Whenever someone asks me for a recipe for someone who isn’t super confident in the kitchen, nine times out of ten, I’ll suggest a smash taco. It may have started as a social media trend, but it’s a seriously genius idea that works SO well and is incredibly versatile. The process remains the same – mix your flavor-packed topping, press onto tortillas, pan-fry for a few minutes, load on fresh toppings and serve with some kind of dipping sauce. They are just so easy and SO worth trying.

This variation uses very similar ingredients to these juicy lamb koftas and works perfectly in smash taco form. I’m topping these with a lovely fresh, crunchy mix of lettuce, cucumber, feta and juicy tart pomegranate seeds for a lovely combination of flavors that works wonderfully with the spiced beef topping.

While they’re great for busy weeknights, they’re also brilliant for entertaining and for serving a crowd. Lay out all the toppings for people to help themselves, and you can even cook them all at once on an outdoor grill, barbecue or Blackstone.

If you’re also a smash taco fan, try these smash satay chicken tacos, smash lahmacun tacos, smash banh mi tacos or smash dumpling tacos next.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground beef. I like to use lean meat just so the tacos don’t get too greasy in the pan (but you can use meat with a higher percentage of fat if you prefer). You could also use ground lamb, pork, chicken, turkey or a plant-based alternative here.
• Spices. You’ll need ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon and smoked paprika as your base, and I like to add chili flakes too for a bit of heat, but that’s optional.
• Toppings. I’m using shredded crunchy lettuce, cucumber, feta and pomegranate seeds, but you can play around here. Add tomatoes or red onion, diced bell peppers or olives.
• The sauce. Garlicky tahini sauce works perfectly with these tacos, but if you’re not a tahini fan, go for garlic aioli, or spicy aioli.

How To Make Smash Kebab Tacos

Add all your ingredients for the kofta taco topping to a mixing bowl, and combine so that all the seasoning is evenly dispersed.

Spread a heaped spoonful of the mixture onto your taco, taking it right to the edges to allow for shrinkage while cooking. Try to press it into a thin, even layer. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the topping.

Cook the tacos, meat side down, for a few minutes, then flip and let the taco crisp up in the pan slightly. Remove from the heat, then it’s time to top them.

Drizzle with tahini sauce, then pile on the shredded lettuce, crumbled feta and the pomegranate seeds. Finish with a sprinkling of za’atar or dukkah.

Smash Kebab Tacos FAQs

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