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25 Chorizo ​​Recipes for Breakfast, Taco Night, Grilling, and More

Posted on by Bobb
25 Chorizo ​​Recipes for Breakfast, Taco Night, Grilling, and More

To know chorizo ​​is to love chorizo. But how well do you really know chorizo? In general terms, chorizo ​​is a pork-based sausage containing garlic and chili peppers, native to Spain or one of its colonies. Beyond these commonalities, this sausage comes in a seemingly endless variety, with several varieties produced only in Spain. However, what is widely available generally falls into two categories: Spanish and Mexican. For our purposes, we can define Spanish chorizo ​​as dried, ready-to-eat smoked sausage, and Mexican chorizo ​​as fresh, fluffy pork that has been marinated and seasoned—it always needs to be cooked.

“Both Spanish and Mexican chorizo ​​are versatile ingredients that add a range of flavors and textures to dishes, from grilled oysters on a weekday evening pasta” says food writer and recipe developer Diana Perez. “You don’t have to pick just one; both deserve to become staples in your kitchen.” Discover your favorite ways to use spicy sausage with this selection of delicious chorizo ​​recipes.

Pinto Bean Cheese Dip with Chorizo ​​and Chili

Cedric Angeles


Deliciously zesty and satisfying, the party-ready sauce features creamy pinto beans seasoned with three types of chiles and loaded with Mexican chorizo, crispy bacon and onions. Gooey Oaxaca cheese ties everything together—feel free to melt even more on top if you’re feeling particularly indulgent.

Crostini with creamy ricotta and chorizo

Matt Taylor-Gross/Barrett Washburn Food Design


“Chorizo ​​is so underused,” says chef Shea Gallante. Here he heats up spicy Spanish sausage with garlic, tarragon and parsley and tops it with ricotta-smeared toast. Frisée, pickled onions and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar top it all off.

Paella with seafood and chicken with chorizo

Diana Chistruga


If you ever make one paella recipe, try this one. Fresh chorizo, shredded dark meaty chicken and a seafood trio of shrimp, mussels and clams combine on a bed of saffron-infused arborio rice in this luxurious Spanish recipe from Tamara Murphy.

Chickpea salad with chorizo ​​and red pepper

Victor Protasio / Food Design by Julian Hensarling / Props Design by Rishi Carnes


Rancho Gordo founder Steve Sando’s easy chickpea salad, filled with smoked Spanish chorizo ​​and sweet roasted red peppers, makes the perfect lunch or side dish.

Green Chorizo

Greg DuPree

Spice up your next taco night with this homemade green sausage. While traditional chorizo ​​boasts a garnet color from smoky chili powder and paprika, our herbed version gets color and a bold, smoky flavor from a thick paste of charred green chiles, cilantro and Mexican oregano.

Crispy cheese burritos with chorizo ​​and eggs

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee

Make chorizo ​​your favorite breakfast sausage with these cheese-encrusted burritos. They’re filled with black beans, chorizo, scrambled eggs and creamy avocado, then topped with onions, jalapenos, cilantro and salsa to ensure a delicious start to your day.

Cheesy breakfast tacos

Frosting by Morgan Hunt / Prop Design by Josh Hoggle / Food Design by Nicole Hopper.

The secret to these super cheesy and crunchy breakfast tacos is the Pepper Jack “cheese skirt” that envelops the tortillas. They’re filled with Mexican-style chorizo, eggs, bell peppers and cheese for the perfect morning meal.

Pasta with summer squash and chorizo

CEDRIC ANGELES


Gramercy Tavern Chef Michael Anthony blends sweet summer squash with a velvety sauce to top your favorite shortbread. He pairs it with meaty chorizo ​​to give it a deep, smoky flavor; basil and scallions add freshness, and Aleppo pepper flakes help tie everything together.

Weeknight Skillet Chili

Christopher Testani / Food styling Chelsea Zimmer / Props design Claire Spollen


Yes, you can get hot bowls of chili on the table in just half an hour without relying on dusty condiment packets. Store-bought pico de gallo adds a fresh, vibrant character as it joins forces with other bold-flavored ingredients like canned chipotle in adobo, Mexican chorizo, roasted tomatoes and fresh poblano in this weeknight staple.

Fried rice with shrimp and chorizo

Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ali Ramey / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman

Sahil Sethi’s fried rice from Bar Goa in Chicago is zesty and spicy, topped with succulent shrimp and cured Spanish chorizo, topped with a sunny side up egg and golden Madras curry mayonnaise.

Nachos Queso with three cheeses

Photos by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramey / Prop Styling by Christina Daly

With refried chorizo ​​beans, pickled red onions and jalapeños, and creamy Monterey Jack queso, white American cheese and goat cheese, these next-level nachos are sure to satisfy and disappear quickly.

Steak, potatoes and chorizo ​​kebab with red pepper mayonnaise

Caitlin Bensel

“Almost nothing goes better with potatoes than steak, so here I skewer strips of steak with new Dutch yellow potatoes,” writes cookbook author Anne Taylor Pittman. “Slices of strong Spanish chorizo ​​crisp up on the grill and add intense flavor to the barbecue. Coating everything with smoked paprika enhances the grilling effect.”

Smoky Sweet Potatoes with Chorizo ​​Butter

Photography by Christopher Testani / Food styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop design by Prissy Lee

Justin Chapple blends butter with cured Spanish chorizo, smoky and spicy, for rich color and flavor that balances the natural sweetness of these tender roasted sweet potatoes.

Chorizo ​​and kimchi dogs

Victor Protasio

Paying homage to Chef Claudette Zepeda’s Sonoran hot dog, it features simple appetizers like crumbled chorizo ​​and cooked kimchi that make this restaurant favorite easy to whip up for backyard entertaining—dogs come together in just 20 minutes .

Mini Potatoes, Steak and Chorizo ​​Pies

Photo by Greg Dupree / Food styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Props design by Claire Spollen

These little “patties” are filled with a delicious combination of fresh chorizo ​​and lean grass-fed ground beef. Seasoned with onions and Worcestershire sauce, they’re topped with thinly sliced ​​russet potatoes that get oven-crisp and crunchy.

Feijoada

Greg Dupree / Food Design by Chelsea Zimmer / Props Styling by Tom Driver


Feijoada, the national dish of Brazil, is a stew with black beans and various meats such as smoked pork loin, bacon and chorizo. Chef Eric Ripert learned the recipe from Maria Auxiliadora Eteve, owner of Cacau restaurant in the Brazilian beach town of Trancoso.

Potato gnocchi with chorizo ​​sauce

© David Malosh

Argentine chef Francis Mahlmann uses Mexican-style fresh chorizo ​​to create a rich, meaty sauce for his homemade potato gnocchi. To make this recipe you will need a whole pound of sausage without the casing.

Chicken and rice with fresh chorizo

© Quentin Bacon

Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino uses Portuguese churizo, essentially a smokier version of Spanish chorizo, to bring his flavor to classic Latin chicken and rice. Any type of sausage will work here.

Grilled oysters with chorizo ​​butter

© Cedric Angeles

The beauty of grilled oysters is that they open on their own and don’t require shucking. They’re coated in Chef David Kinch’s smoky, savory chorizo ​​butter and then garnished with cilantro leaves and lime zest to bring out the flavor and add a beautiful pop of color.

Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa, Chorizo ​​and Mushrooms

© Guy Ambrosino


Chorizo ​​is sautéed with onions and cremini mushrooms, then tossed with quinoa, ricotta slaw and parsley to create a hearty topping for sweet bell peppers. We like to use a combination of orange, yellow and red bell peppers for an especially colorful dish.

Sautéed Basque Chicken and Chorizo

© Quentin Bacon

Daniel Boulud’s hearty chicken dish gets multifaceted flavor from Spanish chorizo, garlicky bell peppers and onions, dry sherry, sweet paprika and fresh basil. Serve it with crusty bread for a dinner to remember.

Mexican style fideo with chorizo

© Markus Nilsson

Chef Alex Stupak’s version of fideo is spicy, smoky, deliciously creamy, and easy to make. Don’t skip the toppings here; grated cotija, cilantro, chopped radishes, chopped white onion, cream and dried oregano are integral parts of the dish.

Chicken thighs with lentils, chorizo ​​and red peppers

© Nicole Franzen

Think of this dish as a quicker, easier version of cassoulet—it’s ready to serve in about 45 minutes. You will need half a pound of Spanish chorizo; Choose lentils that will hold their shape when cooked, such as green, brown or black, and feel free to use your favorite color of bell pepper.

Chorizo ​​stuffed dates wrapped in bacon

© Tina Rupp

Sweet, savory and savory in one bite, these timeless tapas come together in just 20 minutes using just three ingredients. Be sure to have strong toothpicks on hand.

Mussel and chorizo ​​soup

© John Kernick

For this Mediterranean-style soup, Steve Corry, F&W’s 2007 Best New Chef, steams mussels in dry white wine and shallots, then serves them in a saffron-infused vegetable broth with plenty of chorizo ​​and a little cream.