Chorizo and Potatoes

Chorizo and Potatoes is bold, smoky, and deeply comforting. Crispy golden potatoes are tossed with homemade chorizo packed with paprika, garlic, and warm spices, then finished with sautéed onions and fresh herbs. It’s savory, slightly spicy, and perfect served straight from the skillet with fried eggs or warm tortillas.

Whether you call it chorizo and potatoes, papas con chorizo, or chorizo hash, this recipe is a classic Mexican breakfast with insane flavor. Similar to my Mexican potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes are diced and fried to crispy perfection with a few seasonings. This time, though, smoky, spicy chorizo is mixed to turn it into a full meal.

While you can certainly buy chorizo at the store, I opted to make it myself with ground pork and a few seasonings. Since I don’t cook it too often, typically opting to make birria, carne picada, or carne asada as the main protein in my Mexican dishes, it was a nice way to change things up. The family absolutely loved this chorizo hash recipe, though, and there are so many ways to use it, so I fully expect to be making it much more often.

Why This Papas con Chorizo Recipe Is So Good

• Bold savory flavor. The chorizo is seasoned with sweet and smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and a few other spices for a slightly spicy, savory flavor. Onion and garlic add more earthy flavor and the potatoes are seasoned as well. There’s bold flavor all around in this recipe, without it being overly spicy.
• Quick and easy. Even making the chorizo from scratch, this chorizo hash recipe takes just over 30 minutes to prepare, perfect for a weekend lunch or brunch. Use store-bought chorizo to keep the prep even quicker and easier.
• Versatile. Papas con chorizo is traditionally served as breakfast, usually with some fried eggs or tortillas. But it can easily double as a side dish for dinner or be added to tacos for lunch. It makes a great savory brunch dish too.

Key Ingredients

Here’s an overview of what’s needed to make both the homemade chorizo and the potatoes. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

For the Chorizo

• Ground pork – Plain, unseasoned ground pork since we’ll be adding lots of flavor to it.
• Spices – This Mexican chorizo is seasoned with both smoked and sweet paprika, some crushed red pepper flakes (add more/less depending on your spice preference), and a bit of ground cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper. I definitely recommend using both types of paprika to get the robust flavor.
• Garlic – Mince it very finely so it combines with the other spices.
• Red wine vinegar – Just a bit of acidity to balance things out.
• Olive oil – Helps keep the chorizo fry up nicely.

For the Potatoes

• Potatoes – Yukon gold are my go-to potatoes for making papas con chorizo because they fry up very nicely.
• Onion & garlic – Be sure to finely dice the onion. The goal is flavor, not chunks of onion in the dish.
• Spices – Smoked paprika, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and dried oregano season the potatoes.
• Olive oil – You may need less depending on how much fat the chorizo leaves in the pan.
• Bell pepper – I used red bell pepper for the sweeter flavor. Dice into small pieces.
• Fresh parsley – For garnish. Cilantro also works.

Mexican vs Spanish Chorizo

If you opt to use store-bought chorizo for this recipe, keep in mind that you’re looking for Mexican chorizo, not Spanish chorizo.

Mexican chorizo is spiced and seasoned ground sausage. It’s sold fresh, usually with the other ground meats and sausage, with a red color from the spices, and usually in casing.

Spanish chorizo, on the other hand, is already dried and cured, and is found in the deli section with the salami, pepperoni, etc. Very yummy but more appropriate for a charcuterie board than this recipe!

How To Make Chorizo and Potatoes

Papas con chorizo is such an easy breakfast or side dish to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

• Make the chorizo. Combine all of the homemade chorizo ingredients in a bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.

• Parboil the potatoes. Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot of salted water. Cook for 5-6 minutes until barely tender. Drain well.

• Cook the chorizo. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo until deeply browned and crispy. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
• Cook the potatoes. If needed, add olive oil to the pan. Add the potatoes in a single layer and cook for 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally. They should be golden and crusty.

• Add the seasonings. Stir in the onion and bell pepper until softened. Add the garlic, paprika, chili flakes, and herbs. Cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the chorizo. Return the chorizo to the pan and toss to combine. Cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Enjoy. Add some fried eggs on top or enjoy as desired.

Serving Suggestions

Papas con chorizo is often served as a breakfast dish, though it doubles as a side dish during other meal times. For breakfast, add some fried eggs on top before serving and/or some warm corn tortillas on the side. Other toppings can be added too, like avocado slices, sour cream, salsa verde, hot sauce, and queso fresco or cotija cheese.

To make papas con chorizo tacos, just add the mixture to a warm tortilla and add the desired toppings. Feel free to add some eggs, like I did in my breakfast tacos, to make them even more filling. Also use for burritos and quesadillas.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers

• Fridge: Store leftover chorizo and potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes

• Carne Asada Tacos
• Chicken Enchiladas
• Chicken Street Tacos
• Easy Mexican Rice
• Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)