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This Mexican chorizo recipe is easy to make right at home and is packed with bold and authentic flavors and spices to level up any meal! It’s perfect for all your favorite dishes, such as tacos, nachos, queso fundido, and more!
Chorizo is easily one of my favorite Mexican ingredients to use. It’s packed with tons of great flavor and adds so much depth to even the simplest recipes. I find store-bought chorizo to be a little too greasy, so I’ve created my own homemade chorizo recipe to make it even better. Here’s why I love this recipe:
- It’s simple: Making this Mexican chorizo recipe is so quick and simple. Just mix together the spices and toss in the ground pork and vinegar.
- Healthier than store-bought: Store-bought chorizo tends to use less quality meats and is higher in fat. I like to use extra lean or lean ground pork for a slightly healthier option.
What Is Chorizo?
Mexican chorizo is an intensely seasoned sausage made of ground pork and a medley of spices. It’s different from Spanish chorizo that is cured and dried, similar to salami, in that Mexican chorizo is raw and must be cooked. Store-bought Mexican chorizo comes in a casing and you can also find a version of beef, soy, and even chicken chorizo in most stores.
Chorizo is a super versatile ingredient with a distinct flavor. It’s packed with spices like paprika, coriander, and various chili powders. I love to use it as a filling or garnish to take simple recipes to the next level!
Want to learn more? Read What Is Chorizo? for an in-depth look at chorizo!
Chorizo Recipe Ingredients
- Ground pork: I used ground pork for a bit of fat and juices, but you can also use lean or extra lean based on your preference.
- Chili powders: Chorizo is traditionally made with rehydrated ancho chiles and guajillo chile peppers that are ground into a paste. To keep things simple and user-friendly, I used ancho chili powder and regular chili powder instead.
- Paprika: Paprika is another key flavor used in chorizo and gives it its signature red color.
- Mexican spices: A mix of spices like cumin, Mexican oregano, and coriander gives the chorizo its signature Mexican flavor.
- Garlic: Two minced garlic cloves add great flavor. Fresh garlic cloves have a stronger flavor but you can use 2 teaspoons of garlic powder if you’re in a pinch.
- Cinnamon and cloves: Cinnamon and cloves add some warmth and spice to the chorizo that give it depth of flavor.
- Salt: I used ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to compliment all the chorizo spices. I find store-bought chorizo to be on the salty side, but you can easily adjust the salt to your liking.
- White distilled vinegar: Vinegar adds some tanginess to help cut the hearty and heavy spices.
How to Make Chorizo
Mix all the dried spices together in a small bowl until well combined. Mixing the spices together beforehand ensures that they are evenly distributed in the ground pork.
Combine the ground pork, minced garlic, vinegar, and chorizo spices in a large mixing bowl, using your hands to really mix everything together. Every inch of ground pork should be seasoned.
Now it’s ready to use! You can cook it in a large skillet for 7-8 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon until fully cooked.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Sensitive to spice? You can adjust the amount of chili powder to your liking to make it more or less spicy.
- Switch up the protein. This blend of seasoning is also great with ground beef, chicken, and turkey.
- Make it smoky: Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a smoky kick.
- Make it spicy: Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne to add some heat.
- Make it vegan: Use tofu instead of ground pork for a great vegan and vegetarian chorizo option.
Ways to Use Chorizo
Chorizo is super versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes. From fillings to garnishes, here are a few ideas:
- The ultimate Mexican breakfast: Make a classic chorizo with eggs along with warm corn tortillas and refried beans for a filling and satisfying breakfast.
- Tacos: Use it as a filling for chorizo tacos, breakfast tacos, or even classic hard shell tacos.
- Appetizers and party recipes: Use it as a garnish for sheet pan nachos, taco pizza, queso blanco, or frijoles puercos.
- Soups and stews: Use it in this chorizo chili, in stews, and in hearty soups to add a boost of flavor.
Storing Instructions
To store, transfer uncooked chorizo sausage to an airtight container or storage bag. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months until ready to cook.
More Mexican Recipes
If you tried this Chorizo Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience making it!
Chorizo Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons paprika
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Mix together paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder, chili powder, oregano, coriander, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium bowl.
- Add the ground pork, mixed chorizo seasoning, white vinegar, and garlic to a large bowl. Mix everything together with your hands until well combined.
- Use immediately in your favorite recipe or store for later.
- To cook, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until browned, breaking up the meat with a spatula until fully cooked.
Notes
- To store, transfer uncooked chorizo sausage to an airtight container or storage bag. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months until ready to cook.
- Sensitive to spice? You can adjust the amount of chili powder to your liking to make it more or less spicy.
- Make it vegan: Use tofu instead of ground pork for a great vegan and vegetarian chorizo option.
- Make it spicy: Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne to add some heat.
- Make it smoky: Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a smoky kick.
- Switch up the protein. This blend of seasoning is also great with ground beef, chicken, and turkey.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in April 2010 and has been updated with new photos, more helpful tips, and a better overall recipe with small tweaks.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
I’ve recently moved from the southwest to Maine. I am sorely missing the products that were so readily available to me there. You’re recipes are helping me out quite a bit! Thank you.
Hi Antonia! I’m glad these recipes have helped you!
We don’t eat pork so wondering if I can substitute using beef?
Hi Rett! I’m not sure about that. We haven’t tried this recipe with beef, but there are lots of other great websites you can check out that may have that recipe.
Flavorful, but needed heat. Added crushed red pepper freshly ground into spice mix and also added more vinegar. Turned out much better.
If I want to make this same recipe but with whole dried peppers instead of powder, how would I do that?
Hi Evan! We would recommend soaking the dried peppers until softened, blending them, and then cooking the Chile puree with the meat and other ingredients.
What do you mean by regular chili powder? Is cayenne or that American chili powder mix?
Hi Bryan! This recipe uses a spice called chile powder. You can find it in the spice section of most grocery stores. Hope this helps!
YUMMMMY!!!…I quit buying store-bought chorizo sausage in casings because it always had too much fat…i made a lean ground pork plus lean ground beef version…Excelente!!!!! Muchas Gracias Isabel…
…i read a comment on using ground turkey…good idea!!!!
Hi George! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Grew up in Az been eating chorizo since I was a child love the recipe at isabel eats thank you!!!!
OMG. I am Mexican and I used to miss chorizo until I found this great recipe. It is amazing, so delicious and so easy to make. It is like the real thing, actually much better. Thank you!
I didn’t have the ancho chili powder so used double of the regular. I’ll never get store bought again!
Thank you for the recipe. We retired to Ecuador and you can’t get Mexican chorizo here unless you make it. I used pureed guajillo and ancho peppers and Mexican oregano in my recipe. I also ground my own pork, which I found I ground a bit too fine. My next batch will be more coarse. I will also add a bit more fat next time. My friends (and I) thought the flavor was incredible, without adding more heat. It reminded me of chorizo I used to buy in a small Mexican tienda near home when I was in my 20’s…a long time ago. Thank you again.