours. 3. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir it into the sauce. 4. Serve in warm tortillas with cilantro, onion, crema and lime.

Crispy Black Bean Smash Tacos

Meatless nights do not have to be boring. Mashed black beans with cumin, smoked paprika and a little cheese are spread onto a tortilla and pressed into a hot oiled skillet until the beans form a crunchy, savory crust. These smash tacos are cheap, filling and ready in about 15 minutes. Fill them with crunchy cabbage, a cool avocado crema and pickled red onions for a bright bite. Beans bring plenty of fiber and plant protein to the table, and even the meat lovers in the house will reach for seconds.

You will need: 2 cans (15 oz) black beans drained, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt, 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack, 8 small flour or corn tortillas, 2 tbsp oil, shredded cabbage, 1 avocado blended with 1/3 cup sour cream and lime juice, pickled red onions, cilantro.

How to make it: 1. Mash the beans with the spices, salt and cheese. 2. Spread a thin layer over each tortilla. 3. Place bean side down in a hot oiled skillet and press firmly. 4. Cook 3 minutes until crusty, then flip for 1 minute. 5. Fill with cabbage, avocado crema, pickled onions and cilantro.

Taco Salad Bowls

All the fun of taco night, served in a bowl you can eat. Large flour tortillas bake over upside down oven safe bowls until they turn into crunchy shells, then get filled with crisp lettuce, beans, corn, grilled chicken or seasoned beef, salsa, guacamole and sour cream. It feels like a restaurant lunch but costs a fraction of the price at home. Bake the shells ahead and let everyone fill their own at the table. Crunching through the bowl at the very end is the best part.

You will need: 4 large flour tortillas, cooking spray, 1 lb grilled chicken or seasoned ground beef, 4 cups chopped lettuce, 1 can black beans drained, 1 cup corn, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Spray the tortillas, drape them over upside down oven safe bowls and bake 10 to 12 minutes until crisp. 3. Cool, then fill with lettuce, beans, corn and meat. 4. Top with tomatoes, cheese, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

Quick Birria-Style Dipping Tacos

Those red, cheesy tacos dunked into a cup of broth went viral for a reason, and you can make a faster version at home. Beef chuck simmers in a blend of dried guajillo and ancho chiles, garlic, cumin and broth until tender. Dip the tortillas in the red fat on top, crisp them with cheese and beef, then dunk every bite into the rich consomme. If you want to go all in, our guide to birria recipes at home has plenty more ways to use one pot of birria.

You will need: 2 lb beef chuck cut into chunks, 4 dried guajillo chiles, 2 dried ancho chiles, 4 garlic cloves, 1/2 onion, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 bay leaves, 3 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp vinegar, corn tortillas, shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, diced onion, cilantro, lime.

How to make it: 1. Toast the chiles briefly in a dry pan, soak them in hot water, then blend with garlic, onion, spices, vinegar and 1 cup broth. 2. Pressure cook the beef with the sauce, remaining broth and bay leaves for 45 minutes, or simmer for 3 hours. 3. Shred the beef. 4. Dip tortillas in the fat on top of the broth, griddle with cheese and beef, then fold and crisp. 5. Serve with cups of consomme topped with onion and cilantro.

A Sauce Trio That Makes Every Taco Better

The right sauce turns a good taco into the one everyone remembers. This trio covers every craving: a smoky chipotle crema, a bright green salsa verde made with tomatillos, and a fresh pico de gallo with ripe tomatoes and lime. Make all three on Sunday and they keep for several days in the fridge. Set them out in little bowls and let everyone mix and match. Smoky, tangy and cool, the trio works on smash tacos, walking tacos and taco salad bowls alike.

You will need: Chipotle crema: 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 to 2 tsp adobo sauce, lime juice, salt. Salsa verde: 1 lb tomatillos husked, 1 jalapeno, 1/4 onion, 1 garlic clove, a handful of cilantro, lime juice, salt. Pico de gallo: 4 Roma tomatoes, 1/2 white onion, 1 jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt.

How to make it: 1. Stir the sour cream, adobo, lime and salt together for the crema. 2. Broil the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion and garlic 6 to 8 minutes until blistered, then blend with cilantro, lime and salt. 3. Dice the tomatoes, onion and jalapeno and toss with cilantro, lime and salt for the pico. 4. Chill all three until serving.

Taco Bar for a Crowd

Hosting a birthday, a team party or a big family dinner? A taco bar feeds a crowd with almost no stress. Cook two fillings, warm a big stack of tortillas and set out bowls of toppings, from shredded cheese and lettuce to salsa, onions, jalapenos and limes. Guests build exactly what they love, and picky eaters always find something. Plan on about three tacos per adult, and line everything up in the order people build: tortillas, meat, cheese, then the cool toppings and sauces last.

You will need: 3 lb seasoned ground beef or shredded chicken, a second filling such as pinto beans or pulled pork, about 40 small tortillas or shells, 3 cups shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced onion, cilantro, sliced jalapenos, two salsas, sour cream, guacamole, lime wedges.

How to make it: 1. Cook the fillings and keep them warm in slow cookers. 2. Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in a 300 F oven. 3. Fill small bowls with each topping. 4. Line everything up in building order with serving spoons.

How to Make Smash Tacos: The Technique Explained

Once you learn the trick, you can turn almost anything into smash tacos. Use small 5 to 6 inch tortillas and meat with some fat, like 80/20 beef, so it sticks and browns. Roll the meat into golf ball sized portions, set one in a very hot cast iron skillet or griddle, lay a tortilla on top and press down hard with a sturdy spatula until the meat is about 1/4 inch thick. Leave it alone for 2 to 3 minutes. When the edges brown, flip, add cheese and fold.

You will need: Small flour tortillas, ground meat with some fat, a cast iron skillet or flat griddle, a sturdy flat spatula, a little oil, salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the pan over medium high heat until very hot. 2. Season the meat well and roll it into small balls. 3. Set a ball in the pan, top with a tortilla and press until thin and almost edge to edge. 4. Cook 2 to 3 minutes without moving it, until browned and cooked through. 5. Flip, warm the tortilla side 30 to 60 seconds, add toppings and fold.