Potatoes with Chorizo | Papas con Chorizo
Papas con chorizo burritos take me back to the days when my great grandmother, known simply as “Grandma Macky”, would prepare about 30 of them, wrapped tightly in foil, for our annual road trips to Mexico.
Once the rubber hit the road, the delectable little burritos were devoured within minutes, as if being eaten by starving piranhas. Papas con chorizo prepared in burritos are now a family tradition on just about any vacation we take, be it on land, sea or water – they’re perfect for when you’re on the go! They can also be served breakfast-style with fresh homemade beans, a warm tortilla and sliced avocado. Go ahead and try this recipe – it may just inspire you to take a ride on the wild side and venture out on a road trip of your own.
Recipe by Lola
Ingredients:
4 large potatoes peeled or scrubbed very well
5 ounces beef chorizo (pork or soy chorizo work well too)
1/3 tablespoons oil
Salt (to taste)
Preparation:
- Dice potatoes into small pieces. I prefer to cut mine into fourths, then slice them into small triangle-like shapes. Rinse, and drain all water from potatoes. Using a salad spinner speeds up the process.
- Coat large skillet with oil and allow pan to get very hot, over medium-high heat.
- Once oil is hot, add one piece of potato to the skillet to see if it sizzles, ensuring that the pan is hot enough. If so, carefully add the remaining potatoes, spreading evenly over the pan.
- Cook for 5 minutes, and then turn if you see that they are turning golden brown underneath. Continue this process until potatoes are cooked. Avoid moving more than necessary to avoid soggy potatoes. The entire process should take about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Next, move potatoes to the outer edges of the skillet, and add chorizo to the middle of the pan. Lower stove to low-medium heat – chorizo cooks fairly quickly. Break chorizo into small pieces and move frequently until thoroughly cooked, which should take about 5 to 10 minutes. Mix well with potatoes.
- Serve with warm corn or flour tortillas or wrapped as a burrito. I enjoy nibbling on a fresh jalapeño when I have papas con chorizo too!
Hi Lola,
Where do you buy your chorizo? Have you ever made your own? I’m located in Pittsburgh, PA and we don’t have a very large Hispanic population here. As a result, I have only found one place that sells Mexican-style chorizo. I have tried it before, but I’m not crazy about its flavor. Any suggestions or favorites? Thanks so much!
¡Hola Nicole! In San Diego, it’s very easy for me to find chorizo. But when I lived in Arlington, VA I had the same problem as you. Eventually, I found beef chorizo by Cacique at Giant and Safeway. You can look up the nearest store that sells this brand on the company website: http://caciqueinc.com/.
A good friend of mine shared her mother’s chorizo recipe with me recently, so I’ll have to give it a try and will definitely post it if it comes out yummy.
¡Hola Lola! Thanks so much for the response. This is very helpful. I have seen the Cacique brand of cheese before at some stores, so I will be on the lookout for their chorizo, as well. Please do share the chorizo recipe if it works out. By the way, the burritos de chorizo con papas look delicious. I would love them on any road trip, too!
I am wanting to serve this at my daughters wedding reception brunch. Do you think it can be made ahead and frozen? Thanks.
Hi, Melissa. I’m just not sure how the potatoes and chorizo would thaw out if they were on their own – my concern would be that they might get mushy. If you’re making this recipe ahead of time for a brunch, I would recommend that you use the potatoes with chorizo as a filling for savory empanadas. I did this for my son’s bris and they were a hit. When I make empanadas ahead of time, I bake them, then freeze them in an airtight container with wax paper in between each layer. Then all you have to do is reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes before the brunch.
Check out this empanada recipe on my blog and follow steps 6 – 9 (just replace the meat filling with papas and chorizo): https://lolascocina.com/2015/01/07/beef-empanadas/.