These smashed tacos with pepper jack cheese and a super easy guacamole are a great way to switch up your typical taco night! Paired with this refreshing cucumber, tomato, and dill salad, this is an easy, well-balanced dinner that will HIT THE SPOT!

FAQ – for the smashed tacos:

• What type of meat should I use?
  • In this recipe, I call for 85% lean (15% fat) ground beef. You can use any ground meat you prefer (ground turkey, chicken, pork or even beyond meat would work), however I would note that if you use a fattier grade of meat, you may need to be aware of draining some of the oil before you flip to the tortilla side.
• How do I prevent my tortillas from getting soggy?
  • As mentioned above, a fattier grade of meat may lead to a soggy tortilla. Another few tips to ensure you don’t have a soggy tortilla include:
    • Press the meat to get VERY thin (<1/4″ thick).
    • Use HIGH heat. This helps crisp up the tortilla vs make it soggy.
    • If you’re using a fattier beef / ground meat mixture, you may need to strain some of the fat with a paper towels before you flip, or flip the tortilla side down onto an surface area different than where the beef cooked.
• Should I use corn tortillas or flour tortillas?
  • I usually have a preference toward flour tortillas or corn tortillas, but in this recipe, I like both types for their own reasons. The smashed tacos with corn tortillas accentuate the whole taco feel – the corn tortilla is slightly thinner than the flour tortilla, and the crisp edge is quite delicious.
• What type of pan should I use?
  • I used a cast iron pan so I get use I very high heat, but any pan that is able to handle high heat should work.
• How long will this store? Can I reheat the cooked smashed tacos?
  • If these are made and are crisp (not soggy) after cooking, they should be able to last for several days in the fridge. Store in an airtight container separate from the salad and guac, and they should reheat well on the stovetop or in the microwave.
  • For the cucumber tomato dill salad, I recommend eating this the same day.
• Can I scale this recipe for more or less people?
  • Yes! I would plan for 3 tacos per person, using 1/4 lb of ground meat, 1/2 an avocado, and 2 persian cucumbers per person.

Step by step instructions

To make the cucumber tomato salad with dill:

1. Cut the ends off the persian cucumbers, then cut them into half moons. I halve the cucumber lengthwise, then lay it on the cut side and slice ⅓” thick pieces. 
2. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and thinly chop the dill. 
3. Add the chopped cucumber, tomato, and dill to a medium sized bowl. Add a big pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, drizzle of olive oil, and the fresh lime juice. Give everything a toss, taste, adjust seasoning, and also set aside. 

For the Easy Guacamole:

1. Add the avocado to a bowl along with the lime juice, diced red onion, pinch of kosher salt, and black pepper.  Mash with a fork until combined, taste, adjust with more lime juice or seasoning as desired, and set aside. 

For the Smashed Tacos:

1. Portion out the ½ lb of ground beef into 6 even sized balls. Press each one into a patty, about 2” in diameter. You will continue to smash this thinner, this just helps with the initial distribution. 
2. Heat a cast iron pan on high heat (or any pan that can handle high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the  ground beef patty to the pan. 
3. Season each patty with kosher salt, a sprinkle of paprika, and a sprinkle of garlic powder.

4. Add a tortilla over the beef. Use a spatula or bottom of a cup to press the ball SUPER flat (the beef shouldn’t be more than ¼” thick). Cook for 1 minute, then flip to the tortilla side. Add another light pinch of salt, then add ½ slice of pepperjack cheese. You may need to reduce the heat a bit at this point, as the cast iron will be VERY hot. Fold the tortilla in half, then let this cook for another 30 seconds. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds, and repeat this with the remaining ground beef and tortillas.

Video Tutorial Here:

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