These Smashed Street Corn Tacos are about to take taco night to a whole new level. Inspired by the bold, smoky flavors of elote, they combine crispy smashed beef with a creamy, tangy, street corn topping for a high-protein dinner ready in under 40 minutes.
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If you love the flavors of Mexican street corn, these smashed tacos are about to become a new weeknight favorite. The whole recipe comes together with almost no chopping and minimal effort, and the result is a crispy, flavor-packed dinner that tastes way more impressive than the time it takes to make!
The secret is the smashed taco method. Pressing the meat directly onto the tortilla and cooking it meat-side down gives you incredibly crispy, browned beef that stays perfectly attached to the tortilla. Paired with the delicious street corn-inspired topping, it looks like something you’d order at a restaurant, but it’s one of the easiest meals you can make on a weeknight.
Looking for more dietitian-designed weeknight dinners? Try my Philly Cheesesteak Skillet, Broccoli Cheddar Orzo, or Easy Chicken Enchiladas next!
Recipe Highlights
- Inspired by elote. The creamy, tangy, street corn topping captures all the bold flavors of Mexican street corn in every bite.
- Balanced. The street corn topping is lightened up with a dietitian twist using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. Plus, lean ground beef makes this a calorie-balanced, high-protein dinner you can feel good about.
- Easy weeknight dinner. With almost no chopping required, this meal is on the table in about 40 minutes.
- Totally customizable. Swap the protein, add your favorite toppings, or make extra street corn topping to serve on the side with chips.
Key Ingredients And Swaps
Lean ground beef: Lean ground beef keeps this high in protein without excess fat. You can also swap for lean ground turkey, chicken, or pork if you prefer.
Corn: Canned corn works perfectly here. Toasting it in a skillet until lightly charred is what gives it that classic elote flavor, so don’t skip this step!
Tortillas: I prefer flour tortillas for smashed tacos since they crisp up nicely, but corn tortillas work too. Anything between 5 and 7 inches works great.
Feta cheese: Feta is salty, creamy, and pairs really well with the corn and lime. Swap for cotija if you can find it!
Greek yogurt and mayo: This combo creates a creamy, tangy, lightened-up base for the street corn topping. Swap the mayo for more Greek yogurt if you prefer.
Tajin: This chili-lime seasoning is what gives the street corn topping its signature kick! If you don’t have it on hand, substitute with ¼ tsp chili powder and ¼ tsp salt.
How To Make Smashed Street Corn Tacos
Step 1: Heat skillet to medium and cook corn until lightly charred. Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool.
Step 2: Press meat into a thin layer on one side of each taco. Cook the tacos one at a time meat-side down, pressing firmly for 10-15 seconds. Cook for 2 minutes, flip, and cook another 2 minutes until golden. Repeat with remaining tacos.
Step 3: To the corn, add remaining ingredients for the street corn topping and stir to combine.
Step 4: Add tortillas to a plate and top with street corn topping. Sprinkle with tajin and cilantro, and serve with a lime wedge. Enjoy immediately!
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and detailed recipe.
Miranda’s Tips
Tips From My Test Kitchen
- Press firmly. Pressing the tortilla firmly into the pan is the key to getting the meat to stick and achieving that golden brown crust.
- Get creative with toppings. Adjust this recipe to how you like it! Feel free to add your favorite taco toppings to serve like diced white onion, sliced jalapeño, avocado, or pickled red onion.
- Let the cooked tacos rest on a paper towel-lined sheet tray while you cook the remaining ones. This absorbs any excess moisture and keeps your tacos crispy instead of soggy by the time you’re ready to eat.
- Make extra street corn topping. It’s super yummy to serve with tortilla chips!
Yes, but squeeze out any excess moisture once it’s defrosted so your tacos don’t get soggy.
Absolutely! Lean ground turkey, chicken, or pork all work great as a swap for the beef.
More Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes
Ground Beef Fried Rice
One-Pan Chicken Sausage Orzo
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potato Burger Bowl Recipe
Smashed Street Corn Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
Street Corn Topping
- 2 cans (12 oz each) corn kernels, drained and rinsed
- cooking spray
- 4 green onions, sliced thin
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise, swap for Greek yogurt if preferred
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1/2 tsp tajin
- salt, to taste (optional)
Smashed Tacos
- 8 taco-sized tortillas, about 6-inch diameter (I prefer flour but corn works too)
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
- salt and pepper
- cooking spray
To Serve
- tajin
- cilantro
- lime wedge
Instructions
- Toast corn: Heat your skillet to medium. Add corn and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway. When the corn is lightly browned and charred, turn off the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Let this cool while you prepare the tacos.
- Prepare tacos: Lay tortillas flat on a large cutting board or sheet tray. Divide the meat evenly amongst the tortillas. Use a gloved hand to press the meat onto one side of each tortilla – the goal is a thin, even layer on each that touches the edges. Season the meat with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- Mix corn topping: To the corn, add remaining ingredients for the street corn topping and stir to combine. Taste, and add salt if desired. Set aside.
- Cook tacos: Heat your skillet to medium – and make sure it’s properly pre-heated so the meat browns. One at a time, add your taco to the pan meat-side down. Use the backs of a spatula to firmly press the taco into the pan for 10-15 seconds, until you hear sizzling and see the meat start to squish out the sides. Cook for 2-minutes, and flip. Cook for 2 minutes on the second side, or until the tortilla is browned. Remove from the pan, and repeat for all tortillas.
- Serve: Add two tortillas to a plate and top with a generous scoop of street corn topping. Sprinkle with extra tajin and cilantro, and serve with a lime wedge. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- 1 serving = 2 tacos with ¼ of the street corn topping
- Your tortillas can be 5-7 inches.
- If you don’t have tajin, substitute for ¼ tsp chili powder and ¼ tsp salt.
- Make sure to press the tortilla onto the pan very firmly. This is key for the meat and tortilla sticking together, and helps get good browning on the beef.
- As your tacos cook, place them on a paper-towel lined sheet tray to rest until serving. This will help absorb any excess moisture from cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
