Tik-Tok's Smashburger Ranch Tacos

Crispy and juicy, with a big hit of ranch, these burgers are no-grill required

By
Nea Arentzen
Nea Arentzen portrait
Nea Arentzen
Nea is a writer, recipe editor and developer who loves cooking and all things food.
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Updated on 06/26/23
ranch smashburger pita

Nea Arentzen/ The Spruce Eats

The classic burger has been getting updates and edits for a while now, with cheeseburger casseroles, burger dips and burger bites all taking some spotlight from the classic, but our favorite trend so far has been the smashburger pita. It’s a simple technique that feels like a delicious cross between a burger and a gyro.

For our take on this hit, ground beef is mixed with a phenomenal flavor bomb: a packet of ranch seasoning. But, if you want to get extra fancy, you can add chopped red onion and garlic too. Once the ground beef mixture has been divided into 4 equal parts, they each get smashed down with pita bread on a skillet and cooked until browned and juicy. 

Variations

  • Although we wanted to make ranch the main focus of this smashburger recipe, you’re welcome to swap it out for an Italian or French onion seasoning packet. 
  • Instead of pita, try using defrosted Trader Joe’s scallion pancakes or tortillas.
  • If ground beef isn’t for you, this recipe will work great with ground lamb, turkey, or chicken.
  • Feel free to play around with the toppings as well. You could add cucumbers, crispy bacon, avocado, cheese, caramelized onions, or really any other burger topping you’d like.
  • You could also top the smashburger pita with another sauce such as Franks hot sauce for a Buffalo wing inspired smashburger or barbecue sauce, or add either as a dipping sauce alongside the ranch. 


Ranch Smashburger Pitas

We topped our ranch smashburgers with shredded  lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, onions, and a quick homemade ranch dressing (plus more for dunking). If you’re a pickle lover, add some chopped to the ranch sauce or serve them piled onto the smashburger.

Recipe

INGREDIENTS


For the Smashburgers

  • 1 pound ground beef 
  • 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning 
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 pitas
  • Romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
  • Cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 red onion, halved and sliced
  • pickles or cucumbers, if desired


For the Ranch Sauce (optional)

  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning 
  • 2 teaspoons mayonnaise 
  • 1 tablespoon water


PREPARATION


  1. In a large bowl, combine the 1 pound ground beef and 1 packet of ranch seasoning. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until evenly combined. Divide the mixture into 4 equal balls and place on a parchment-lined plate. 
  2. Heat a nonstick skillet with a drizzle of oil over medium until the oil is shimmering (alternatively, preheat a grill with a flat griddle surface). Working in batches, place one burger patty in the skillet. Using a pita, press down on the burger patty in the pan until flattened as thin as it’ll get and covers most of the pita underneath. Cook, undisturbed, until the smashburger is browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned on the other side of the pita, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the smashburger to a plate and repeat with the remaining burger patties and pitas.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix to combine the 1/3 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning, 2 teaspoons mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth and drizzles off from a spoon (add an additional 1 teaspoon of water, as needed).
  4. Serve the smashburger pitas topped with shredded romaine, cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, pickles or cucumbers (if desired), and ranch sauce.