Sheet Pan Street Corn Smash Tacos

Smash tacos are so much more than an internet trend to me. They’ve become one of my go to easy dinners for my whole family. My only complaint is playing short order cook and making them one at a time on the stovetop! So I found a way to make a whole batch at once using a sheet pan in the oven. The meat gets smashed right onto the tortillas and baked until the edges are golden and crispy, then topped with a creamy street corn salad. Easy, crispy, satisfying, and SO good.

Watch Me Make Smash Tacos

Table of Contents

What is Street Corn?
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make It
Storing and Reheating
Tips
Reasons to Love It
Smash Taco Recipe

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What is Street Corn?

Street corn, or elote, is a beloved Mexican street food traditionally made with grilled corn on the cob slathered in a creamy, tangy sauce and finished with a crumbly salty cheese like cotija, fresh lime juice and chili. This recipe takes those bold, craveable flavors and piles them onto one of my all time favorites: smash tacos.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ground Turkey

I love using ground turkey in a recipe with lots of flavor and spices like this because those elements elevate an otherwise mild meat. Turkey is also a pretty lean and healthy protein. You can use ground chicken, pork, or beef instead.

Taco Seasoning

I use a store-bought taco seasoning, but you could also make your own mixture with other spices you have on hand. In a pinch, you can season the ground turkey with some combination of chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. I also love seasoning meat with Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning if I don’t have taco seasoning on hand. I use that Chile Lime Seasoning in the Street Corn Salad mixture, too!

Flour Tortillas

I highly recommend using flour tortillas for this recipe. They crisp up really nicely and tend to adhere better to the ground meat mixture than corn or rice flour tortillas. You can use small or medium tortillas, but small tortillas are easier to eat as a taco. If you are gluten-free and choose to use corn or rice flour tortillas, you might need to eat them more like a tostada, which is totally fine!

Corn

You want about 2 cups of kernels for the street corn salad mixture. I grill corn on the cob, then cut the kernels off, but you could also brown two cups of frozen corn in a saute pan before adding to the street corn mixture instead.

Green Onion, Cilantro, and Jalapeño

You can use the green and white parts of the green onion, sliced thinly. Chop the cilantro fine. For the jalapeño, remove the seeds for less heat or leave them in if you like it spicier.

Feta

The salty feta adds so much to the street corn salad! You can use cotija or freshly grated parmesan cheese instead. I wouldn’t recommend substituting goat cheese here because it’s a bit too soft and creamy.

Mayo, Greek Yogurt, and/or Sour Cream

I add 1 tablespoon each of mayo and Greek yogurt to make the street corn salad a little creamy, but you could use any combination of mayo, Greek yogurt, or sour cream to achieve the same thing. It’s just up to you, based on what you have on hand and what you like the flavor of most.

Storing and Reheating Sheet Pan Smash Tacos

You can store these baked smash tacos tortilla side-down in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. The best way to reheat them is to crisp them up again in a pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, or on a sheet pan in a 400 degree oven.

You can store the street corn mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a little stir before piling on top of your leftover smash tacos.

Tips for Making the Best Smash Tacos

• Don’t over-fill your tortillas with the chicken mixture. Each tortilla should only be covered in a thin layer of about 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture. Packing them too thick will take longer to cook, be harder to eat, and won’t have the same crispy “smash” taco texture you’re looking for. A too-filled taco will also turn into more of a tostada, less of a taco.
• If all you have is frozen corn, that’s okay! Just char the kernels lightly in a pan and add them to the bowl with the other street corn salad ingredients like you would have done with the kernels from the cob.
• To make quick work of the street corn salad prep, pulse the green onions, cilantro, and jalapeno in a food processor until roughly chopped.
• Lining the sheet pan with parchment paper not only makes clean up way easier, but it helps the street tacos crisp up nicely, especially when drizzled with a little olive oil before adding the tortillas.
• Watch your smash tacos carefully once you turn the broiler on. They can go from pale to burnt really quickly.

Why You’ll Love These Smash Tacos

• The original smash taco recipe went viral because it’s unique and creative and the texture is next level! But I didn’t love how I had to fry up each one individually. This recipe takes out the most annoying part by baking them on a sheet pan.
• By putting these sheet pan smash tacos under the broiler, you still get that viral crispy texture of the original recipe.
• Honestly, the street corn salad is what makes this recipe for me. It’s super easy to put together, but the creaminess and spice mixture takes it over the top. It’s so addictive!

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