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Tacos de chorizo

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Taco type
Also known as: Chorizo, Chorizo toluqueño, Chorizo verde, Chorizo rojo

Tacos de chorizo are tacos of fresh Mexican chorizo, a soft, chile-seasoned pork sausage that is crumbled and fried on the griddle, often with potatoes. The city of Toluca, in the State of Mexico, has been the country's chorizo capital since colonial times and is known for both red and green versions.

Contents
  1. Mexican chorizo
  2. Toluca
  3. Tacos
  4. Recipe
  5. Where to try it
  6. Reviews
  7. See also
  8. References

Mexican chorizo

Chorizo came to Mexico from the Iberian Peninsula, but the Mexican product diverged early. Unlike Spanish chorizo, which is usually cured or smoked and can be sliced and eaten as is, Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage that must be cooked. Mexico News Daily notes that Mexican makers used more chiles, added garlic, vinegar and other seasonings, and fed their pigs on corn, all of which changed the flavor. The meat is typically about four parts lean pork to one part fat, marinated in vinegar with chiles and spices and stuffed into natural casings.

Toluca

Toluca's sausage industry dates to the first decades after the conquest. According to Mexico News Daily, Hernán Cortés had pigs in the Toluca valley by 1525, and by the end of the sixteenth century the town was Mexico's chorizo center. México Desconocido adds that the railroad of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries carried Toluca chorizo to Mexico City and neighboring states, cementing the city's reputation. Producers range from family workshops to firms processing several tons a month, and Toluca holds an annual chorizo fair.

Two main styles are made. Chorizo rojo, the older and more common, is colored and flavored with dried chiles such as ancho and guajillo, paprika, garlic, cumin, oregano and warm spices, and aged a few days. Chorizo verde, unique to the State of Mexico, appeared around the 1960s or 1970s and is often credited to the nearby town of Texcalyacac; its green color comes from poblano and serrano chiles, tomatillo, cilantro and other herbs, and pumpkin seeds, with some makers adding nuts or greens.

Tacos

For tacos, the chorizo is removed from its casing, crumbled onto the comal or griddle and fried in its own fat until browned, frequently with diced potato or onion. Ricos Tacos Toluca, a stand in Mexico City's historic center opened in 2003 by a family from Toluca, is known for tacos of house-made green and red chorizo finished with fried potatoes, caramelized onion and salsas. Chorizo also goes into tortas, quesadillas, eggs, chilaquiles and the pambazo de papa con chorizo.

Recipe

Makes About 12 tacos · Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 400 g fresh Mexican chorizo (red or green), casings removed
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice
  • 1/2 white onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • Chopped onion and cilantro, salsa verde, lime wedges

Steps

  1. Boil the diced potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes, until just tender, and drain well.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and break it into small pieces.
  3. Cook until the chorizo browns and renders its fat, about 6 minutes.
  4. Add the potatoes and onion and fry, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden at the edges, about 8 minutes.
  5. Warm the tortillas on a comal, dabbing them in a little of the chorizo fat if you like.
  6. Fill the tortillas and top with onion, cilantro, salsa and lime.

Where to try it

Reviews

Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.

See also

References

  1. "State By Plate: The chorizo of México state". Mexico News Daily. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "Chorizo toluqueño, una tradición gastronómica mexiquense". México Desconocido. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  3. "Ricos Tacos Toluca, la meca de los taquitos de chorizo". Chilango. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Mexico City cuisine Pork tacos Sausage tacos State of Mexico cuisine Taco types