Homemade Mexican Chorizo Recipe: Authentic From Scratch

Making homemade Mexican chorizo is easier than you might think — and it’s delicious and healthier too. With simple ingredients like ground pork, dried chiles, vinegar, and spices, this fresh sausage is naturally low-carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free. Video included.

Recipe first posted on September 14, 2021. Last updated October 14, 2023 with updated text.

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If you love Mexican chorizo, you’ll find many uses for homemade chorizo at home. My family adds it to breakfast tacos, stews, stuffed mushrooms, and even chorizo burgers. While store-bought and Latin-market versions are convenient, making chorizo yourself gives you control over fat, spice level, and flavor — and it’s surprisingly simple.

This recipe is perfect for holiday brunches, parties, or everyday meals. It makes a generous batch you can cook right away or store for later.

What is chorizo?

Chorizo comes in two main styles: Spanish and Mexican.

Spanish chorizo is a cured, sliceable sausage flavored with smoked paprika. It’s typically firm and served on charcuterie boards. Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage made from ground meat — most commonly pork — and must be cooked before eating. Within Mexican chorizo there are regional variations, including green chorizo made with poblano chiles instead of dried red chiles.

Ingredients for homemade chorizo

Making chorizo at home lets you adjust richness and heat. Follow the recipe the first time and tweak to taste later. You’ll need:

• Ground pork — ideally about 70/30 meat-to-fat for good flavor and texture.
• Dried chiles — common choices are guajillo and ancho; add arbol or chipotle chiles for more heat. The chiles provide the signature red color.
• Kosher or sea salt
• Garlic (or garlic powder)
• Smoked paprika
• White onion
• Red wine vinegar
• Black pepper
• Ground cumin
• Ground coriander

How to make Mexican chorizo

This recipe comes together quickly. In about 20–30 minutes you can have seasoned chorizo ready to cook or store. Follow these steps:

Step one

Toast and soak the chiles. Remove stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Heat a comal or frying pan over medium-high heat and toast the chiles, turning frequently, until fragrant and slightly darkened — take care not to burn them. Meanwhile bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, then add the toasted chiles. Remove the pan from heat and let the chiles soak until soft and pliable, about 15 minutes.

Step two

Blend the chile sauce. Drain the soaked chiles and place them in a blender with the onion, garlic, vinegar, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Avoid adding extra water; the sauce should be thick so it coats the meat.

Step three

Mix with pork. Combine the chile sauce and the ground pork in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with clean hands until the meat is evenly coated and the spices are fully distributed.

Step four

Cook and enjoy. Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, until it’s browned and cooked through, about 8–10 minutes. Use immediately in recipes or cool and store.

What to do with it

There are countless ways to use chorizo. One classic preparation is chorizo and eggs for breakfast tacos. Cook chorizo until it starts to brown, then add eggs and scramble together until set.

Other ideas:

• Crisp chorizo and use as a soup garnish
• Top nachos with cooked chorizo
• Mix into rice dishes for extra flavor
• Spoon over warm queso fundido
• Fill or top enchiladas with cooked chorizo

Top 5 Most Popular Pork Recipes

1. Slow Cooker Frijoles Borrachos
2. Instant Pot Pork Chili Verde
3. Pork Tamales with Chile Verde
4. Pozole Rojo (Pork and Hominy Stew)
5. Red Mole Pork Tamales

Chorizo at your fingertips

Once you make your own Mexican chorizo, you’ll likely prefer it to store-bought. It stores well: keep fresh chorizo in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, or freeze in airtight bags for up to 6 months. When you try this recipe, take a photo and share it on social media if you like — nothing beats homemade chorizo in flavor or versatility.

How To Make Mexican Chorizo From Scratch

Yield:
6-8 servings

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
10 minutes

Total Time:
30 minutes

Homemade Mexican chorizo is simple to make and full of bold, smoky flavors from dried chiles and smoked paprika. This fresh sausage is versatile and stores well, making it perfect for meal prep or entertaining.

Ingredients

• 4 dried ancho chiles (stemmed, seeded, and rinsed)
• 3 dried guajillo chiles (stemmed, seeded, and rinsed)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 large white onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 pounds ground pork (preferably 70/30)

Instructions

1. Toast and soak the chiles. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil then remove from heat. Heat a comal or dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast the chiles, turning frequently, until fragrant and slightly darker (about 3–4 minutes). Submerge chiles in the hot water and let soak until very tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Blend the spice mixture. Drain the chiles and place in a blender with the onion, garlic, vinegar, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides if needed.
3. Combine with pork. Mix the chile sauce into the ground pork in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix thoroughly so the meat is evenly coated.
4. To cook chorizo. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through and the color shifts from bright red to reddish-brown, about 5–8 minutes.
5. To store. Refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3–4 days, or freeze in airtight bags for up to 6 months.

Notes

Chorizo will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer when properly stored.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 350Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 84mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 29g

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