Chorizo Tacos with Lime Crema and Cilantro are easy to prepare, making them perfect for weeknight dinners or game-day spreads. For flavor overload, top the spicy sausage with pickled red onions, lime crema, and fresh cilantro!
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This post was originally published in January 2020 and has been fully updated, including step-by-step instructions, ingredient notes, FAQs, and new photos.
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Easy Chorizo Tacos
I love Taco Tuesday, but I will eat Mexican food any day of the week! These chorizo tacos are full of bold flavors and a great way to change your traditional beef or chicken taco routine.
Chorizo's spicy and robust flavor takes any dish to the next level, like this chorizo breakfast hash and chorizo pasta salad.
Recipe highlights
- Easy preparation. Browning the chorizo in a skillet is the only cooking required. Prep and gather the toppings, and dinner is served.
- Bold flavor. The chorizo is flavorful, and the pickled onions and lime crema add a tangy, acidic note.
- Simple ingredients. You need only a handful of ingredients to build these delicious tacos.
Ingredient notes
- Mexican chorizo is a spicy, uncooked ground sausage sold fresh. It adds tremendous flavor to tacos and many other recipes.
- Manchego cheese is nutty, buttery, and smooth and pairs well with chorizo. Queso Fresco or Monterey Jack are also good options.
- Tortillas - Flour or corn tortillas or crispy taco shells all work well. Use your favorite variety or a combination.
- Sour cream and lime juice are stirred together to create lime crema. The sour cream balances the spicy chorizo, and the lime provides an acidic tang.
- Pickled red onions - These sweet/sour onions provide a wonderful acidic bite.
Step-by-step instructions
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- Pickle the onions. Add thinly sliced onions to a heat-proof jar. (I love using these Weck canning jars.) Combine vinegar, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, and pour over the sliced onions. Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes or refrigerate for several days.
- Cook the chorizo until brown, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Build the tacos. Top tortillas with chorizo, cheese, and garnishes.
Taco topping ideas
- Pickled onions
- Radishes - sliced thin for crunch
- Cilantro
- Scallions
- Raw or pickled jalapeños
- Avocado or guacamole
- Chopped tomatoes
Serving suggestions
I love serving these chorizo tacos with cilantro coconut rice.
As a starter, serve tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole.
Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between Mexican and Spanish chorizo?
Mexican chorizo is sold fresh and ground and needs to be cooked before eating. Spanish chorizo is a spicy cured sausage that is sold in links, much like pepperoni, and doesn't need to be cooked before eating.
Chorizo is usually made with ground pork, paprika, dried chiles, and other spices.
Mexican chorizo needs to be cooked in a similar manner as ground beef. Cook in a skillet, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Chorizo can be fatty, so drain any excess grease before eating or using it in a recipe.
Spanish chorizo does not require cooking since it is cured sausage. However, it can be sliced and cooked in a skillet to create crispy, caramelized edges.
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📖 Recipe Card
Chorizo Tacos with Lime Crema and Cilantro
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EQUIPMENT
Ingredients
- 1 pound Mexican chorizo
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 4 ounces Manchego cheese (shredded)
- 8 small tortillas (or taco shells)
- cilantro
Pickled red onions
- ½ red onion (sliced thin)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the chorizo until brown and no longer pink in the middle, about 10 minutes. Break the chorizo apart as it cooks. If necessary, drain the excess grease.
- Meanwhile, stir together the sour cream and lime juice. Set aside.
- Assemble the tacos. Top the tortillas with chorizo, manchego cheese, pickled onions, a drizzle of lime crema, and garnish with cilantro. Serve.
Pickled red onions
- Put the thinly sliced onions into a glass, heat-proof jar.
- Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring to ensure the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the warm liquid over the onions. Cool. Let the onions marinate for 20-30 minutes before enjoying. Cover the jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
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