These Elote Smash Burger Tacos combine crispy beef tacos with a creamy, tangy corn topping inspired by Mexican street corn. The tortillas get pressed thin with seasoned ground beef and cooked until the edges are crispy, then piled high with chilled corn salad, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
The contrast of hot crispy tacos and cool creamy corn makes these incredibly hard to stop eating. They’re quick enough for a weeknight dinner but fun enough for taco night with friends. Plus, the smash taco method gives you those crispy burger-style edges without needing a grill.
Helpful Tips
- Flatten the beef slightly larger than the tortilla since it shrinks as it cooks.
- Press firmly while cooking to help the beef develop crispy edges and stay attached to the tortilla.
- Chill the street corn mixture before serving so the flavors have time to blend together.
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Elote Smash Burger Tacos
Ingredients
For the tacos:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 8 small flour tortillas
- 1/4 cup Cotija cheese
- 1/4 cup cilantro minced
- 1 lime cut into 8 wedges
For the corn topping:
- 10 ounce can corn drained
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- Juice from 1/2 lime plus zest of that lime
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder mild to hot
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the ground beef, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- For the elote corn topping, mix together the corn, mayonnaise, lime juice and zest, green onion, jalapeno, chili powder, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until the tacos are ready.
- Divide the ground beef into 8 equal portions (about 2 ounces each). Press one portion of beef directly onto each tortilla, flattening it evenly with your fingers until the tortilla is fully covered. It should be at least an inch bigger than the tortilla since it will shrink while cooking.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Place the tacos, beef side down, onto the hot surface. Depending on your pan size, you may need to work in batches. Press down firmly on the tortilla side to flatten even more. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the beef is crispy on the edges. Flip once if you want the tortilla to be crunchy.
- Top the tacos with the elote corn topping, cotija, and cilantro. Serve with a lime wedge.
Nutrition
Angela’s passion for discovering and experimenting with new flavors and recipes is at the heart of her culinary philosophy. Residing in a quaint Oregon town, she finds joy and inspiration in her kitchen. Angela has a lot of expertise in cooking and she eagerly shares her discoveries and unique creations with you.