What is Chorizo?

What is Chorizo?

Chorizo is a highly seasoned pork sausage that is very popular in both Mexican and Spanish cooking. It’s a staple in many of the Mexican dishes that I make here on Isabel Eats. Mexican chorizo is a very fatty and highly seasoned sausage typically made from ground pork. However, it can also be made from ground beef, chicken, venison, turkey, and soy.

The most popular type of Mexican chorizo has a distinct red tint due to the spices and seasonings that are used to make it. Typically, the seasoning in chorizo includes some or all of the following:

• Chile peppers – guajillo or ancho chiles are the most common.
• Coriander
• Cloves
• Cinnamon
• Garlic
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Vinegar

Here’s my homemade chorizo recipe!

Mexican Chorizo versus Spanish Chorizo

While I mainly use Mexican chorizo in my recipes, it’s good to know that chorizo comes in two forms: the Mexican version and the Spanish version. 

The main difference is that Mexican chorizo is fresh and must be cooked before consumption. Spanish chorizo is dried and cured.

Mexican chorizo can be loose like any other ground meat or in a casing like a regular sausage. However, the casing is not edible and must be removed before cooking. Mexican chorizo can be cooked on its own or with other ingredients like peppers, onions, rice, and more.

Spanish chorizo can be found in most grocery stores, along with other meats prepared in a similar way, like pepperoni and salami. The casing is edible, and you don’t need to cook it to enjoy it. As a result, it can also be added to soups and stews. It’s also very popular on tapas platters. Spanish chorizo comes in smoked and unsmoked varieties that range from mild to very spicy. It always contains smoked paprika, which gives it a distinctive color and flavor.

How to Cook Mexican Chorizo

To cook with Mexican chorizo, you must first remove it from the casing. As a result, it will crumble as it cooks and will look a lot like ground beef when fully cooked. It’s a great alternative to other ground meats and is also delicious when mixed into things like homemade meatballs since it can add a lot of flavor and fat.

Chorizo Recipe Ideas

Chorizo is a versatile ingredient that adds lots of bold flavors. You can use it in a variety of ways, including fillings, garnishes, dinners, sides, etc. Here are some ideas:

• Make the ultimate Mexican breakfast with chorizo and eggs or breakfast tacos. 
• Warm up with Mexican chorizo chili. 
• Make everyone’s new favorite party appetizer with queso fundido, or crumble chorizo on top of queso blanco. 
• Keep it simple with delicious chorizo tacos. 
• Mix it into lucious frijoles puercos. 
• Sprinkle chorizo crumbs on top of taco pizza for extra flavor.

Chorizo Variations

Chorizo is typically made of ground pork, but you can use other variations of it as well:

• Beef chorizo: Beef chorizo is the next common version that you can find in most grocery stores. It has the same level of spice and flavor but usually isn’t as fatty as ground pork. 
• Homemade chorizo: Making your own Mexican chorizo is super simple! You can use my homemade chorizo recipe when you’re wanting a less processed version. 
• Vegetarian chorizo: You can easily use tofu to make a vegan/vegetarian version of chorizo! Use super-firm tofu that’s been patted down and rid of any excess moisture, crumble, cook as normal, and season using the ingredients in my recipe to make chorizo. 

Storage

Store-bought chorizo will have an expiration date.

Homemade raw chorizo can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months until ready to cook.

More Recipes That Use Chorizo

• Chorizo Stuffing
• Gorditas de Papas con Chorizo
• Pambazos
• Albondigas Soup

This post was originally published in April 2022 and has been updated with more helpful information.