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Papas con Chorizo Recipe: Mexican Chorizo and Potatoes

A cast iron skillet filled with tender potatoes and chorizo tossed together.

✔️ Papas con Chorizo

Papas con Chorizo is a simple, hearty Mexican classic that works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Crispy, seasoned chorizo combined with tender potatoes creates a satisfying filling for tacos or burritos, or a flavorful side to warm tortillas and eggs.

This recipe is ideal when you want something quick and reliable: few ingredients, minimal prep, and big flavor. It reheats well, freezes easily in portions, and adapts to vegetarian or beef chorizo alternatives.

⭐️ Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe

  • Make Ahead: Cooks quickly and reheats well, making it great for meal prep.
  • Filling: A satisfying, comforting dish that can be a meal on its own.
Potato and chorizo tacos on a corn tortilla topped with crumbled cheese

🔎 What Are Papas con Chorizo?

Literally “potatoes with chorizo” in Spanish, papas con chorizo pairs cooked diced potatoes with Mexican chorizo, sautéed together until the flavors meld and the chorizo gets slightly crisp. The mixture is versatile: serve it on its own, fold it into eggs, or use it as a filling for tacos, quesadillas, sopes, or tortas.

✔️ Chorizo con Papas Ingredients

For exact quantities, see the recipe card below. Key ingredients include:

  • Mexican chorizo: Fresh, raw chorizo sold in casings or bulk—remove casings before cooking. Do not substitute cured Spanish chorizo.
  • Potatoes: Russet, Yukon Gold, red, or yellow potatoes all work. Peel if desired and cut into even ½” cubes.
  • Onions: Yellow, brown, or white onions add sweetness and balance the spice.
Ingredients to make papas con Mexican chorizo on a wooden table.

✔️ Mexican Chorizo vs Spanish Chorizo

Mexican Chorizo

Mexican chorizo is a fresh, finely ground sausage typically made from pork or beef and seasoned with paprika, achiote, and other spices. It must be cooked before eating and ranges from mild to very spicy depending on the brand.

Spanish Chorizo

Spanish chorizo is a cured, firm sausage that can be eaten without cooking. It has a different texture and flavor profile and is not suitable for this skillet-style recipe.

Close up view of papas con chorizo in a skillet.

🔎 How To Make Chorizo con Papas

Follow these steps for a reliable result.

  1. Place cubed potatoes in a pot, cover with cold salted water, and boil until tender but still holding their shape, about 8–12 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot to steam-dry briefly.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo, breaking it up, and cook until the fat renders and the meat is fully cooked, about 6–8 minutes.
  3. Add diced onions to the skillet and cook until they’re soft and translucent, about 3–4 minutes; the chorizo should develop a little crispness.
  4. Gently fold the potatoes into the chorizo and onions so they get coated. Cook, tossing occasionally, for 3–5 minutes. If the pan is dry, add a splash of oil to prevent sticking. Season with salt and pepper to taste and finish with chopped cilantro if desired.
Diced potatoes that have been boiled in a pot.
Chorizo being cooked in a skillet over medium-high heat.

✔️ How To Tell When Mexican Chorizo Is Fully Cooked

Cooked chorizo darkens slightly and releases its fat, leaving browned bits in the pan. Many prefer it well-done and a touch crisp; cook until no pink remains and the texture is firm.

✔️ Do I Have To Pre-Cook The Potatoes?

Pre-boiling the potatoes ensures they stay tender inside without becoming mushy. If you skip boiling, cut the potatoes small, sauté onions briefly, then add potatoes and chorizo, cover, and simmer on low for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender.

Papas con chorizo tacos made with corn tortillas and topped with cilantro and crumbled cheese on a wooden board.

🔎 How to Serve Papas con Chorizo

Serve warm with corn or flour tortillas, top with crumbled cheese and chopped cilantro, and offer sour cream, salsa, or pico de gallo on the side. It’s also excellent alongside fried or poached eggs for breakfast.

✔️ Make Ahead, Storing, Freezing and Reheating

  • Make Ahead: Boil the potatoes a day ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container.
  • Storing: Cool leftovers and refrigerate for 3–4 days.
  • Freezing: Freeze in portions for 1–2 months in freezer-safe containers or bags.
  • Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
A cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon serving potatoes and Mexican chorizo

🔪 Recipe Tips For Success

  • Saltiness and heat: Chorizo brands vary in salt and spice—season only at the end.
  • Even pieces: Cut potatoes uniformly so they cook evenly.
  • Protein options: Use beef chorizo or plant-based chorizo if you prefer.
  • Tacos: For tacos, cut potatoes smaller so they’re easy to eat in tortillas.
  • Texture: Cook potatoes until tender but still intact to avoid a mushy mix.

Ingredients (example amounts)

  • 1½ pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
  • Salt, to taste
  • 10–12 ounces Mexican chorizo, casings removed
  • 1/3 cup diced onion
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
  • Chopped cilantro, for garnish
  • Serving ideas: queso fresco, tortillas, sliced jalapeños, fried egg, shredded cheese

Instructions (summary)

  1. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, drain and set aside.
  2. Cook chorizo in a hot skillet until fat renders and meat is cooked through.
  3. Add onions and cook until soft.
  4. Stir in potatoes, cook a few minutes to coat and crisp slightly, season and serve.

Enjoy this easy, authentic papas con chorizo recipe any time you crave bold, comforting Mexican flavors.