Monday, December 8, 2025

Smash Tacos (with Sticky Glaze)


These smash tacos with pork mince are brushed with a easy glaze within the final minute of cooking so the meat is golden and juicy with an additional tasty end. A fast and straightforward dinner that will get devoured in minutes!

Nicky’s Notes

Smash tacos have been massive on social media for some time now and I lastly received on board! I’ve been testing plenty of flavours, and these pork tacos are those we’ve eaten on repeat essentially the most!

I’ve to confess, the uncooked minced (floor) pork on the taco took me a short while to get behind. I do know it will get absolutely cooked, It simply weirded me out slightly.
However then I realised that cooking sausage rolls requires uncooked sausage meat to be wrapped in pastry, and sausage rolls are THE BEST! So I did a whole 180 and now I’m a HUGE fan!

What makes these smash tacos so good:

  • They work effectively with low fats minced pork! So that they’re excessive in protein with out being too excessive in energy!
  • The glaze is what takes it excessive. It’s easy easy – simply stir a number of ingredient collectively and brush on the tacos within the final minute of cooking.
  • Though you’ll be able to solely match 2 in a frying pan, they hold effectively within the oven whilst you’re making additional batches (particularly since they’re cooked so rapidly). So a batch of 8 tacos solely wants 1 frying pan and a big baking tray.

📋 Substances for Smash Tacos

***Full recipe with detailed portions within the recipe card beneath***

Ingredients for pork smash tacos laid out on a wooden table, including pork mince, seasonings, cornflour, sesame oil, spray oil, and a pack of soft taco wraps.

Glaze Substances

Five ingredients on a wooden surface: a bottle of honey, dark soy sauce, ginger purée, lemongrass purée, and a bowl of light brown sugar.Five ingredients on a wooden surface: a bottle of honey, dark soy sauce, ginger purée, lemongrass purée, and a bowl of light brown sugar.

The Fixings

A plate with chopped lettuce, coriander, and spring onions sits next to a jar of pickled red onion, mayonnaise, and sriracha sauce on a wooden table.A plate with chopped lettuce, coriander, and spring onions sits next to a jar of pickled red onion, mayonnaise, and sriracha sauce on a wooden table.

Tacos

Use small, tender, corn or wheat tacos, round 15cm (6-inches) in diameter.

Pork Mince

I take advantage of 5% fats pork mince, which remains to be sufficient fats to make these tacos juicy (together with slightly sesame oil, spray oil and the sticky glaze). You should use a better fats proportion, however I wouldn’t go above 12% fats, as it might launch plenty of extra fats when frying – which will splatter.

Abbreviated Recipe

***Full recipe with detailed steps within the recipe card beneath***

Combine the the glaze elements collectively and put to 1 facet. Combine the pork with the seasonings, type into 8 balls and squash them onto 8 small tender tacos. Fry meat-side down till golden, flip over, brush the meat with glaze, then prepare dinner for 30 seconds all sides. High along with your favorite toppings and serve.

Recipe Ideas

  • Actually push pork mince (floor pork) flat onto the tacos, proper to the ends. The meat will shrink again slightly when cooking, so you should get proper to the ends to begin with.
  • Place cooked tacos in a heat oven on a tray whilst you work your approach by means of cooking them (I prepare dinner them two at a time).

This is without doubt one of the excessive protein meals I’ve been loving currently. 223 cals with 22g protein per taco. I discover two per individual is ideal. Go for 3 for actually hungry individuals, or serve two with a facet.

A hand holds a folder pork smash taco topped with lettuce, sliced red onions and sauce. Several further smash tacos are on a tray in the background.A hand holds a folder pork smash taco topped with lettuce, sliced red onions and sauce. Several further smash tacos are on a tray in the background.

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🍽️ What to serve it with

Two tacos are normally sufficient per individual, however for individuals with greater appetites, you possibly can serve with a facet:

A wide close up shot of Air Fryer Chips sprinkled with salt and black pepper, on a white plate with a small bowl of ketchup on the side and a small bowl of mayonnaise.A wide close up shot of Air Fryer Chips sprinkled with salt and black pepper, on a white plate with a small bowl of ketchup on the side and a small bowl of mayonnaise.

Make the glaze

  • Combine collectively the glaze elements then put to 1 facet for later

    1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp darkish soy sauce, 1/2 tsp lemongrass paste, 1/2 tsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp brown sugar

Make the pork tacos

  • In a big bowl combine collectively the pork, sesame oil, garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika and cornflour till the whole lot is integrated.

    500 g (1.1 lb) pork mince, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

  • Kind the combination into 8 equal meatballs

  • Squash one of many meatballs onto one of many corn tortillas ensuring you press it firmly onto the tortilla and unfold it to a single skinny layer masking the entire tortilla. Then repeat with the remaining 7 meatballs and tortillas.

    8 mini tortillas

  • Spray the pan/flat griddle with a few squirts of the spray oil and warmth the pan over a medium/excessive warmth.

    8 squirts spray oil

  • Add the meat coated tortillas to the new pan meat facet down and prepare dinner for 3 minutes till golden brown. Relying on the dimensions of your pan you might have to work in batches.

  • After 3 minutes rigorously flip the tortillas over within the pan and evenly brush the highest of the meat with slightly of the glaze we blended earlier.

  • Flip them again over and prepare dinner for 30 seconds to caramelize that glaze to the meat

  • Flip them again over for one more 30 seconds to permit the tortilla facet to absorb any remaining glaze from the pan.

  • If making in batches, place them on a baking tray traces with baking parchment and put in a low oven to maintain heat while making the remaining smashed tacos.

  • As soon as they’re all cooked then prime along with your favorite toppings and serve.

    pickled pink onions, shredded lettuce, contemporary coriander (cilantro), mayo, scorching sauce, spring onions (inexperienced onions)

Dietary info is approx, per taco, not together with the toppings of lettuce, coriander, onion, scorching sauce and mayonnaise.

Energy: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 22g | Fats: 5g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 1g | Sodium: 367mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g

Vitamin info is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

🍲 Extra improbable handheld dinners

A number of the hyperlinks on this publish could also be affiliate hyperlinks – which suggests if you happen to purchase the product I get a small fee (at no further value to you). In case you do purchase, then thanks! That’s what helps us to maintain Kitchen Sanctuary working. The dietary info offered is approximate and may fluctuate relying on a number of components. For extra info please see our Phrases & Circumstances.

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