Cheesy Chorizo Pasta [Video]

Chorizo Pasta is a rich dish made with the pasta in savory sausage and tomato-based sauce. Spice up your menu rotation with this unique sausage flavor! Watch the recipe video tutorial below and see how easy this is!

If you are in search of the best and easy pasta recipes, feel free to browse through the other recipes. My personal favorites are the Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta, Stuffed Pepper Pasta, and Jalapeno Popper Pasta.

Cheesy Chorizo Pasta Recipe

Cheesy Chorizo Pasta is one flavorful dish starting from its main sausage ingredient and the rich tomato-based sauce. It is so easy to make with a few easy-to-find ingredients that you may already have in your pantry.

It is slightly spicy and oozing with Mexican flavors that your guests will surely like! In this recipe, I used ground chorizo sausage for the meat. It is flavorful and imparts that Mexican vibe.

In addition, I used taco seasoning. So, you see, it is highly versatile and can impart flavors not just in tacos but also in other dishes like this one. You might want to stock up on it if you happen to crave for Mexican food!

What is Chorizo?

It is a kind of pork sausage that is made to preserve the ground meat by adding in spices and seasonings. The Spanish and the Portuguese invented this way of preserving meat and has since then influenced the whole world.

To make into sausages, the ground meat is put in casings. But for this pasta dish, you can do away with simply seasoning the ground pork and directly using it in the recipe.

Or, if you will opt for the commercially available ones, you can slice up the sausages. The small disks of sausage also help with the presentation.

How to make Chorizo?

The most popular versions would be the Spanish and Mexican kind. For this recipe, make the Mexican one since we are to make it with taco seasonings.

There could be many versions of this, but the non-negotiables are garlic, vinegar, and chili powder or pepper flakes. Add these to the ground pork along with other spices that you deem fit like oregano, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon. Add some salt and pepper, too.

Mix everything by hand and there you have it! You can use directly in this recipe or you can freeze into portions so for when you need it, you can thaw one portion and save the rest. This can keep for several weeks.

If you will be making into sausages, you need the casing which you can buy from the meat shops. You may want to invest in a sausage maker to make it easy for you.

How to make Chorizo Pasta?

1. Cook the pasta: Just follow the instructions on the packaging so that you can ensure that the outcome is al dente.
2. Brown the meat: Once you have made your chorizo, you can then cook it on a pan. Put some oil, put the meat in, and cook until browned. Drain any excess fat.
3. Season: Add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers, taco seasoning, and a cup of water. Cook until the water evaporates.
4. Combine the pasta: At this point, you can now add the cooked pasta, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat a little and then, add in the cheddar cheese.
5. Serve: Serve it hot with tortilla chips, sour cream, cilantro, and more cheese.

What types of pasta can you use?

I like to use large shell pasta for this one. But you can use rotini or penne or bow-tie for this recipe, too.

How to make homemade taco seasoning?

Simply combine this list of spices and put the mixture in a jar:

• cumin
• chili powder
• paprika
• salt
• garlic powder
• dried onion
• oregano
• black pepper

These are basically some of the spices and herbs that you have put in your chorizo. It is better that you keep this in your cupboard as you can use this same mixture in other Mexican dishes.

How to store Chorizo Pasta:

• Refrigerator: Cool the dish completely and keep in the fridge for 3 days, stored in an airtight container.
• Freezer: You can freeze it in an airtight freezer-proof container for 2 months.
• To reheat: Simply heat it in the microwave or on the stove placed in a pan.

Chorizo Pasta Recipe Tips:

• You may use this recipe for other kinds of sausages.
• In making chorizo, you can use ground beef or turkey. Before grinding, you may want to have a lean portion and remove the fatty part. Just keep in mind that a little fat will make the sausage juicier.
• Limit the oil that you will be using since the meat itself will yield oil from the fat.

5 from 3 votes

Print

Cheesy Chorizo Pasta

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Chorizo Pasta is a rich dish made with the pasta in savory sausage and tomato-based sauce. Spice up your menu rotation with this unique sausage flavor!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: chorizo, Chorizo Pasta

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 549 kcal

Author: Catalina Castravet

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound large shells pasta
• 1 onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 pound ground chorizo sausage
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Garnish:

• Crushed tortilla chips
• Chopped cilantro
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box and drain.
2. Place a large pan over medium-high heat, add oil, once sizzling add chorizo sausage and brown well, breaking it with a wooden spoon.
3. Drain the fat.
4. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the taco seasoning and 1 cup of water, stir and cook until water is gone.
6. Add the pasta back into the pot with the tomato sauce.
7. Stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper.
8. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheese.
9. Serve immediately, preferably with crunchy tortilla chips, sour cream, cilantro, and some cheese on top.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Chorizo Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 549 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Cholesterol 110mg37%

Sodium 2566mg112%

Potassium 472mg13%

Carbohydrates 52g17%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 2168IU43%

Vitamin C 66mg80%

Calcium 258mg26%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.