In just 30 minutes, these Chorizo Tacos bring spicy Mexican chorizo, sweet pineapple salsa, and cool crema together for a taco that hits spicy, sweet, and cool in every bite.
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If you’ve been paying attention, you already know how much we love tacos around here. Pretty much any filling is a crowd pleaser, but chorizo really takes los tacos to the next level. I first made these Chorizo Tacos in an effort to update our usual routine, and they’ve been a staple in our home ever since. While the ingredients are simple, the overall effect is spicy, satisfying, and packed with protein. The combination of Mexican chorizo, lightly charred corn tortillas, tangy pineapple salsa, and Cilantro Lime Crema can’t be beat.
Better yet, the whole shebang is ready in about half an hour and ultimately scalable: feel free to up the ingredients for a big get-together in the same ratio, no extra math required. Plus, the sausage, salsa, and creamy sauce make for perfect assembly line options, so everyone can make their own while the ingredients are still hot.
“Delicious Recipe! That crema sauce is perfecto! No leftovers here!”
meghan
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos
- Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients for Chorizo Tacos
Pineapple Salsa Ingredients:
- Fresh Pineapple: Ideally, you’ll use fresh pineapple here. Look for one with golden-brown skin and a sweet smell when you sniff the base. It is important to note that pineapples do not continue to ripen once they’re picked, so don’t take it home thinking it will get sweeter on your counter. Go for ripe straightaway.
- Red Bell Pepper: Choose bell peppers that are firm, glossy, and deeply red, with no discoloration or wrinkles.
- White Onion: White onions offer a nice, sharp flavor, but if you want something a bit milder, yellow onions will work too. Look for firm flesh and tight, dry skins.
- Jalapeño: Choose smooth, unblemished, shiny jalapeños. These are milder and bring the right heat level. If you want more kick, look for peppers that are a bit wrinkled, with small brown lines. These are older and spicier, and should be avoided if you don’t like high heat.
- Fresh Cilantro: Nope, you can’t use dried. You need a vibrant, green, unwilted bunch of fresh cilantro that stands perkily upright when you hold the bunch in your hand.
- Lime Juice: While you can use bottled juice in a pinch, it’s always worth squeezing a fresh lime. The flavor difference is so extreme as to be practically two different ingredients.
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Cilantro Lime Crema Ingredients:
- Sour Cream or Mexican Crema: Mexican crema is like sour cream in that it is a tangy dairy product, but it’s a bit thinner in consistency and higher in fat than your average sour cream. While you can use either successfully, it’s best to choose a full-fat version either way, because the alternatives typically lack that rich flavor and body.
- Lime: To find a juicy lime, weigh a few in your hands and pick the ones that are heaviest relative to their lime cousins. This indicates a higher level of juice.
- Fresh Cilantro: As with the salsa, look for fresh, bright green leaves.
- Garlic: Look for firm, plump garlic heads without peeling paper, discolored spots, or green shoots.
- Kosher Salt
For the Tacos:
- Mexican Chorizo: Depending on what’s at the deli on a given day, I’ll opt either for fresh, raw chorizo sausages, then remove the casings, or bulk raw chorizo. While you can ask the butcher to remove the casings for you, it’s easy enough to do at home by making a slit down the side of the sausage, then dumping the ground meat out into a bowl. Make sure you get raw, rather than cured, chorizo.
- Tortillas: As these are tacos, you’ll want corn tortillas. They’ll be soft and warm rather than crunchy, à la street tacos, and it’s the traditional choice.
- Lime: Choose juicy limes using the method discussed above.
- Fresh Cilantro: Again, use the same guidance as above to get jaunty, bright green cilantro.
How to Make Chorizo Tacos
Make your salsa first. Dice and combine the pineapple, red bell pepper, white onion, and jalapeño in a medium bowl, then add the chopped cilantro and the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set it aside to meld.
For the crema, simply whisk the sour cream, lime juice, zest, cilantro, and salt in a small bowl until smooth, then refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo, breaking it apart as you cook it, until it crisps up, then remove it from the heat. In a separate pan, cook the tortillas without fat until they char slightly, which should take about 30 seconds per side. Keep them warm in aluminum foil.
Once your ingredients are prepped, set everything out for folks to assemble their own tacos as follows: tortilla, then chorizo, salsa, and cilantro lime crema. If you like, you may serve with lime wedges.
Mexican Chorizo vs. Spanish Chorizo
Yes, there’s a difference between Mexican and Spanish chorizo. While the Mexican version typically contains ground pork and a variety of spices, including chili peppers, Spanish chorizo includes chopped pork, garlic, and pimentón, a type of smoked paprika. The difference in flavor is therefore spicy versus smoky. Additionally, Spanish chorizo is usually cured and can be sliced for a charcuterie board, say, while Mexican chorizo is raw, like sausage.
Pro Tips
- Use fresh Mexican Chorizo: As discussed above, we’re looking for a raw sausage that you can remove from its casing, not a cured meat.
- Char the tortillas, don’t crisp them: While you might be used to crisping corn tortillas (with or without oil), the approach here is to add a gentle smoky flavor while leaving the tortillas pliable for folding.
- You can make the crema a day ahead: If you’re pressed for time on taco night, you can make the Cilantro Lime Crema a day in advance. In fact, it gets better, because the flavors meld and intensify in the fridge overnight..
- Adjust the salsa as you go: The salsa is amenable to adjustments, such as jalapeño seeds in for more heat, a bit more lime juice for tang, or canned pineapple if you really can’t find fresh.
- For a smokier salsa: If smokiness is your thing, wrap in some of that Spanish chorizo flavor with a pinch of chipotle chili powder in your pineapple salsa.
How to Store and Reheat
If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate the chorizo, pineapple salsa, and cilantro lime crema separately in airtight containers. The chorizo will last for about three days, while the salsa and crema will go about a week. Reheat chorizo in a skillet over medium heat, stirring until warmed through. Char fresh tortillas and assemble the tacos just before serving.
Serve With
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Ingredients
For Pineapple Salsa
- 1 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple
- 1/2 small red bell pepper finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely diced white onion
- 1/2 small jalapeño seeded and minced, (recipe note #1)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice about 1/2 lime, or more for a tangier salsa
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (recipe note #2)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For Cilantro Lime Crema
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1/2 medium lime juice and zest
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic ~1/2 clove
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Chorizo Tacos
- 1 pound Mexican chorizo bulk raw chorizo or raw chorizo sausages with casing removed
- 8 corn tortillas
- lime wedges optional for serving
- finely chopped fresh cilantro optional for serving
Instructions
To Make Pineapple Salsa
- Add first 6 ingredients to a medium bowl (pineapple through cilantro); stir to combine. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside or cover and refrigerate if making well in advance.1 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple, 1/2 small red bell pepper, 1/4 cup finely diced white onion, 1/2 small jalapeño, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Make Cilantro Lime Crema
- In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, lime juice and zest, cilantro and kosher salt until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 medium lime, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
To Make Chorizo Tacos
- Cook and stir chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until cooked through with crispy edges. Remove from heat.1 pound Mexican chorizo
- Meanwhile, place a large piece of aluminum foil near cooktop. Heat a heavy, dry skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add one corn tortilla; cook 30 seconds on each side until softened and lightly charred. Transfer to aluminum foil and fold around tortilla to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas.8 corn tortillas
- Assemble Tacos: top one warm corn tortilla with 1/8 of the chorizo and spoon on desired amount of pineapple salsa. Drizzle with cilantro lime crema. Repeat with remaining tortillas, arranging on a serving platter as you go. Serve with lime wedges if desired.
Notes
- Wear gloves when cutting raw jalapeños as the juice can be very irritating to skin.
- You’ll need 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (plus more for optional garnish). Chop it all at once and divide for the separate recipe steps.
- If you want lime wedges, you’ll need an additional lime.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sweet, savory and spicy, these tacos have a lot going for them.
Thanks, Karen! They’re one of my favorite spins on taco night.
Delicious Recipe! That crema sauce is perfecto! No leftovers here!
aww…I love this! So glad you enjoyed these, Meghan.
Oh what a great idea! I’ve used chorizo in a number of different recipes, but I don’t think I’ve ever used it in tacos. Those photos are mouth-watering! And that pineapple salsa would be a good balance to the spicier chorizo. Yum!
Thanks, David! I think you’ll love these.
I absolutely adore the chorizo! These tacos are looking right up my alley.
The Mexican chorizo I can get here in Oklahoma is awful. It’s greasy and soupy and requires no cooking. Which is why I make my own. Or, I order Spanish chorizo online! Great looking tacos!