This easy Mexican chorizo is the zesty, spicy meat you’ve been missing from your Mexican dishes! While some of the spices resemble taco seasoning or fajita seasoning, Mexican chorizo recipes have a unique flavor all their own — and you can create it at home with simple ingredients.
What Is Mexican Chorizo?
Unlike Spanish chorizo, which is partially or fully cooked, cured, and dried, Mexican chorizo sausage is a fresh cooked sausage. It’s traditionally made with ground pork (or a combination of ground pork and ground beef), guajillo or ancho chile pepper, and a variety of dried spices stuffed in animal casings. I use a shortcut for the peppers to make the recipe even faster.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for chorizo Mexican sausage, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Spices – Including paprika, cumin, chili powder, dried oregano (use Mexican oregano for most authentic flavor), coriander, sea salt, and cinnamon. Traditional chorizo rehydrates ancho and guajillo chiles, purees them, and mixes them directly into the meat, but this spice blend helps it come together faster.Ground Pork – Use plain ground pork, as we will season it ourselves. Ground sausage typically comes already seasoned, so is not recommended.Olive Oil – I used extra virgin olive oil, but any neutral cooking oil will work.Onion – White onion or yellow onion works best, both for flavor and appearance.Garlic – Use fresh minced cloves for best flavor.White Vinegar – Typically used in Mexican chorizo ingredients to help cure the sausage for longer-term storage, but also for flavor. White vinegar has the most authentic taste, but you could also use apple cider vinegar.
How To Make Mexican Chorizo
This section shows how to make the best Mexican chorizo recipe that’s easy, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below. While ground pork is the most traditional choice, you can also substitute ground beef, ground turkey, or any other ground meat you prefer.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.Meal prep: You can make the raw chorizo Mexican recipe ahead of time and store for up to 2 days in the fridge (or 3 months in the freezer) before cooking and serving.Reheat: Warm up on the stovetop or in a microwave at low power, until heated through.Freeze: Let the homemade chorizo cool completely, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Ways To Use Mexican Chorizo In Recipes
There are so many chorizo Mexican recipes. Here are some classic uses for it:
Breakfast – Make Mexican chorizo and eggs using scrambled eggs, cloud eggs, or sausage egg muffins. Add diced white or sweet potatoes (or fried radishes) to your cooked meat to make an easy hash.Ground Meat Swap – Use in part or entirely in place of ground meats for Whole30 chili, cauliflower nachos, or keto empanadas.Dips – Make chorizo the meat of choice for queso dip, Rotel dip, or taco dip.Tacos – Serve it inside your favorite tortillas with homemade salsa, shredded cheese, avocado, and cilantro. You can also try it in taco stuffed peppers, stuffed into zucchini taco boats, or as the main protein in a taco salad.
More Easy Mexican Recipes
For a taste of Mexico any night of the week, look no further than these easy main dishes! (And find even more healthy Mexican recipes here.) Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
