Easy Chorizo Tacos
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Discover the Ultimate Chorizo Street Tacos recipe – a mouthwatering fusion of savory, spicy chorizo, zesty spices, and fresh ingredients. Get ready to elevate your Taco Tuesdays with these simple and delectable homemade chorizo tacos.
Taco fan? Who isn’t! Try these Seared Scallop Tacos with mango avocado salsa and my Quick and Easy Healthy Skirt Steak Tacos.
You’ll Love This Recipe!
Tacos are amazing, can we all agree? My very favorite part of any taco recipe is that is essentially what I like to call a “plug and play recipe” – meaning once you get the general formula down you can plug in any ingredients you have on hand and bam! Dinner is ready.
I had my first authentic chorizo taco in Mexico a few years ago and couldn’t wait to recreate it in my kitchen, you are going to love this recipe:
- FLAVOR! Every bite will burst with smoky, savory, and spicy flavors
- SIMPLE! Seriously only a few ingredients are needed here.
- FAST! Dinner in 15 minutes, you are welcome.
Take it to another level with my Avocado Crema! It’s a great alternative to fresh guacamole and spreads more evenly on the taco. Of course, feel free to use your favorite toppings like salsa verde and cotija cheese for your own custom taco bar.
Let’s Get Cooking!
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is a simple recipe with 5 ingredients, we love that.
- White onion – If white onions are unavailable, feel free to use red onion, yellow or sweet onion.
- Fresh Mexican Chorizo Sausage – See below for details about chorizo, but I prefer this recipe using fresh chorizo not Spanish smoked.
- Fresh Cilantro – Although it may seem as if the cilantro is merely a garnish, in a recipe that contains only 5 ingredients the cilantro is a primary flavor. If you don’t like cilantro you could use parsley or chives.
- Avocado or olive oil – You need just a bit to saute the onion and chorizo
- Tortilla of your choice; flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or crunchy taco shells. (I like soft warm corn tortillas for their interesting texture, plus they are gluten-free).
- Lime – My preference is for zesty lime flavor to punch me in the face when I eat this taco, you may prefer to go a bit lighter on the lime juice but trust me you don’t want to skip it.
Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post.
What is Chorizo?
Chorizo is a highly seasoned chopped or ground pork sausage with a spicy flavor. It is available as a loose sausage mixture or as cased links.
There are two main types of chorizo sausage:
- Fresh Mexican chorizo is typically uncooked. Mexican chorizo gets its bold flavor from vinegar, chile peppers, and spices
- Spanish chorizo is smoked, making it already cooked through. Spanish chorizo is flavored and cooked by the smoking process along with paprika, white wine, garlic cloves, and herbs.
Both will make delicious tacos, but the fresh Mexican chorizo is more typical. Street vendors in the Mexican Yucatan make some of the most epic chorizo tacos with amazing flavor served with just a few lime wedges for tons of flavor in under 4-5 minutes.
Tools
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Saute Pan or Cast Iron Pan
Pro Recipe Tips
- Chorizo has a good amount of fat content and seasoning already
- There is no need to add chili powder or additional seasoning
- Do not add too much oil as the sausage has a good amount of fat and additional oil may make the chorizo greasy. If you feel like your pan is getting a little dry, you can always add a little drizzle of oil during the cooking process.
- Store your warmed tortillas in a clean damp folded napkin. This will keep them warm and pliable for when you are ready to assemble your taco.
Make Your Own Chorizo
If you can’t find fresh Mexican Chorizo at the market you can make your own using ground pork, garlic, and spices like chili powder and paprika. Here is a step-by-step recipe for making your own chorizo.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Finely dice both onions. Reserve one portion of raw onions for garnish.
- Step 2: If chorizo is in links, remove from the casing and break it apart. Reserve in a large bowl or on a plate.
- Step 3: Set a pan over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Add diced onion and cook until it begins to soften.
- Step 4: Add chorizo and fold into the onion. Continue to cook over medium heat until sausage is cooked through and fully mixed with onion, 6-9 minutes. Allow chorizo to crisp a bit at the edges
- Step 5: Once the chorizo mixture is cooked turn off the heat and prepare your warm tortillas. You can warm tortillas over the open flame of your stovetop, heat in a 300° oven for about 5-7 minutes, or microwave under a damp cloth for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using the microwave method, be careful when removing tortillas as they will be very hot and steamy).
- Step 6: Spoon the chorizo mixture into a tortilla, sprinkle with raw chopped onion, a small sprig of fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. If you have made my avocado crema, this is the time to slather it onto your taco or use it as a dipping sauce.
Storage, Reheating, Freezing
- STORAGE – The mixture can be stored in an airtight container for 4 days
- REHEATING – Reheat the chorizo mixture on the stovetop over medium-high heat or in the microwave for 2 minutes.
- FREEZING– The mixture can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month.
Abra’s Nutrition Tips! Where are the veggies?
I love taco night, but I also love veggies and these two loves don’t always align. Here are a few fun ideas for veggie side dishes to go along with your tacos:
- Calabacitas – My new fav taco night companion, essentially a simple veggie dish finished with a big handful of cheese and cilantro.
- Crisp green salad – romaine, cilantro, scallions, finely diced jalapeno or pickled jalapeno, olive oil and lime juice for dressing
- Roasted veggies with salsa macha (my new favorite pantry staple)
- A big pan of sauteed greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard), saute with onion, garlic, and lime juice
FAQ
Yes, As long as you opt for a corn, NOT flour tortilla, this dish can be enjoyed gluten-free!
Yes, most onions will work. I also love the flavor of chopped red onion as a topper. It’s a little bit of a stronger onion flavor but has great crunch. Yellow, white, and sweet Vidalia all work, though die-hards might argue the merits of their favorite.
It really comes down to preference. The Spanish style will have a smokier flavor but since it’s already cooked through, it may be a bit more crumbly when cooked. Fresh Chorizo in the Mexican style is how I came to know this dish and it’s the one I usually reach for. I especially love the flavor that comes from the oil drippings of a good quality chorizo with the proper amount of fat content. Mexican Chorizo tacos have just the right amount of oil to deliver the maximum flavor value in every bite.
Of course…It’s your taco, go wild! Add your favorite taco toppings like salsa verde, chopped jalapeno, queso fresco, sour cream, and black beans…you name it. You can also add peppers and other veggies during the cooking process. Just be aware that you may need to adjust your cooking time.
I don’t use vegetable oil in my cooking due to the high ratio of Omega 6 fats and the potential inflammatory impact of consuming, what I refer to as, “industrial seed oils”. I use avocado oil, olive oil, grass fed butter, and coconut oil exclusively in my kitchen.
Dietary Modifications
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, and not modifiable in any other way.
Check out my quick weeknight dinner recipes and healthy Super Bowl recipes roundups for more tastiness!
I can’t wait for you to try this! When you make it, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @abrapappa or use the hashtag #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
Make it a Fiesta with These Sides and Drinks:
These recipes go well with tacos:
Chorizo Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh chorizo sausage in links or loose
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 small white onion you can use yellow or red onion if you prefer
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 limes
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 4 tbsp avocado crema
Instructions
- Finely dice 2 small onions or 1 large onion. Reserve half of the portion or raw onion for topping.
- If chorizo is in links, remove from casing and break apart and reserve in a large bowl or on a plate. If using loose uncased sausage, you can load directly into the skillet or pan and simply break apart with a wooden spoon.
- Set a pan or skillet over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Add diced onion and cook until it begins to soften and turn translucent.
- Add chorizo and fold into the onion. Continue to cook over med heat until sausage is cooked through and fully incorporated with onion, 6-9 minutes.
- Once mixture is cooked turn off heat and prepare your tortillas. You can warm tortillas over the open flame of your stovetop, heat in a warm 300° oven for about 5-7 minutes or microwave under a damp cloth for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using the microwave method, be careful when removing tortillas as they will be very hot an steamy.) To keep tortillas warm and pliable, wrap in a dampened napkin until ready to be loaded with sausage mixture.
- Spoon chorizo mixture into tortilla, sprinkle with diced raw onion, a small sprig of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Top with avocado crema and enjoy
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Meet Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN
Abra is a licensed nutritionist, seasoned home cook, and forever flavor-chaser. She’s spent more than two decades exploring the connection between food and health—and just as long obsessing over what makes something truly delicious. Abra’s Kitchen is where those two loves meet, with recipes that celebrate vegetables, follow the seasons, and make you excited to cook.
