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Five dumpling smash taco topped with sliced radishes, chopped cucumbers, onions, herbs, and a sprinkle of chili flakes are arranged on a tray.
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Dumpling Smashed Tacos Recipe

Ground pork seasoned like a dumpling filling, pressed directly onto flour tortillas and smashed into a hot skillet until the meat is deeply browned and the edges are crisp. The chili crisp dipping sauce is non-negotiable.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 297kcal
Author: Dee Broughton

Equipment

Ingredients

For the pork

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 cup napa cabbage finely shredded
  • 8 street taco size flour tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil

For the dipping sauce

  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chili crisp
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 green onions chopped

Toppings (because whats a smash taco without toppings?)

  • diced cucumbers
  • sliced radishes
  • chopped cilantro
  • chili oil
  • lime wedges

Instructions

Make the dumpling filling

  • Mix the ground pork, salt, garlic powder, ground ginger, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cabbage in a large bowl until evenly combined and looks sticky.
    A wooden bowl filled with a dumpkin mixture of raw ground pork, chopped green onions, and seasonings sits on a pink surface next to small dishes of salt, spices, and a soy sauce container.

Make the dipping sauce

  • Stir the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili crisp, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sugar, and chopped green onions in a small bowl, then set it aside for dipping.
    A brown bowl filled with chopped green onions and sauce, with a small whisk inside, sits on a pink countertop next to a teapot, a bowl of salt, and green onion stalks.

Make the smash tacos

  • Press a layer of pork mixture over one tortilla, covering close to the edge. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, then set the assembled tacos on a plate with the meat side facing up.
    A baking sheet with two raw dumpling smash tacos, an empty tortilla with a ball of filling on top to show pressing the meat evenly. Seasoning bowls and a towel are nearby.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough avocado oil to lightly coat the surface. Place the tortillas meat side down in the skillet, leaving space between them, then press each one firmly with a burger smasher or flat spatula so the pork makes full contact with the pan.
  • Hold the burger smasher in place for a short moment, then keep light pressure on it as the tacos cook until the pork is deeply browned and the edges look crisp. Flip and cook until the tortilla side is browned and crisp.
    • Press the tacos firmly into the skillet for the first 20–30 seconds so the pork makes full contact with the pan. This is what creates the crispy smash-burger crust that keeps the meat attached to the tortilla.
  • Repeat with the remaining tacos, adding more avocado oil as needed, then top each taco with cucumbers, radishes, cilantro, and chili oil.
    A cooked dumpling smash taco topped with minced meat and green onions sits in a cast iron skillet, with a wooden spatula underneath.

Serve

  • Serve with lime wedges and the dipping sauce.

Notes

  • Mix the pork until it turns sticky because that helps it hold together on the tortilla without egg or cornstarch.
  • Cook in batches and don’t crowd the pan, because trapped steam softens the tortilla and prevents it from crisping.
  • Start the tacos' meat side down in a hot pan because that’s what locks the pork onto the tortilla before you flip.
  • Serve the tacos right after cooking because the crisp edges are best in the first 10 minutes.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg