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Papas con chorizo is a hearty dish that’s super easy to prepare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This version is filled with plant-based protein, tender potatoes, and authentic spices.
Just don’t forget to serve your meal with freshly made corn tortillas!
Table of Contents
📖 About
There’s nothing better than waking up to a hearty, filling, and protein-packed breakfast. Papas con chorizo is the easy recipe your mornings have been needing!
Once you add this simple dish to your weekly rotation, you’ll wonder why you didn’t make it sooner!
History
There’s not an exact history of when these two ingredients fused to become one dish, but we can tell you a bit about each of them:
Chorizo
Chorizo originated on the Iberian Peninsula, which is now known as Spain and Portugal.
It’s served in many shapes, sizes, and flavors depending on the country you’re in.
Unlike the Spanish version, which places a heavy emphasis on paprika, Mexican chorizo incorporates dried chiles that are native to the area. It also comes raw, so it needs to be cooked before eating.
We talk about the key differences in our vegan chorizo post.
Potatoes
Although the exact location is unknown, it’s best believed this tuber was originally cultivated in Peru over seven thousand years ago.
From there, potatoes made their way to Mexico. While not as much of a staple as maiz, papas (potatoes) are still widely enjoyed throughout Mexican cuisine.
What is papas con chorizo?
In English, papas con chorizo translates to “potatoes with chorizo.” It’s a common breakfast here in Mexico, but this meal also makes a great lunch or dinner.
Papas con chorizo is simply made by sautéing onions, cooking potatoes and chorizo, and adding it all together.
Serving
This recipe is delicious on its own or as a filling in other Mexican dishes such as:
- Tacos
- Pambazo
- Taquitos
- Sopes
- Gorditas
No matter which way you serve your papas con chorizo, this recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and can even be made without oil.
🍲 Key ingredients
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
Potatoes
Taste: subtly sweet with a rich buttery flavor, yellow potatoes are our first choice in papas con chorizo. Although any potato works, this versatile vegetable is easy to throw in a pan and start cooking.
Health: don’t be fooled by their small appearance because potatoes pack a nutritious punch! They’re filled with vitamins and minerals like potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin C, and B6 (you can see why we eat this meal so often).
Note: Although many people peel their potatoes, most of the nutrients are stripped away when you do that. So, try keeping the skins on for optimal health benefits (just don’t forget to give them a good scrub)!
Chorizo
Taste: it doesn’t get more authentic than the meaty, umami, spicy, and herbaceous flavors of Mexican chorizo. Learn how to make your own vegan chorizo, or buy it pre-made from the store. Make sure all the delicious Mexican spices are included though!
Health: since our vegan chorizo is made with textured vegetable protein (TVP), there are many nutritional benefits. It’s extremely low in fat, high in protein, and low in calories. As a bonus, in just 1/4 cup, there is over 15% of your daily iron needs!
Onion
Taste: what’s a Mexican recipe without white onion? Not a very common one, that’s for sure. In this recipe, we sauté white onions to subdue the pungent taste and add a sweeter flavor to balance this dish.
Health: did you know onions contain powerful antioxidants that reduce inflammation, decrease triglyceride levels, and help lower cholesterol? You can thank the compound quercetin for all of that!
🔪 Instructions
If you have questions about this vegan papas con chorizo recipe, don’t forget to check out our FAQ section at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: rinse and scrub your potatoes, then cube each one into small chunks. Add the potatoes to a saucepan with a generous pinch of salt and enough water to cover them. Bring the potatoes to a boil.
Step 2: reduce the heat to simmer until your potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork (careful not to overcook them). Drain the water off and set the potatoes aside.
Step 3: heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes, or until they start turning translucent.
Step 4: turn the heat up to medium-high and add in the potatoes. Cook for another few minutes to crisp up the outsides (mmm).
Step 5: add in the vegan chorizo and stir gently to combine with the potatoes and onions. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the chorizo is heated through.
Step 6: taste and season your papas con chorizo with salt as needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro, fresh chiles, or salsa. Serve with a side of warm corn tortillas!
🌡️ Storage
We like to whip this meal up at any time of the day because it’s so delicious and stores super well! Find out how below:
Fridge
Vegan papas con chorizo will last in the fridge for up to 4-5 days in an airtight container. We often find ourselves walking past the fridge to grab a scoop throughout the day.
Reheat
Reheat this meal on the stovetop for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Add a little more water or vegetable broth if it needs more moisture.
You can also heat papas con chorizo in the microwave in 20-30 second bursts, or until warm.
💭 Tips & variations
Time to share our tips and tricks we learned while perfecting this recipe for you:
- Don’t forget to parboil. If you want to make your breakfast extra speedy, boil the potatoes for a few minutes to shave off some cooking time.
- Add fresh salsa. We love adding salsa roja to the top of this recipe for a little extra spice and flavor.
- Change the ratio. If you like more chorizo or more potatoes, make sure to do it the way you like. This meal is completely customizable!
- Cube your potatoes the same size. If you want your potatoes to cook evenly, make sure they’re cut to the same diameter.
- Salt your water. To further draw water out of the potatoes, add salt to the water. This way, they will crisp up better when you cook them.
🍴 Tasting notes
Papas con chorizo is definitely a staple in our weekly meal rotation. This recipe is:
- Hearty
- Filling
- Delicious
- Savoury
- Authentic
If you try this vegan chorizo and potato recipe, please rate it and leave us a comment below! Want to stay up-to-date with new recipes? Subscribe to our newsletter or connect with Broke Bank Vegan on social media. Happy eating!
Papas Con Chorizo
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Strainer
- Chef knife
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil ($0.22)
- ½ large white onion, diced ($0.12)
- 1.65 lbs (~3 medium) potatoes ($0.63)
- 12 oz vegan chorizo ($1.31)
- Salt to taste ($0.01)
Garnishes optional
- Cilantro
- Salsa
- Fresh chiles
- Corn tortillas
Instructions
- Rinse and scrub the potatoes, then cube into ½-inch chunks. Add the potatoes to a saucepan with a generous pinch of salt and enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil with the lid on.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the water off and set the potatoes aside.
- Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until turning translucent.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add in the potatoes. Cook for another 5-6 minutes to crisp up the outsides.
- Add in vegan chorizo and stir gently to combine with the potatoes and onions. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the chorizo is heated through.
- Taste and season with salt as necessary. Garnish with chopped cilantro, spicy chiles, or salsa, and serve with a side of warm corn tortillas!
Video
Notes
- Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price or calories of our recipes.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate.
- Recipe cost calculations are based on ingredients local to us and may vary from recipe-to-recipe.
- All prices are in USD.
Nutrition
♻️ Similar recipes
For more Mexican breakfast ideas, check out our:
- Chilaquiles rojos to try an authentic breakfast filled with bold flavors, cheese, and spice that will make you excited to wake up!
- Spanish omelette for a hearty recipe filled with thinly sliced potatoes, Roma tomatoes, and Mexican spices.
- Mexican oatmeal if you love your breakfasts sweet, creamy, and rich.
- Chilaquiles verdes for a popular Mexican breakfast of green salsa-covered tortilla chips.
💬 FAQ
You don’t have to parboil the potatoes, but it reduces overall cook time and makes the potatoes extra crispy.
No, you don’t have to peel these potatoes. Most of the health benefits of potatoes come from their skin. Just make sure to rinse and scrub them before cooking!
We prefer making our own chorizo since the texture and flavor emulate meat-based chorizo well. However, if you have a favorite store-bought brand, use that!
