33 Simple Recipes Using Chorizo

As a meat that yields a spicy oil when fried, chorizo goes really well with all sorts of ingredients.

That includes with eggs and potatoes for a breakfast burrito or even in soup, salad, with pasta, or in a chilli.

Chorizo is so versatile that you could use a sausage in a meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner, even when entertaining guests in the evening.

In this article, we will look at 33 simple recipes using chorizo. There is also a bonus section on how you can use chorizo as an ingredient for entertaining guests.

1. Chorizo Omelette

A great way to start your day is with a tasty Chorizo Omelette so crisp up some chorizo slices first.

Whisk eggs, heavy cream, onion, and spinach then fry the mixture and flip when firm.

Sprinkle on some grated cheese, place on a plate then add your chorizo and top with sour cream, bacon, and diced avocado. 

2. Chorizo Hash And Eggs

As the meat base in hash and eggs, chorizo excels. Begin by cooking chunks of red potatoes, onion, and bell pepper in oil, stirring occasionally.

Brown the chorizo and add it in, once cooked move it to a plate and top with a fried egg, shredded cheese, and chopped cilantro. 

3. Chorizo Breakfast Tacos

Another breakfast chorizo item is a delicious taco. Start by crisping up diced Russet potato then add onions and add the chorizo sausage meat.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs with cooking oil and scramble them in the skillet.

Heat up your tortillas then add the chorizo mix and top with cheese, salsa, cilantro, and a fresh squeeze of lime juice.

4. Chorizo Potato Breakfast Skillet

As you can see, chorizo goes well with potatoes in a skillet so you should make this Chorizo Potato Breakfast Skillet.

In a pot, bring to the boil some water, white vinegar, and Kosher salt (see also ‘5 Kosher Salt Substitutes‘), then add diced potatoes until just tender and drain.

Brown your chorizo and set aside, though leave the fat and add olive oil to cook the potatoes then add Kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. 

Once the potatoes have crisped up, add butter then return the chorizo and form wells to crack an egg into.

Add seasoning and Cheddar cheese to the potatoes then bake for ten minutes to cook the egg whites.

5. Chorizo Egg Breakfast Burrito

For a spicy breakfast to start your day you can make and then eat on the go, try these burritos.

Boil a Russet potato until soft then add to cooked chorizo in a pan with eggs (find more russet potato recipes here).

Once the eggs are done, distribute the mixture in warmed-up tortillas and wrap them up, ready to go. 

6. Butternut Squash Soup With Chorizo

Spice up your soup with some chorizo by crisping up some slices then set them aside.

In the leftover drippings, add olive oil then cook diced onion until translucent with salt and add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper.

Add cubed butternut squash with chicken stock then cover with a lid and blitz once the squash is tender.

Blitz the soup and serve with the crumbled chorizo and a drizzle of sour cream. 

7. Chorizo White Bean And Vegetable Soup

If you are looking to ramp up a soup then try this Chorizo White Bean and Vegetable Soup recipe.

Brown your chorizo links then set aside and cook finely chopped onion until soft then add bell pepper and poblano pepper before adding sliced zucchini then garlic.

Slice the chorizo and add chicken stock, cannellini beans, diced and crushed tomatoes, thyme, a bay leaf, paprika, and red pepper flakes.

Bring to a boil then simmer until the vegetables are tender then add red wine vinegar, seasoning, and parsley then serve with some grated Manchego cheese (see also ‘9 Substitutes For Manchego Cheese‘).

8. Chorizo Salad

Once you have chorizo in a salad, you may wonder why you went so long without it. Roast your cubed sweet potato with olive oil in the oven at 430°F (230°C).

Meanwhile, fry your chorizo for a couple of minutes then drain on some kitchen towel. Roast red onion wedges for ten minutes with the sweet potato and let cool.

In your bowl, toss baby spinach with freshly squeezed lemon juice, pepper, and olive oil then add your sweet potato and chorizo with the onion wedges on top. 

9. Warm Bean And Chorizo Summer Salad

Chorizo works really well in a warm salad and, as it does in chili, beans simply work in this recipe too (see also ‘19 Delicious Recipes To Use Up Your Leftover Chili‘).

First, make your dressing by shaking together garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, and olive oil.

Fry up your chorizo in olive oil then set aside and warm up the cannellini beans then remove to sit alongside the chorizo while you wipe the pan and fry the zucchini ribbons.

Add the cherry tomatoes until they begin to blister when you can toss it all together with the arugula then drizzle on the dressing and sprinkle on crispy chickpeas. 

10. Easy Chorizo Pasta

Chorizo can really liven up a pasta dish so cook your pasta until al dente and cut up chorizo sausage then fry until crispy.

Add chopped onion and, once soft, add garlic, diced tomatoes, and heavy cream.

Let the sauce reduce then season and toss in the pasta before serving with grated Parmesan cheese.

11. One Pot Chorizo Pasta

This one pot pasta dish can be a pasta bake topped with cheese or just served as it is.

Sauté a diced onion until translucent then add garlic and remove from the pan after a couple of minutes.

Cook the chorizo until golden then return the onion and garlic with tomato purée, passata, dried oregano, rigatoni, and boiling water.

Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the rigatoni is al dente.  

12. Spanish Rice With Chorizo

One pot is all you need for this delicious Spanish Rice as well.

First, combine diced tomatoes, chilies, black beans, chicken broth, chopped sweet bell pepper, onion, uncooked rice, chili powder, cumin, and seasoning.

Bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer then add your sliced chorizo and cover until the rice is tender then serve. 

13. Spanish Lentils With Chorizo

As well as Spanish rice, lentils absorb the rich flavor of chorizo too. Brown the chorizo sausages and set aside.

Fry a finely chopped onion until soft then add celery and garlic, once fragrant add chopped roasted red bell pepper, tomato paste, and red wine with chicken stock and bring to the boil.

Add the lentils, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes then sliced chorizo sausage and simmer until the lentils are tender when you can add red wine vinegar, seasoning, and chopped parsley. 

14. Chorizo Pasta With Zucchini

Chorizo and pasta are a great match and with zucchini you have a vegetable that takes in those delicious flavors.

Fry off chopped onion until translucent then add seasoning and sliced zucchini.

Once softened, pour in white wine then cook off the alcohol and stir in chorizo before adding heavy cream to create a thick sauce.

Remove from the heat then grate over Parmesan cheese and serve with cooked pasta.

15. Empanadas

You can quickly make Empanada dough with all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, unsalted butter, ice water, an egg, and distilled white vinegar and they work really well with a potato and chorizo filling.

Fry off the chorizo then use the fat with canola oil to brown off softened potato with chopped onion and add garlic, salt, and oregano.

Return the chorizo to the pan then roll out your dough and fill with your chorizo and potatoes.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) with a brush of egg wash for around 15 minutes until golden brown. 

16. Chorizo And Red Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

You can put almost anything in a grilled sandwich yet meat, cheese, and vegetables are a go-to combo.

Soften the thinly sliced red onion in a pan with cilantro then set aside while you prepare the sandwiches with cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, and chorizo.

Place the red onion on top, seal up with bread, and brush over melted butter. Fry in the pan until golden brown and crispy.  

17. Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers can be a great side dish so brown off some chorizo to get started. Add in a drained can of diced tomatoes with chilies with seasoning and combine.

Split your peppers lengthwise then remove the seeds.

Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and place the peppers on parchment paper on a baking sheet and spoon in the mixture.

Bake for around half an hour until the peppers have softened.

18. Chorizo And Sweet Potato Tacos

So many fillings can work in a taco, just like Chorizo and Sweet Potato. Cube the sweet potato with onion and cook with salt until softened.

Reduce the heat, cover and cook until the potato is tender then ramp up the heat and cook the chorizo meat.

Warm up the tortillas, toss your lettuce in freshly squeezed lime juice and feta cheese then separately toss avocado sliced in more lime juice.

Add the chorizo mix to the tortillas then top with lettuce and avocado.   

19. Spanish Chorizo Corn Cakes

If you are looking for a savory alternative to pancakes then try these Spanish Chorizo Corn Cakes.

Fry up diced chorizo with corn kernels, and diced jalapeño, once the corn is tender remove the skillet from the heat.

Whisk together sugar, wholewheat flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

In another bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk (see also ‘The 35 Best Buttermilk Recipes To Try At Home‘) then combine the three mixes and stir in butter. 

Heat up a skillet then use around two and a half tablespoons of batter for each corn cake.

Fry them in batches until golden brown and serve with fried eggs and whisked maple syrup with adobo sauce.    

20. Mexican Chorizo Burger

Adding some chorizo to ground beef should be a given and in these burgers, you may never go back.

Mix together breadcrumbs with your ground beef and chorizo then form into patties and season.

Cook each one on a skillet until cooked through and top with cheese in a toasted burger.

21. Beef Chorizo Sliders

Chorizo works exceptionally well in a slider too and you only need to mix chorizo sausage meat with ground beef and a few other ingredients including cumin, chili powder, pepper, and garlic salt.

Pat into burger shapes then, in another bowl, combine mayonnaise with Sriracha sauce which you can refrigerate while you grill the burgers.

Assemble the burgers with your toppings then add the Sriracha mayonnaise and serve in baps.

22. Chorizo Meatloaf

Meatloaf may not be everyone’s favorite meal but add chorizo and it takes it to a whole new level.

In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef with chorizo, blanched almond flour, an egg, cumin, paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and sea salt.

Half the mixture then form a loaf with one half to top with sliced avocado before topping with the other half.

Wrap the meatloaf in bacon and bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 375°F (190°C) then check with a meat thermometer that the internal temperature has hit 160°F (71°C).

23. Chorizo Chicken Jambalaya

You only need one pot for this Chorizo Chicken Jambalaya which is truly rewarding.

Cook the chorizo meat with chicken thighs together then add some frozen onion, celery, and bell pepper mix.

Heat it through then add tomato paste with uncooked rice to toast before adding chicken stock and diced tomatoes.

Stir it together then add a bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. 

Cover with a lid, bring to a boil then simmer for half an hour before allowing the mixture to steam off the heat.

Fluff it all up, remove the bay leaf and serve hot with some sliced green onion.

24. Chorizo And Shrimp

Another one pan dish is Chorizo and Shrimp and begin by shelling and deveining your shrimp before adding seasoning and paprika.

Sear the shrimp until pink then set aside while you brown up chorizo slices then add finely diced onion and garlic.

Once the onion has softened, add chicken stock, cherry tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, and more paprika.

Let the sauce thicken then return the shrimp to the pan to evenly coat and serve with lemon wedges and chopped parsley. 

25. Tomato Salmon With Chorizo

Another seafood and chorizo recipe is Tomato Salmon with Chorizo which you can also cook in a single pot.

Crisp up the chorizo then set aside and sear the salmon in the leftover oil with seasoning and also set aside.

Cook garlic with your shallot until softened then add tomato sauce and simmer before adding cream, Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and oregano.

Add some more seasoning with chili flakes then return the salmon to cook through and serve with the chorizo and some oregano. 

26. Beef And Chorizo Chilli

You may have tried a range of ingredients to create the perfect chilli; cocoa, smoked paprika but try chorizo too.

Brown the ground beef with chorizo then add diced onion, red bell pepper, and garlic.

Add your diced tomatoes, beef stock, tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, red kidney beans, black beans, small red beans, and pinto beans.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for around half an hour while it thickens.

27. Pumpkin And Chorizo Chilli

For a large meal you can have ready in an hour, sauté onion then fry chorizo and add jalapeños with bell peppers.

Fry the chicken in chunks with the chorizo and vegetables until cooked through. 

Mix the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano and sea salt in a bowl then add to the pan to coat the mix.

Pour in dark ale to deglaze the pot before adding chipotle pepper, adobo sauce (see also ‘8 Alternatives For Adobo Seasoning‘), pumpkin purée, and canned tomatoes.

Let the mixture simmer for between half an hour and an hour, stir occasionally then serve hot with chopped cilantro.

28. Chorizo Tortilla Casserole

While chorizo does go well in a burrito it also works in this tortilla casserole.

In a saucepan, brown the chorizo meat then drain, wipe down the pan and fry chopped onion, cumin, chili powder, and garlic.

Once the onion is soft, add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans, corn, and spinach before returning the chorizo. 

Season, remove from the heat and add corn tortillas as a base layer to a greased casserole dish.

Add the chorizo filling then grated cheese, repeat and end with a layer of cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until the cheese has melted.

29. Chorizo Meatballs

Just like the burgers, simply adding chorizo to ground beef can elevate it several levels. Fry finely chopped red onion with garlic until the onion turns translucent.

In a bowl, beat together the milk and egg then combine with breadcrumbs, Cheddar cheese (Monterey Jack works well too), chopped cilantro, cumin, chili powder, and oregano. 

Add the onion and garlic with the ground beef, chorizo and salt then form into meatballs with your hands.

Roast for between 12 and 18 minutes at 450°F (230°C) until cooked through. 

30. Spicy Chorizo Pizza

Chorizo may seem like an outlandish topping for a pizza but with a spicy sauce, it works very well.

Bring to the boil some tomato sauce, garlic, sugar, balsamic vinegar, oregano, sea salt, and chili flakes.

Reduce the heat until you have a thickened sauce then brown some thinly sliced onion and spread the sauce over your pizza base.

Top with chorizo, onions, and goat’s cheese then bake until golden and top with arugula and drizzle with olive oil. 

Bonus: Chorizo For Parties

If you have only seen chorizo as a fixture on cheeseboards then hopefully you now know where else you can use it as an ingredient.

However, it helps to know what ingredients the meat goes with on a Spanish cheeseboard, how you can use it for an appetizer with Red Wine Chorizo Bites and how you make a Chorizo Queso Dip too.

31. Spanish Cheeseboard

You may not even want to cook chorizo to taste the benefit.

Simply prepare a cheeseboard with some Spanish cheeses, jamon serrano, marcona almonds, tomato slices, olives, membrillo quince, and some chorizo slices. 

32. Red Wine Chorizo Bites

That’s right, red wine (see also ‘6 Red Wine Substitutes‘) and chorizo in one serving. Sauté your sliced chorizo until brown then add garlic, red wine, honey, black pepper, and smoked paprika.

Bring it to the boil until you have a thick glaze then serve with a toothpick for every guest.

33. Chorizo Queso Dip

For an easy-to-make dip that you will want to enjoy with tortilla chips, create this queso dip.

Cook chorizo meat until browned, drain the fat then cook diced sweet onion, poblano pepper (see also ‘What Do Poblano Peppers Taste Like? Everything You Need To Know‘), and garlic.

Once the onion is translucent, whisk in flour, turn down the heat then whisk in milk and diced Roma tomato.

Stir in grated Monterey Jack cheese with Pepper Jack cheese until smooth then season and stir in half of the chorizo with cilantro. 

Oven bake the mix until golden brown then serve with the rest of the chorizo and cilantro. Garnish with pickled jalapeño peppers then dip your tortilla chips in.

Final Thoughts

As a cured meat, chorizo is incredibly versatile and the spicy oils seep into other ingredients.

Use it in pasta to spice it up, use it in burgers to create a spicy variation and use it in soups to bring a warming heat.

You may prefer it sliced but the sausage can also add depth to a dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Foods Go Best With Chorizo?

There is a complex flavor profile in every slice of chorizo and in every sausage where the spicy mix of chilies, pork, and herbs with that tang of vinegar needs to be balanced.

If you are looking for some easy pairings, try bell peppers, clams, and pears as the sweet notes go well with the smoky heat of chorizo.

What Is The Most Ideal Way To Cook Chorizo?

Try not to cook chorizo too fast as you can burn the oils that are emitted.

Instead, try slow frying the meat over a low heat as this can allow for the complex flavor profile to develop.

If you are cooking it with other ingredients, you may want to cook it slowly first to allow the oils to infuse with the rest of the meal.