Recipe: How to Make Chorizo From Scratch (Traditional Pork Recipe & Vegan Recipe)

Street tacos, chilaquiles, burritos, huevos rancheros, and enchiladas are all perfect excuses to use chorizo! Why buy it premade when you can make a delicious version from scratch, and even tweak the spice level to your tastes? Follow our easy recipes below for a more traditional pork chorizo or a plant-based black eyed pea and peanut chorizo in a snap.

Pork Chorizo Ingredients

• 1lb ground pork
• 2 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp sazón (Loisa Organic Sazón from our Garlic Kit)
• 1 tsp chili powder (Bourbon Barrel Foods’ Smoked Chili Powder from our Gourmand Kit)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pork Chorizo Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix together thoroughly either by hand or with a spatula.
2. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the chorizo so that it browns evenly. Drain off the fat, then serve immediately or freeze to enjoy later.

Pro tip: you can save the chorizo fat for a rich and spicy cooking grease, just like you would save bacon fat!

Vegan Black Eyed Pea & Peanut Chorizo Ingredients

• 1 cup peanuts, skinned and unsalted
• 1 16oz can of black eyed peas
• 2 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (Bourbon Barrel Foods’ Barrel Aged Worcestershire from our Vegan Kit)
• 2 tbsp sazón (Loisa Organic Sazón from our Garlic Kit)
• 1 tsp chili powder (Bourbon Barrel Foods’ Smoked Chili Powder from our Gourmand Kit)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp molasses
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Vegan Black Eyed Pea & Peanut Chorizo Instructions

1. Pulse peanuts 4-5 times in a food processor. There should still be some larger chunks, but no whole peanuts.
2. Add all other ingredients and pulse another 4-5 times until everything is combined.
3. Cook over medium heat in a dash of vegetable oil. Serve immediately or freeze to enjoy later.

Personally, I think chorizo shines best when accented with simple and traditional ingredients. A corn tortilla, a spoonful of salsa verde or sofrito, and some freshly chopped onions and cilantro make the perfect chorizo taco. What’s your favorite way to use chorizo?

*If you’re a fan of serious heat, you can leave some seeds from the chipotle pepper in the mix. If you’re using canned chipotle peppers, you can also use a bit of the adobo sauce the peppers are packed in.