This homemade chorizo recipe can be made with your choice of ground meat ( chicken, pork, turkey, or beef) seasoned with authentic Mexican chorizo spices.
Make flavorful homemade chorizo in a matter of minutes! Lighten it up by using ground chicken or ground turkey, without sacrificing flavor! You can even make this vegan with tofu!
Want to know the secret to the best homemade chorizo? After years of making chorizo in our catering business- the secret is all in the spices!
We’ve spent years creating the perfect blend of spices to take your chorizo to the next level! Just read all our reviews.
Why You’ll Love this Chorizo Recipe
- Loaded with flavor! Seasoned with a robust combination of Mexican spices.
- Versatile! Use with ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork or even tofu!
- So many uses. Add to breakfast bowls, tacos, burritos, scrambles, or nachos!
- Quick & easy! It comes together in just 15 minutes, and you can skip that trip to the store!
Chorizo Ingredients
- Protein: Use ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork or crumbled extra firm tofu. Choose what you prefer! Perfect for families with different dietary preferences.
- Mexican spices: Chili powder (like ancho chili powder), smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, dried Mexican oregano (optional), granulated garlic (or 2 finely minced garlic cloves), and chipotle powder (or cayenne or red pepper flakes). For smoky, spicy, earthy, bold flavor.
- Vinegar: Use white, red, or apple cider vinegar for a touch of acidity that pumps up the flavor even more.
- Salt: I generally use 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of meat for the best flavor. Feel free to use less. Because chorizo is generally added to other things to enhance flavor, I like mine a little on the salty side. You may need more salt if using tofu. Adjust to your own tastes!
How to make Homemade Chorizo
Step 1: Place the ground meat and spices in a medium bowl. If using tofu, see recipe notes!
Step 2: Mix using a fork or a clean hand. Store in the fridge (or freeze) until ready to use.
Step 3: Cook. Brown the homemade chorizo in an oiled skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.
Step 4: Serve. Add a spoonful to breakfast bowls, eggs, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, pizza, quesadillas, or nachos!
Chorizo Recipe Variations
Feel free to shape the ground chorizo into breakfast patties, searing in the skillet until cooked through. Chorizo meatballs are also delicious!
Serving Suggestions
You’ll find a hundred ways to serve chorizo, but here are a few of our favorites!
- We love chorizo in our Mexican Breakfast Bowls and Burrito Bowls
- It’s delicious in Breakfast Burritos
- Try it in our Enchilada Casserole
- Or in our Nachos
- Add to Veggie Quesadillas
For an appetizer, sprinkle cooked turkey chorizo over a queso recipe, like our Vegan Queso with tortilla chips.
Storage
Make a large batch of chorizo to use throughout the week! You can keep the chorizo raw in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, using as needed. Alternatively, cook the chorizo in advance, then freeze or refrigerate as needed. Cooked chorizo lasts 1 week and will keep in the freezer for 2 months.
Chorizo Recipe FAQs
This recipe offers a leaner, healthier take on traditional chorizo by using ground turkey, chicken, or tofu instead of ground sausage, and enhancing the flavor with bold Mexican spices without added fats or any artificial ingredients.
Mexican chorizo is a spicy sausage made from raw meat and flavored with chili peppers, whereas Spanish chorizo is typically cured or smoked and made with paprika.
I know you’ll find so many uses for this healthy, easy Chorizo Recipe, so make sure to share what you create in the comments below!
More Breakfast Ideas to Love!
- Tuscan Farmers Breakfast
- Moroccan Eggs with Harissa Yogurt
- Creamy Polenta with Eggs, Chorizo and Cilantro
- Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs, Arugula and Zaatar
Chorizo Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4
- Category: Breakfast, Bruch,
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Low Fat
Description
This homemade chorizo recipe can be made with your choice of ground meat ( chicken, pork, turkey, or beef) seasoned with authentic Mexican chorizo spices. Vegan-adaptable!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or extra firm Tofu.
- 3/4 – 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic ( or 2 cloves finely minced garlic)
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (or cayenne) or substitute chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (white, red, or apple cider)
Instructions
- See notes for Tofu.
- Place all chorizo ingredients in a medium bowl, including the vinegar.
- Mix well using a fork, then knead with a damp, clean hand. Store in the fridge or freeze until ready to use.
- To cook, heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chorizo, breaking it up into smaller pieces, with a metal spatula, browning and turning. Lower heat and continue cooking and browning until cooked all the way through (no pink).
- Taste and adjust salt and heat level to your liking.
Notes
Tofu: Blot the tofu on all sides, pressing gently. Crumble the tofu, using your fingers into the bowl Mix with the spices- and pan sear with oil until cripsy and flavorful. Taste for salt- tofu generally needs a little extra salt.
Salt: I generally use 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of meat for the best flavor. Feel free to use less. Because chorizo is generally added to other things to enhance flavor, I like mine a little on the salty side. Adjust to your own tastes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces (using ground chicken)
- Calories: 174
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 563.3 mg
- Fat: 9.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.5 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 20.2 g
- Cholesterol: 96.3 mg
Made a cassoulet with roasted tomatoes, onions, cannellini beans and this chorizo….fabulous.
Awesome Stephanie! Sounds amazing.
Most Sundays, I make a brunch for me and my husband with just some kind of egg, potatoes/hash and toast. Pretty boring!! But last Sunday I made these polenta eggs using the tofu chorizo recipe on this site. Wowza!! What an amazing, easy and delicious meal that my husband is now requesting for next Sunday. Thank you so much, Sylvia, for breaking us out of our dull, monotonous Sunday brunches!
Love it Ceejay!
So good! Used ground chicken for this recipe, combined with the refried beans from this awesome site. Made AMAZING burritos!
Great to hear May!