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Easy Taco Burger Recipe With All Of Your Favorite Toppings

August 22, 2024 By Lea Ann Brown 2 Comments

Make your next burger a Taco Burger. Mayonnaise makes everything better, and adding mayonnaise to ground beef returns a deliciously creamy juicy burger. Mix in some taco seasoning and you’ve got a sassy burger that the whole family will love.

If you’re burger fans like us, and like trying unique flavor combos, check out my Black and Blue Burger. Blackened seasoning and blue cheese come together for a championed hamburger.

Taco burger topped with shredded cheddar cheese, and topped with smashed avocado.

What Exactly Is A Taco Burger?

Simply stated, It’s a ground beef taco in burger form.

Taco Burger: The Best of Both Worlds in One Bite

If you love classic American cheeseburgers and crave the flavor of a ground beef taco, this Taco Burger recipe brings both favorites together in the most delicious way.

At its core, a Taco Burger is exactly what it sounds like: a seasoned ground beef taco, transformed into burger form. Taco seasoning is mixed directly into the ground beef for bold, savory flavor in every bite. The patties are then topped with all your favorite taco toppings—shredded cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, and smashed avocado on the top bun. Instead of pickles, this recipe features sliced pickled jalapeños for a tangy, spicy kick.

To make the patties extra juicy and tender, I use a trick I learned in culinary school: blending mayonnaise and panko breadcrumbs into the beef mixture. This simple addition gives the burger a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

This Taco Burger is a nod to my popular Tortilla Burger—just without the tortilla shell. While Taco Bell famously offered a Taco Burger in the 1970s, this version is a unique homemade twist that’s perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner.

If you’re a fan of burgers and tacos alike, this recipe is your dream burger.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ground Beef: I always recommend an 80/20% blend. That little bit of extra fat brings flavor a moisture to any burger.
Cheese, Grated: Use what you’d normally use to make tacos. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Colby.
Lettuce: We like the cool crispy crunch of Iceberg Lettuce. Romaine or curly leaf green lettuce is also a good choice here.
Tomatoes, fresh sliced.
Panko Bread Crumbs are readily found on the baking aisle at your supermarket. A crispy, crunchy bread crumb that I use in so many recipes. Like in these gingery Ground Pork Meatballs.
Mayonnaise: Mayo, combined with the panko bread crumbs will bring a creamy note to these taco burgers.
Taco Seasoning: I highly recommend using my recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning. It’s easy and packed with flavor. I add smoked paprika to my recipe for a slight smoky layer of flavor.
Avocado: Keep this recipe simple by simply smashing avocado with a fork. Seasoned simply with salt, it makes a great topping for this burger. If you want to use guacamole for a topping, check out my recipe for Molcajete Guacamole.

Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.

Step by Step Instructions, How To Make Taco Burgers

Mixing ingredients to make a taco burger.

Ground Beef mixture to make taco burgers.

Step 1: Add ground beef, mayo, taco seasoning and panko bread crumbs to a bowl.

Step 2: Just as you would making meatloaf, use your hands to gently blend the ingredients together.

Four taco burger patties on a white plate.

Pan frying taco burger patties in a French steel frying pan.

Step 3: Form the meat mixture into 4 hamburger patties.

Step 4: Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Cook the patties about 5 – 6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Step 5: While the burgers are cooking, peel, pit and salt the avocado and rough smash it with a fork. To build that burger, place lettuce and a slice of tomato on the bottom bun. Add the taco burger patty and grated cheese. Spread some smashed avocado on the top bun and serve.

Tips For Success

Do not use a non-stick skillet to fry taco burger patties. Use a good heavy skillet to get a proper sear on the hamburger patties. Non-stick skillets are notorious for not creating enough heat to get a good crispy sear when frying meats. A carbon steel pan or a cast iron skillet are good pans when frying proteins.
When mixing the ground beef mix, don’t over work the meat. Doing so will cause the patties to be to dense which will compromise the juicy nature of the burger.
Of course I’d love if you tried my Homemade Taco Seasoning, it full of very special smoky flavor. But if you need to save time, purchase your favorite taco seasoning brand at the grocery store.

Variations

Jazz it up: Add a scoop of Pico de gallo to your Taco Burger to bring fresh flavors.
Make it creamy: Add a dollop of Mexican Crema or sour cream.
Chorizo: Try making this taco burger using ½ Mexican ground chorizo and ½ ground beef. Choose bulk chorizo that is sold in packages that resemble ground beef rather than the tube variety. The tubed variety has too much oil and will compromise the texture of this burger.
Smash it: I’ve chosen to make this a thicker taco burger, but feel free to make the burger patties thinner by making them smash burgers. One the burgers hit the sizzling skillet, take a metal spatula and smash them thinner.
Gluten Free: To make this Taco burger gluten free, use gluten free panko bread crumbs and a gluten free burger bun.

Questions You May Have

Can I Cook A Taco Burger On The Grill

Absolutely yes. This burger is sturdy enough to withstand those grill grates.

Can You Freeze Taco Burgers?

Wrap any uncooked taco burger patties in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer safe zip-lock style bag, or a plastic freezer safe container. They’ll keep for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then cook.

Are These Burgers Make Ahead?

I make burger patties ahead of time quite often. Form the meat into patties up to 24 hours in advance. Keep on a plate covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

What Sides Go Well With Taco Burgers?

My personal favorite is a baked bean recipe like this one for BBQ Baked Beans On The Grill. Or this easy recipe for Spicy Baked Beans. You can’t go wrong with Old Fashioned Potato Salad or a spicy mac and cheese recipe like this Mexican Mac and Cheese.

More Popular Burger Recipes

And if you’re burger fans like us, don’t miss the most popular hamburger recipe on my site for Bobby Flay’s Texas Burger With Coleslaw. And my category for Hamburger Recipes.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Taco burger on a sesame seed bun topped with shredded cheese and smashed avocado.

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5 from 1 vote

Super Simple Taco Burger

Make your next burger a fiesta. Mayonnaise makes everything better, and adding mayonnaise to ground beef returns a deliciously creamy juicy burger. Mix in some taco seasoning and you've got a sassy burger that the whole family will love.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Main Course Beef

Cuisine: Southwestern

Servings:

Calories: 680kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

1 pound Ground beef 80/20 blend is always recommended for great burger flavor
1 Tablespoon Taco seasoning
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
4 Hamburger buns
To build the burger:
Lettuce Iceberg lettuce works well here.
Sliced tomato
Grated Cheese Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack
2 Avocado peeled, pitted, smashed with a fork and salted

Instructions

Place ground beef in a bowl and break up the meat slightly.
Add the taco seasoning, mayonnaise and bread crumbs and gently mix until ingredients are blended. Shape the meat into 4 burger patties. Pan fry, grill or broil until done, about 5 minutes per side.
While burgers are cooking, peel, pit, salt and smash the avocado with a fork. A slightly chunky texture is good here.
To build the burger: place lettuce and a slice of onion on the bottom bun. Top each patty with some grated cheese. Spread smashed avocado on the top bun and serve with slices of pickled jalapenos.

Notes

Tips for Success

Do not use a non-stick skillet to fry taco burger patties. Use a good heavy skillet to get a proper sear on hamburger patties. Non-stick skillets are notorious for not creating enough heat to get a good crispy sear when frying meats. A carbon steel pan or a cast iron skillet are good pans when frying proteins.

When mixing the ground beef mix, don’t over work the meat. Doing so will cause the patties to be to dense which will compromise the juicy nature of the burger.

Of course I’d love if you tried my Homemade Taco Seasoning, it full of very special smoky flavor. But if you need to save time, purchase your favorite taco seasoning brand at the grocery store.

Nutrition

Super Simple Taco Burgers … it’s What’s For Burger Night

Spicy Shrimp and Polenta With Marinara

August 9, 2024 By Lea Ann Brown 3 Comments

Shrimp and Polenta when combined with a no-nonsense Marinara sauce combines Southern soul with Italian inspiration. This restaurant worthy meal is one you’ll crave every time.

Shrimp and polenta served over marinara sauce and with baby broccoli.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Flavor … flavor … flavor.

Let’s start with the star of the show, the shrimp. First coated in a fiery tangy Peri Peri Sauce, the shrimp is then coated in cornmeal breading that’s been spiked with red chile powder. Once fried, you have a crunchy and tender shrimp alive with flavor.

The shrimp is then served over creamy polenta surrounded by a simple marinara sauce.

The creamy marinara sauce is very fresh with flavor as not to overwhelm the complex flavors of the shrimp. We’ll use the method of cooking polenta that I learned in Culinary school, of using half and half = sinfully rich results.

Serving shrimp over polenta, using this method, is actually an easy recipe. It just has a few steps and techniques you’ll need to follow.

In my post, you’ll learn ingredient tips, cooking techniques and step by step instructions so that even the beginning home cook will find easy to follow. And this creamy polenta with shrimp recipe is adventurous enough for the seasoned home chef.

This creamy shrimp and polenta is a true fusion meal with flavors you won’t believe, and with crunchy, creamy and vibrant texture.

This recipe is a recipe that I developed for a Culinary School Project where we spent countless hours learning and implementing the French Mother Sauces and derivatives of those sauces. For Fish and Sauce week, we were to simply develop and prepare a Seafood Fusion Dish with a mother sauce using the appropriate cooking method. Marinara is one of those sauces.

Shrimp and Polenta is an adventurous meal, that somewhat easy to prepare, and a restaurant quality dish that’s ready in about an hour. Lets take a look.

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Ingredients For The Simple Marinara Sauce

Ingredients to marinara sauce for shrimp and polenta.

Canned Tomatoes: Use good quality tomatoes. I like Red Gold Petite Diced tomatoes because the cut is smaller and they break down easier when cooking. Grab Fine chopped Pomi Tomatoes if you can find them. Pomi tomatoes come from the Parma region of Italy, and the only brand we used in Culinary School. Pomi tomatoes are thin with tomato flavor, not rich and well balanced. Perfect for when you want a light tomato character.
Anchovy Paste: Anchovy paste is easier to use than canned anchovies. It comes in a tube and is a blend of anchovies, salt and olive oil. It will bring a deeper flavor to this marinara sauce without being fishy.
Kosher Salt: Chefs prefer kosher salt for it’s naturally salty flavor.
Tomato Paste
Butter: Nothing like adding a stick of butter for a rich marinara sauce.

Chef’s Secret: Tomato paste is an MVP in the kitchen. The long cooking time used to make tomato paste gives it a concentrated sweet rich flavor. Just a dollop can add a subtle burst of robust flavor and body into just about any soup or tomato based pasta sauce. Add tomato paste at the beginning of the cooking process to add another layer of flavor. It’s a brilliant little trick.

See recipe card for full ingredients and quantities.

Instructions To Make Simple Marinara Sauce

Keeping ingredients simple and the process easy, makes this a satisfying marinara sauce as a platform for this Shrimp and Polenta recipe.

Cooking onions to make simple marinara for Shrimp and polenta.

Step 1: Add oil to a pan. Once oil is heated, add chopped onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Adding canned tomatoes to make marinara sauce for shrimp and polenta.

Step 2: Add the tomatoes and cook over medium low heat, covered, for 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender to thin sauce to make Shrimp and polenta.

Step 3: Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the tomatoes to thin the sauce.

Adding seasonings and butter to sauce to simple marinara.

Step 4: Add the butter, salt, sugar, anchovy paste, tomato paste, oregano and basil. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes on low heat. Sauce should be barely bubbling. Once cooked, cover, set aside and keep warm.

Ingredients For The Creamy Polenta

Ingredients to make polenta for shrimp and polenta.

Half and Half: Using half and half will result in a super creamy, rich and luscious polenta.
Polenta, Stoneground vs. Instant Polenta: Make sure you’re purchasing a package labeled Polenta rather than corn meal. Even though they’re similar products, Polenta is more coarsely stone-ground than corn meal. And don’t choose a product labeled instant polenta. It’s simply ground cornmeal and you’ll be disappointed in it’s mushy texture.

Instructions To Make Creamy Polenta

Undercooked polenta can be gritty and bland. Follow these simple instructions.

Adding polenta to half and half to make creamy polenta and shrimp.

Step 1: Bring the half and half to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Pour in the polenta.

Making polenta with half and half and Parmesan cheese.

Step 2: Whisk until polenta is well blended and there are no lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until polenta starts to thicken. About 15 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese, remove from heat, cover and keep warm.

Ingredients For The Spicy Breaded Shrimp

Ingredients to make spicy breaded shrimp.

Peri Peri Sauce: Peri Peri Sauce is a South African Sauce with a garlicky, spicy, lemony and tangy flavor.
Yellow Corn Meal: Use an instant style cornmeal that’s readily available on the baking aisle at your supermarket. Quaker Oats brand is an example. Using a stone-ground cornmeal will be too coarse for delicate shrimp.
Chile Powder: We’ll use a single blend chile powder vs. chili seasoning which is a combination of spices used to flavor Tex-mex chili style soups.
Jumbo Shrimp: Are sold 21 – 25 count per pound.

Cooking The Shrimp Perfectly

Step 1: Place the shrimp in a bowl and add the Peri Peri Sauce. Stir to evenly coat the shrimp.

Pan frying shrimp to make Shrimp and Polenta.

Step 2: In a bowl mix together cornmeal, garlic powder, chile powder and salt. Gently coat each shrimp with the cornmeal mixture.

Step 3: Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil. when oil is hot, add the breaded shrimp and cook until done. Exterior should be pink, and flesh slightly opaque. About 2 – 3 minutes per side.

Hint: How Can You Tell When Shrimp Is Cooked Through? Shrimp are cooked through when they curl and form the letter “C”. If they start to curl past that stage, they’re on their way to being over cooked. Watch the shrimp carefully, as over-cooked shrimp will become rubbery.

How To Plate Shrimp and Polenta

Shrimp and Polenta served over marinara sauce and baby broccoli.

I like to use my wide white pasta plates for this meal. I’ve provided an Amazon link for your convenience. I am an Amazon affiliate and if you purchase these bowls I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Using a ladle, spread a little of the marinara on the bottom of the plate.
Place a mound of polenta over the sauce.
Arrange the cooked shrimp over and sauce.
Garnish with cooked baby broccoli or broccolini. The bright green vegetable makes the presentation “pop”.

Tip: When plating shrimp and polenta, if the polenta has become too thick, simply add more milk or half and half to thin.

Substitutions

Half and Half – If you prefer to cut out a major portion of the dairy in the polenta, substitute chicken broth for the half and half. The half and half was simply a decadent process we used in Culinary School for an ultra rich experience.

Storage

Store any leftover polenta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Gently reheat in the microwave. I like to use the 50% power option when reheating.

Marinara sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat stovetop in a small saucepan. You can also freeze leftover marinara for up to 6 months. Use a freezer zip-loc style bag for easy storage.

Top Tip

Purchase good quality wild caught shrimp. Look for the label indicating that it’s wild caught American shrimp and not imported farmed. You’ll be amazed that American wild caught shrimp actually tastes like shrimp. Sweet, buttery and smelling clean and oceanic.

FAQ

What is Polenta?

Polenta is a classic Italian dish made from ground cornmeal. It’s a classic Italian comfort food, like mashed potatoes are here in America.

What’s The Difference Between Polenta and Grits?

Polenta and Grits are similar. Polenta originated in Italy and is made from a type of corn called flint corn. Polenta has a granular texture and is yellow in color. Grits, popular in the United States is made from dent corn and has a smoother creamier texture. Grits are traditionally white in color, but are also available in a yellow color. I like this article from Serious Eats on the difference between polenta, grits and cornmeal.

Can I Make This Dish Ahead of Time?

You can prep the shrimp in advance by removing the shells and deveining. Refrigerate until ready to use. You can make polenta in advance, but it will thicken during storage. Use chicken broth or more half and half to thin as your reheat.

Recipe Variations

Mediterranean Inspired: Finish shrimp and polenta with fresh chopped cherry tomatoes, chopped olives and chopped basil.
Southern Comfort: Shrimp isn’t the only game in town. Simplify this recipe by skipping the shrimp and added cooked and sliced Andouille sausage.
Make that Polenta Fancier: Stir in a little tomato paste into the polenta as it cooks, for a rose-colored base.
Make it Spicier: Add some red pepper flakes to the marinara sauce. Red pepper flakes are widely used in Italian cuisine to spice things up. About ⅛ teaspoon will do the job. And ff you’re looking for a richer rustic and totally indulgent recipe for Marinara, check out this recipe copy cat recipe from a highly respected restaurant here in Denver. Rustic Marinara Sauce is the real deal. A more complicated recipe, it will work great for this shrimp and polenta recipe.

What To Serve with Shrimp and Polenta

This recipe is pretty much a meal on it’s own, but serving a simple Accompaniment Salad with a light vinaigrette, and some crust bread to soak up some of that marinara sauce works well here.

Serve with a crisp white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a light red. Rose is a good choice.

Looking for more special shrimp dinner recipes like this? Try these:

And don’t miss the most popular shrimp recipe on my site for Shrimp Campechana. A Mexican seafood cocktail that will blow your mind. Check out my Seafood category for more healthy dinner ideas.

Shrimp and Polenta with marinara and baby broccoli.

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Spicy Shrimp and Polenta with Marinara

Shrimp and Polenta when combined with a no-nonsense Marinara sauce becomes a restaurant worthy meal. Shrimp gets an extra kick of excitement with Peri Peri. And a cornmeal breading spiked with red chile powder brings a lively crunch. A true fusion meal with flavor you won't believe.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course Seafood

Cuisine: American, Fusion, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 966kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown