Chorizo tacos are a quick and tasty dinner idea for those hectic weeknights. Super easy to whip up, especially if you snag some top-notch chorizo at the store or happen to have some already in your kitchen. Time to turn those cravings into a fiesta – let's taco 'bout it! Top them off with your favorite salsa, a handful of cilantro, or hey, why not some pineapple for that extra zing
Chorizo Street Tacos
Warning: you'll want to cook this tonight!
Some of the best tacos in Mexico are sold at small street stands (puesto de tacos) where people gather around, standing and holding their plates, eating their tacos, and watching (also drooling at) how their tacos are being prepared. Depending on where in Mexico, the main filling of your taco changes. With meat as a favorite in the north, seafood on the coast, and insects, mushrooms, and vegetables in other areas. Filling for tacos can be anything and everything from sweet potatoes to carne asada. But did you know that chorizo is also a favorite filling for tacos?
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Mexican Chorizo, also known as longaniza (long sausages), is a favorite filling for street tacos. Sometimes, it is mixed with other ingredients like potatoes, nopales, and Oaxaca cheese, to name a few. However, savoring a taco that only consists of chorizo enables you to fully enjoy its unique flavor. Plus, a chorizo taco is a quick and easy option. Cooking chorizo is often a speedy process, making it a convenient choice for a fast and tasty meal.
So if you are looking for a tasty, quick, and economical meal, try this quick recipe for you to enjoy Taco night any day of the week!
Frequently asked questions about Chorizo Tacos.
Before I share my recipe, I will answer the questions I usually get about this homemade recipe.
What are Chorizo Tacos?
Chorizo tacos are a delicious yet simple Mexican dish made with chorizo sausage, a type of “spicy” pork sausage. The chorizo is typically crumbled and cooked without the casing and then served in a warm tortilla with toppings such as diced onions, cilantro, and fresh lime juice.
Some variations of chorizo tacos may include additional ingredients such as chopped asada meat, queso fresco, radishes, avocado, or salsa. In the United States, some people add sour cream to their chorizo tacos, but this is not a traditional practice in Mexico. Overall, they are a flavorful and satisfying option for anyone who loves Mexican tacos.
What is Chorizo Made of?
There are different varieties of chorizo sausage, and the ingredients can vary depending on the regional or cultural variations. The traditional Mexican chorizo is raw and made with ground pork meat. The part of the pig used are pork shoulder or pork butt and pork belly for the fat.
Although it is rare, you can also find beef or a combination of pork and beef chorizo. It is seasoned with a variety of spices, including chili peppers, paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, and garlic. The specific spice blend can vary in the chorizo mixture, and the inclusion of vinegar is also common. If you want to learn how to make your own chorizo, try Mexican Chorizo for step-by-step instructions.
Can you mix Ground Beef and Chorizo?
Traditionally, we love eating chorizo by itself, as we love spicy and flavorful marinade and a wide variety of proteins. However, I know chorizo can be too spicy for many people who have yet to get used to eating it. So, mixing ground beef with chorizo is a great idea. I recommend adjusting the ground beef to chorizo ratio based on your preference.
How to Store Chorizo for Tacos
Here are a few tips on how to store your chorizo for your tacos;
- If you store-bought chorizo, if not wrap, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container and place it in your fridge. It should last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
- If you want to store it for longer, you can first place it in a vacuum bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. Before using the chorizo, make sure to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
- If you decide to cook your chorizo and have some leftovers, place it in a container or ziplock bag and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
How to make Chorizo Tacos Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
Here is the list of ingredients you need for this recipe:
- Vegetable oil
- Corn tortillas
- White onion finely chopped
- Cilantro finely chopped
- Radish finely sliced
- Salt to taste
- Hot salsa of your choice
- 1 lime Optional
- Pineapple optional
Please scroll to the bottom for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble or break apart with the help of a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula of the chorizo and add to the hot oil.
- Stir occasionally to get an even cooking. About 8-10 minutes. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- For this step, you could cook the chorizo first and use the leftover oils from the pan, or while the chorizo is cooking, heat a griddle to warm your tortillas. Slightly dip each tortilla in the skillet where you are cooking the chorizo to add some of its flavors to the tortilla.
- Warm for about 1 minute on each side and set aside, wrapping with a kitchen towel to keep them warm.
- If you want to add the pineapple, warm it on the griddle, turning to make sure they are warm all over for serving on top of your tacos.
- When you finish cooking the chorizo, top each tortilla with a couple of tablespoons of chorizo.
- Now, add some chopped onion and cilantro, and the pineapple chunks. Salsa of your choice, a squirt of fresh lime juice, and viola! Dinner is ready.
Note: If you are trying to reduce the amount of oil in this recipe, try warming up your tortillas without the chorizo oils. Another way to give your tortillas some extra flavor without the additional calories is by warming them over an open flame in your gas stove.
Provecho, and if you make them, come back to let me know how they turned out for you!
Mely,
What to Serve with Chorizo Tacos
Chorizo tacos are versatile and flavorful on their own, but you can enhance the dining experience by serving them with complementary sides and toppings. Some of the popular toppings are a good salsa taquera, lime wedges, cilantro, and grilled pineapple for a wonderful combination of spicy and sweet. However, if you would like to add other side dishes try adding tortilla chips with refried black beans topped with queso fresco for a tasty and delicious meal.
More Authentic Mexican Food Recipes
In case you would like to try other Mexican food recipes besides this delicious dish, try the following recipes:
If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment below and tell us all about it!
-Mely
For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. In español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina
📖 Recipe
Chorizo Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 Lb. chorizo casing removed
- 6 corn tortillas or 10 small taco size tortillas
- ½ cup white onion finely chopped
- ½ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1 radish finely sliced
- Salt to taste
- Hot salsa of your choice
- 1 lime Optional
- Optional but recommended for those daring to try: ⅔ of a cup of chunks of pineapple, fresh or out of a can. This really is an amazing combination and gives it sort of a “tacos al pastor” taste.
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble or break apart with the help of a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula of the chorizo and add to the hot oil. Stir occasionally to get an even cooking. About 8-10 minutes.
- For this step, you could cook the chorizo first and use the leftover oils from the pan, or while the chorizo is cooking, heat a griddle to warm your tortillas. Slightly dip each tortilla in the skillet where you are cooking the chorizo to add some of its flavors to the tortilla.
- Warm for about 1 minute on each side and set aside, wrapping with a kitchen towel to keep them warm.
- If you want to add the pineapple, warm it on the griddle, turning to make sure they are warm all over for serving on top of your tacos.
- When you finish cooking the chorizo, top each tortilla with a couple of tablespoons of chorizo, some chopped onion and cilantro, and the pineapple chunks. Salsa of your choice, a squirt of fresh lime juice, and viola! Dinner is ready.
Notes
- It sounds like a lot of chorizo, but once it’s been cooked, it will reduce to almost half the amount and you will remove the excess fat. Of course, this will depend on the quality of chorizo you’re using. Homemade chorizo will have less fat than commercially made chorizo.
- If you are trying to reduce the amount of oil in this recipe, try warming up your tortillas without the chorizo oils. Another way to give your tortillas some extra flavor without the additional calories is by warming them over an open flame in your gas stove.
kim
Hi Mely!
I love your recipes and this one is no exception! I am curious about the salsa in the photograph to the right of radish/onion/lime garnish? Can you please tell me what it is?
Thank you for all the deliciousness!
Cheers
Kim
Mely Martinez
Hi Kim!, This is the habanero-tomato salsa. I didn't boil the ingredients; I fried them and blended them, which made the consistency thicker and creamier.
Yolanda
I love chorizo tacos! Can you tell me the best brand of chorizo? I have tried two different brands and I have been disappointed each time.
Mely Martínez
Hello Yolanda,
If you live in the states, try looking for chorizo at the latin stores.
Jodie
So delicious! Thank you, Mely, for sharing this recipe!
Mely Martínez
Hello Jodie.
Enjoy these easy-to-make Chorzio Tacos!
Kathrin
This was fantastic. I had made homemade chorizo in the morning from another blog and used that. I also made a little pico de gallo and you restaurant style salsa. I added some monterey Jack, queso fresco and cabbage. Voila! What a delicious dinner. Thank you for sharing, Mely.
Abby
Do you have a cookbook with all your recipes?
Mely Martínez
Hello Abby,
The cookbook will be available for sell this fall.
Karen
Yes I made this dish just last night. And yes it was so good . The family loved them .And for that I say thank you so much.
Candace
SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR WEBSITE!!!!! I currently live about an hour away from Austin but I'm originally from El Paso, Texas. Your recipes sound so close to my mom's and grandma's. Mom is still in El Paso but as she's far I try to make her recipes for my husband. Which is hard, as he is from Texarkana, so he has more TexMex than Mexican in mind when I make Mexican food. I am also quite glad to see that the states you have lived in use more maize as opposed to trigo tortillas. Maybe I'm wrong because I'm more used to Chihuahua and Sonora and Baja California states respectively, but I feel if it has a flour tortilla that is a burrito not a taco. LOL
Devan Noble
What is the radish used for? Garnish?
mmartinez
Hello Devan,
We actually eat the radishes with he tacos.
Anonymous
Hola! Does it matter if I use pork or beef chorizo? I always wonder about that.
mmartinez
Hello,
As long as you like it, it is all good! Happy cooking!
Tiffany Pitts
I am having trouble finding a good chorizo at the store, no matter what it never tasts or even looks like the stuff I get at my local little authentic taco shops, do you have any brand suggestions or maybe something I could add to make it better?
mmartinez
Hello Tiffany,
You can make your own chorizo at home, follow this link to an step by step recipe: chorizo mexicano
Or to enhance the flavor of a store bough chorizo add extra seasonings like Mexican oregano, ground cumin and paprika.
Chris
I've always been one to compromise, so how about tacos on Tuesday, Friday, AND Saturday? Yay!
Seriously, I love chorizo and these tacos look fantastic.
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)
I want to make this tonight! 🙂 I've not been here for awhile and I've pinned about 10 recipes from you blog. Thanks for all the great recipes.
mmartinez
You are very welcome Lea Ann!
Brewella Deville
What a coincidence! This is exactly what I'm making for dinner tonight. I usually have some chorizo on hand and like to use it as a condiment for beans or eggs since a little goes such a long way. I love tacos al pastor, but never thought to use a bit pineapple in chorizo to simulate that dish. That's a fantastic tip.