Crispy Smashed Meatball Tacos (Homemade-ish)
It should be a crime, really. Like, not even a legal thing to send a recipe so simple and easy and fast to make out into the world, calling it dinner and all. A recipe so breezy to make that you, like me, might find yourself standing over your heap of finished tacos, scratching your head and thinking … wait, is that it? But alas, here we are. These Smashed Meatball Tacos are my freshest contribution to the canon of “smashed taco” recipes that currently exist here on the interwebs and get ready, my friend – this is one delicious little concoction (if I do say so myself).
Read on for a few quick recipe need-to-knows, some tasty looking photos (if that’s of interest to you) and of course – the recipe itself. This is almost an un-recipe, as you don’t need some formal, solidified step-by-step to get it done. But I have done that for you, just in case.
Smashed Meatball Tacos: The Hack
The satisfying hack for these tacos is the fact that they utilize fresh store-bought meatballs (as opposed to frozen store-bought meatballs). This saves so much time it’s just silly. I have a recipe for meatball smash burgers in my cookbook that wield a similarly satisfying trick and these tacos are taking a page (almost literally) out of that book.
Here’s all you do (you can usually do up to three tacos in a large skillet at a time):
- You smash a meatball into a hot pan that has been well-slicked with olive oil and cover with a small (street taco style) flour tortilla. I use flour because of the way they poof and puff up. I find it delightful and the flavor is subtler than that of corn. But all that said, you can absolutely use corn tortillas if you’re partial to them or a total purist in that way. I get it.
- Once the meatball has cooked through (takes about two minutes), flip the taco over, lay a slice of provolone on top, cover the pan and allow it to cook for another minute on the back side. This will crisp and brown the tortilla, making it essentially irresistible.
- To serve, I simply toss some shredded iceberg lettuce with a drizzle of oil and vinegar (I like olive oil and red wine vinegar), and season it with salt and pepper. I pile this, along with some chopped tomato, atop the hot, cheesy tacos and sidle up a small bowl of warm marinara alongside for dipping.
We’re going for Italian-American meatball sub + hoagie vibes here.
Our Very Small, Very Demure Ingredient List
- 12 store-bought Italian style meatballs (not frozen and uncooked)
- 12 small (street taco style) flour tortillas
- 12 slices Provolone cheese
- 3 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large tomato, diced
- Store-bought marinara on the side, for dipping
How to Make these Crispy Smashed Meatball Tacos
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a generous amount of olive oil – enough to lightly coat the surface (this also works great on a griddle, if you have one). When the oil is hot (and working in batches if your pan will allow it) add a meatball and place a tortilla over top. Using a large spatula, smash the tortilla down, gently flattening the meatball, thinning it out as best you can.
- Allow the meatball to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and flip when it’s crispy and very browned. Immediately play a piece of cheese on top and cover the pan to trap in the heat. Allow the tortillas to crisp up a bit and the cheese to melt for about 30 seconds or so (it goes pretty fast), and then transfer to a plate. Repeat for every taco you want to make.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss together the lettuce, oil and vinegar (to taste), and season with salt and pepper.
- To serve the tacos, pile some of the dressed lettuce on top of the cheesy smashed meatballs and top with diced tomatoes. A warm bowl of marinara on the side for dipping is a fun touch, though totally optional. Fold up and dig in.
Like the looks of these Crispy Smashed MeatBall tacos? Try These:
Crunchy Potato and Chorizo Tacos with Chipotle Cream
Crispy Smashed Meatball Tacos
A Homemade-ish gem through and through, these tacos utilize store-bought meatballs for a tasty quick-fix shortcut to some of the most fun and delicious tacos you will ever try.
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
- Olive oil for cooking, plus more for dressing your lettuce
- 12 store-bought Italian style meatballs (uncooked and not frozen)
- 12 small (street taco style) flour tortillas
- 12 slices Provolone cheese
- 3 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large tomato, diced
- Store-bought marinara on the side, for dipping
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a generous amount of olive oil – enough to lightly coat the surface (this also works great on a griddle, if you have one). When the oil is hot (and working in batches if your pan will allow it) add a meatball and place a tortilla over top. Using a large spatula, smash the tortilla down, gently flattening the meatball, thinning it out as best you can.
- Allow the meatball to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and flip when it’s crispy and very browned. Immediately place a piece of cheese on top and cover the pan to trap in the heat. Allow the tortillas to crisp up a bit and the cheese to melt for about 30 seconds or so (it goes pretty fast), and then transfer to a plate. Repeat for every taco you want to make.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss together the lettuce, a tablespoon each of oil and vinegar (or more to taste), and season with salt and pepper.
- To serve the tacos, pile some of the dressed lettuce on top of the cheesy smashed meatballs and top with diced tomatoes. A warm bowl of marinara on the side for dipping is a fun touch, though totally optional. Fold up and dig in.
