Potatoes with Mexican chorizo is a traditional recipe that shines any time of day—especially paired with eggs. This straightforward rendition keeps the authentic flavors while being easy to prepare and perfect for breakfasts, lunches, or casual dinners.
Papas con chorizo, or potatoes with Mexican chorizo, answers the question of what to eat any time of day. For breakfast, scramble or fold the mixture with eggs and tuck it into warm flour tortillas. For dinner, serve it in gorditas or with a crisp salad. The dish is flexible, comforting, and reliably delicious. —Renee Schettler Rossi
How to find the right cheese for this recipe
One small challenge can be finding the right melting cheese. Queso quesadilla (literally “quesadilla cheese”) is a mild, creamy, and very melty cheese designed to deliver that soft, stretchy texture in quesadillas. When available, it’s ideal for this recipe because it melts quickly and adds a smooth, gooey finish to the spicy chorizo and tender potatoes. If you can’t find it, use another mild, melting cheese such as a young Oaxaca, a mild Monterey Jack, or a soft melting queso fresco variety labeled for melting.
Potatoes With Mexican Chorizo
Potatoes with Mexican chorizo is a traditional recipe that’s terrific any time of day, especially when served with eggs. This easy version highlights tender potatoes, flavorful chorizo, and a melty blanket of cheese.
Author: David Leite
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 197 kcal per portion (approximate)
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 5 small (about 2 lbs) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, washed, peeled, and diced into roughly 1/4-inch (6 mm) cubes
- 10 ounces store-bought or homemade Mexican (raw) chorizo, casings removed
- 1 cup shredded queso quesadilla cheese* (see note above about choosing a melty cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Pour about 8 cups of water into a large pot, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt, and bring to a boil. Add the diced potatoes and cook over medium-high heat until they are almost but not quite tender, 8 to 15 minutes. Take care not to overcook the potatoes, or they’ll become mushy. Drain in a colander and do not rinse.
- While the potatoes cook, crumble the chorizo into a cast-iron skillet or ovenproof pan.
- If cooking the chorizo in the oven: Cover the skillet with foil and place it in the preheated oven until no trace of pink remains, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check after 10 minutes to ensure it isn’t burning. The chorizo will release a fair amount of oil; keep that rendered fat to flavor the potatoes.
- If cooking the chorizo on the stovetop: Place the skillet over medium or medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, until the chorizo is cooked through and the exterior is slightly crisp. Again, keep the oil released by the chorizo to boost flavor.
- Add the drained potatoes to the cooked chorizo, season with additional salt to taste, and gently stir until combined. Stir carefully so the potatoes hold their shape.
- Top the mixture with the shredded cheese, return the skillet to the oven, and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.
*If queso quesadilla is unavailable, substitute another mild, melting cheese as noted above.
Adapted From
Muy Bueno (original source)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation:
- Serving: 1 portion
- Calories: 197 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 54 mg
- Sodium: 1880 mg
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 1 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Not all tested recipes reach publication; this one passed a rigorous blind testing process and earned approval from multiple home cooks. Below are selected testers’ impressions and tips that can help you adapt the recipe to your kitchen and taste.
Melissa Maedgen
This recipe is simple, versatile, and delicious. It was excellent fresh and even better as leftovers—perfect for lunch the next day. I would use a bit more water when boiling the potatoes and increase the salt proportionally. I cooked the chorizo in an 8 1/2-by-13-inch baking dish and returned the assembled dish to the oven for about 8 minutes to melt the cheese. They’re great topped with a fried egg or wrapped in tortillas.
Alexander Cowan
Crazy easy recipe. Dice the potatoes to 1/4 inch and start checking for doneness around 8 minutes. I cooked the chorizo in the oven in a cast-iron casserole—very low fuss. After mixing in the potatoes and cheese, popping everything in the oven for about 4 minutes melted the cheese and finished the dish. A few poached eggs made it a satisfying breakfast for dinner.
Susan Bingaman
Delicious! I warmed flour tortillas and filled them with the potatoes and chorizo for lunch; leftovers were even better with a fried egg. I reduced the recipe for a single serving and the chorizo cooked through in about 12 minutes in the oven. Don’t blot off the rendered chorizo fat—it colors and flavors the potatoes beautifully. I skipped extra salt and found it unnecessary.
Jackie Gorman
The recipe is essentially a guide with flexible proportions. I used red potatoes and one pound of chorizo for two people. Cooking the chorizo in the oven worked wonderfully; check at 10 minutes and finish uncovered if needed. I crisped some potatoes separately once but found it unnecessary—the final dish was soft, succulent, and delicious with eggs on top.
Ralph Knauth
Simple and adaptable. I prefer frying the chorizo on the stovetop to get it crisper, then finishing the cheese in the oven. I used Cotija cheese and served the dish with a fried egg, cornbread, and salad. Let the potatoes cool before adding them to the chorizo if you want firmer, less crumbly pieces.
Ayanna Fews
Sausage and potatoes topped with cheese—what’s not to love? I cooked the chorizo on the stovetop and added a splash of olive oil when the chorizo did not render much fat. A handful of chopped scallions added color and freshness. This will be a go-to recipe when I want an easy, impressive side.
Larry Noak
Very tasty and versatile. I’ll cook the chorizo on the stovetop next time to get it browner and then finish the cheese in the oven. This works as a side or main; I served it over crisped corn tortillas. No need for many additions—simple, hearty, and flavorful.
Joel Jenkins
Three keys: 1) Dice the potatoes to 1/4 inch for quick, even cooking; 2) Begin checking pota to ensure you don’t overcook; 3) The oven method for chorizo minimizes mess. If you use a cast-iron skillet, serve directly from it for a rustic presentation.
Marilee Johnson
Took this dish to a brunch and it was a hit. I cooked chorizo on the stovetop over low heat to avoid splatter and finished the cheese in the oven. Easy to make and very shareable.
Susan C.
Delicious—spicy chorizo and creamy cheese complement each other. My potatoes (just over 2 lbs) took about 15 minutes to cook; I gave the chorizo a few extra minutes in the oven. Onion would be a fine addition if you prefer more aromatics.
Trudy Ngo-Brown
Great for breakfast—I cut the recipe in half and still got multiple servings. I left skins on the potatoes to save prep time and liked the texture. The quesadilla-style cheese melted quickly, and the dish was well received at the table.
Carol Mattox
I prepared this for dinner using about 2 pounds of russet potatoes. Dicing is the most time-consuming step, but the payoff is worth it. The chorizo can be sticky—stir carefully when combining. My tasters enjoyed the flavors and asked for seconds.
Natalie Reebel
Quick, satisfying, and adaptable. I used a substitute melting cheese when I couldn’t find queso quesadilla, and it worked well. This is an easy crowd-pleaser for any meal.
Deitra Walter
A traditional papas dish that’s quick and pleasing. I used 2 pounds of Yukon Golds and found 10 minutes of boiling time sufficient for the 1/4-inch dice. The oven method for the chorizo took about 20 minutes for me.