15 Chorizo Recipes to Add an Extra Kick to Your Dinner

By Kelly Vaughan
February 18, 2021
Credit: Johnny Miller

Think beyond a charcuterie board and see how you can cook with two different kinds of the spicy pork sausage.

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Credit: Johnny Miller

It's time to get to know chorizo, the spicy cured pork sausage that's a staple in Spain and Mexico. Get started with the Baked Rice with Chorizo and Clams that's pictured here. In this dish, dried chorizo is sautéed with starchy arborio rice to form the base for this understated, weeknight-friendly twist on paella. The combination of pork sausage and littleneck clams is a classic one. Chorizo is often paired with seafood because the fatty, spicy flavor of the sausage complements often delicate and mild-mannered fish and shellfish such as mussels and cod.

When shopping for chorizo, you'll find that there are a few different varieties. The first is Mexican chorizo, a fresh sausage that needs to be cooked. In addition to the typical ground pork filling, a mixture of chiles, spices, and occasionally herbs are incorporated into the meat. You'll generally find Mexican chorizo sold in the casings, but many recipes require the casings to be removed before cooking with it. On the other hand, Spanish-style chorizo is cured and dried, and occasionally smoked. Each region within Spain has its own style of chorizo; some are super spicy, whereas others are a bit sweeter, but all are fully cooked and ready to eat. Use it as part of a charcuterie board or quickly slice and sauté it for a flavorful ingredient that you can add to so many different dishes.

Our chorizo recipes call for either fresh Mexican-style chorizo or dried Spanish-style recipe so be sure to read the ingredients list carefully to ensure that you're using the proper type of sausage. Once you’ve stocked up, try chorizo in our recipes that include omelets and breakfast hashes, paella, soups and sautés, and so much more.

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Drunken Mussels with Chorizo and White Beans

Credit: Con Poulos
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Enjoy a Spanish-style meal with this hearty combination of mussels cooked in white wine, juicy cherry tomatoes, cannellini beans, and thinly sliced dried chorizo. It comes together in just 45 minutes.

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Campfire Breakfast Hash

Credit: Con Poulos
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Upgrade the classic combination of eggs and sausage for breakfast by using dried chorizo. It's thinly sliced into half-moons then sautéed along with diced bell pepper and onion. Fry a few eggs alongside the hash and add pre-boiled potatoes in the final minutes of cooking.

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Chorizo Balls

Credit: Con Poulos
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Start the party with this chorizo recipe that uses fresh sausage and ground pork for meatballs. They're cooked in a tangy, savory sauce made from roasted red peppers, tomato sauce, and orange juice.

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Cod with Chorizo and Fennel

Credit: Sidney Bensimon
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Using the traditional French technique known as en papillote, meaning cooked in parchment, this recipe pairs skinless cod fillets with sliced Spanish chorizo, cherry tomatoes, sliced fennel, and an orange for fresh, fragrant flavor.

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Roasted-Parsnip Soup with Chorizo

Credit: Bryan Gardner
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This creamy soup recipe gets a spicy addition from Spanish-style chorizo. After it's crisped in a skillet, the meat is served—along with its spicy, red-orange oil—as a heat-packed garnish.

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Chorizo, Parsnip, and Olive Bites

Credit: Bryan Gardner
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These easy skewers call for just three ingredients. Slices of Spanish-style chorizo and parsnip are roasted together, then threaded with pitted green olives.

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Broken Spaghetti with Chorizo, Manchego and Scallions

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Here's a quick one-skillet dinner that's a riff on fideos. It's boldly flavored with dried chorizo, cherry tomatoes, and Manchego cheese.

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Easy Chicken and Shrimp Paella

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The duo of boneless chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks—together with shrimp and pre-cooked Spanish chorizo—create a hearty, quick take on paella.

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Queso Fundido with Chorizo

Credit: David Malosh
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Shredded Monterey Jack cheese melts beautifully for this spicy cheese appetizer that serves eight. It features an entire pound of cured Spanish chorizo and one can of diced green chile peppers.

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Grilled Shrimp and Grits with Chorizo and Salsa de Arbol

Credit: Matthew Williams
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Sautéed chorizo garnishes the grilled shrimp and salsa that top cheesy grits in this lively entrée.

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Quick Skillet Paella with Shrimp and Tomatoes

Credit: Andrew Purcell
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In just 35 minutes, this fast dinner made with shrimp, dried chorizo, and starchy arborio rice comes together.

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Spicy Mussels and Chorizo

Credit: John Kernick
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A succulent combination of mussels and spicy dried chorizo are cooked in a fragrant broth made with white wine, garlic, shallots, and canned crushed tomatoes. Be sure to serve with plenty of crusty bread for soaking up every ounce of the sauce.

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Spicy Southwestern Soup with Chorizo

Credit: Bryan Gardner
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This fiery soup can be made-ahead with ingredients that you probably already have on hand such as black beans, frozen peas, chipotle-in-adobo sauce, and baby spinach. Thinly sliced chorizo is added to the mix just before it's re-heated.

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Seafood-and-Chicken Paella

Credit: Earl Carter
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This version of paella features skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, dried chorizo, mussels, and shrimp. Garlic, crushed saffron, and smoked paprika bring warm, earthy flavors to the hearty dish.

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By Kelly Vaughan