This 10-Minute Mexican-Inspired Smash Burger Is Even Better Than Taco Night

A few years ago, smash burgers had a serious moment—the kind of viral rise that put them on every trendy bar menu and backyard griddle. But the idea of smashing beef onto a hot surface to amplify its flavors and give it a pleasantly crispy texture isn’t new. In Oklahoma, diners have been smashing burgers since the 1920s, pressing thinly sliced onions into patties as they cook. Go back even further, and you’ll find a similar technique in Mexico: pacholas, seasoned ground beef patties traditionally flattened between stones and cooked until crisp-edged and flavorful.

This recipe bridges those worlds by marrying the texture-driven magic of a smash burger with the bold, herbaceous seasoning of a pachola. This Mexican-American hybrid features a crisp-edged beef patty seasoned with a hit of cumin and oregano, topped with seared onions and chiles, and finished with a handful of lime-dressed cilantro to keep things fresh and vibrant.

Pacholas originate from Jalisco and are ground beef patties that are typically seasoned with warm cumin and oregano and speckled with bits of onion, garlic, chile, and fresh cilantro. There is no documentation indicating when pacholos were invented, but the earliest this beef version could have originated is the 16th century, when the Spaniards brought cows to Mexico. The technique itself is older than that—the name comes from the Náhuatl word “pacholi,” meaning tortilla, a reference to its flattened shape. Traditionally, the beef was ground by hand using a metate (a flat stone mortar and pestle), a technique that predates the Spanish arrival in the Americas. Historically, they were bound with egg or breadcrumbs and pan-fried like a flattened meatball. But in this burger, I skip the binder and use the intense heat of the pan to create a crust that holds everything together.

I was inspired to combine these two dishes by Smish Smash, an Oakland-based pop-up that has transformed everything from a Reuben sandwich to a bowl of pho into a smash burger. Like in an Oklahoma burger, the onions and chiles should be sliced as thinly as possible (about 1/16 of an inch) to ensure they cook through quickly. It’s the perfect time to pull out the mandoline if you have one. If not, just slice the onions and chiles as thinly as you can with a very sharp knife.

The technique here matters. You want high heat, and a heavy pan—cast iron or carbon steel is ideal—to develop that signature browned crust. For two servings of these double-patty burgers, the beef is divided into four small balls. The first patties form the flavorful base of each burger. Once the first two balls are in the pan, you’ll smash them hard with a stiff metal spatula until they spread slightly wider than the bun, then season them with cumin and oregano. Next, you’ll press in the paper-thin slices of white onion and serrano chile. Once the patties are flipped, the onions and chiles briefly sear in the rendered beef fat, softening just enough while keeping a bit of their crunch.

The second patties are smashed and seared the same way, but after flipping, they’re simply topped with cheese and cooked until melted. No onions, no chiles—just cheese. It’s a move that adds richness and gooey texture while keeping the layered structure of the burger clean and intentional.

To balance the burger’s richness, I finish each with a generous handful of fresh cilantro tossed in lime juice. That acidity and herbal brightness cut through the beefiness and cheese like a squeeze of lime on a taco. It’s a small step that delivers a big payoff.

Serve these burgers with your favorite sides or just a simple handful of chips—they don’t need much additional fanfare to shine.

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