Chorizo and eggs

One time, I bought a train ticket for absolutely no good reason. I’d never been on one and booked the trip on impulse. Amtrak through the Southwest was my route. The desert outside my window went on and on for hours. Red rock and scrubby bushes for miles and miles. And a bunch of tiny little towns that looked like nothing about them had changed since 1962. I didn’t have a lot of expectations about the food on the train. But it was amazing!

In the dining car one day I sat across from a couple from Albuquerque. They had been riding the same route for years. When we were looking at the menu, the lady suggested I try the chorizo and eggs. She said it would give me an authentic Albuquerque breakfast experience. So that’s what I ordered. When the plate showed up, the smell hit me first. Smoky red-orange chorizo with eggs scrambled right into it. The first bite and I was hooked. It was salty and savory and I knew I could never live without it again.

That trip was a long time ago but I still make chorizo and eggs any chance I get. The sizzle when you crumble that chorizo onto the hot oil. Smoky paprika and cumin that cook down with the meat until you can smell it in the next room. The soft eggs folded through all of it with diced tomatoes and onions. This breakfast takes me right back to the adventure a young and impulsive me had on a train.

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Why You’ll Love This Chorizo and Eggs Recipe

Chorizo does most of the seasoning for you. All that paprika and cumin and garlic is already packed into the meat. So you’re not standing at the stove measuring out six different spices before your coffee even kicks in. You brown the chorizo. Toss in some onion and tomato. Stir in the eggs. That’s it. One pan and about fifteen minutes between standing at the stove and sitting down to eat.

And the flavor is something else. The chorizo fat renders down and coats every bite of egg with this smoky savory oil that you won’t get from any other breakfast scramble. Pile it onto a warm tortilla with some beans and a spoonful of pico and you’ve got a plate that’ll keep you full past lunch. My family doesn’t even bother with cereal anymore when they know I’m making these.

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What is Chorizo and Eggs

Chorizo and eggs is an authentic recipe made from tender crumbled Mexican chorizo, sauteed onions and tomatoes, and fluffy scrambled eggs. Unlike Spanish chorizo, the ground pork in Mexican chorizo is cooked with plenty of dried chilies, Mexican spices, and vinegar, giving it a ton of flavour that it packs into these scrambled eggs.

Topped with your choice of toppings like fresh cilantro, refried beans, sour cream, or sliced jalapeno, this easy skillet makes a hearty and zesty breakfast on its own, or stuffed into a soft tortilla for a protein packed breakfast taco.

Ingredient Deep Dive

Chorizo

There are two kinds of chorizo and they aren’t the same thing. Mexican chorizo is raw ground pork seasoned with dried chiles and vinegar and spices. It comes out of the casing crumbly and soft. Spanish chorizo is a cured sausage you slice like pepperoni.

For this recipe you want Mexican chorizo. Period. It cooks down in the pan and releases this gorgeous red-orange oil that seasons everything it touches. I buy mine from the meat counter at my local Mexican grocery but most regular stores carry it now too. The tube kind works just fine.

Eggs

Fresh eggs make all the difference here and I won’t back down on that. When your eggs are fresh the whites hold together better and don’t turn into that flat rubbery mess you get with older ones.

I crack mine into a bowl and beat them lightly with a fork before they go into the pan. You don’t want to overbeat them. Just enough to break the yolks and barely mix the whites through. And whatever you do don’t overcook them. Pull the pan off the heat while they still look a little wet. The leftover heat in that pan finishes the job.

Tomatoes

I always use fresh tomatoes for this. Not canned and not diced from a carton. Just a regular old tomato from the produce section chopped up into small pieces. When the tomato hits the hot pan with the chorizo and onions it breaks down into this soft saucy layer that keeps the eggs from drying out.

The juice mixes with the chorizo oil and turns into a sauce without you even trying. Roma tomatoes are my pick because they’ve got less water and more flesh. But any tomato you’ve got on your counter will work.

Tortillas

You need warm tortillas with this. Not room temperature and definitely not straight from the package. I heat mine on a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side until they puff up a little and get those brown spots.

Flour or corn works here and it comes down to what you grew up eating. I go with flour because they’re softer and hold more filling without falling apart. But corn tortillas give you that earthy flavor that goes so well with the spice in the chorizo. Don’t skip warming them because eating this without a warm tortilla is just sad.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• Chorizo
• White onion
• Garlic
• Tomato
• Salt
• Eggs
• Cilantro
• Tortillas
• Refried beans
• Pico de gallo
• Jalapeño

Chorizo and Egg Variations

There are endless ways to spice up this authentic Mexican scramble to make it your own and add some variety.

• Add some cheese – Adding some of your favorite shredded cheese to this recipe will create a gooey melted flavor bomb that will take your breakfast to the next level! Try some sharp cheddar, cotija, or spicy queso.
• Add more vegetables – In addition to the onions and tomatoes in this recipe, try adding some sauteed peppers, mushrooms, or hot chilies to pack in even more healthy nutrients and flavor.
• Make it vegetarian – Instead of authentic chorizo, use your favorite plant based sausage to make this a healthy vegetarian breakfast.

Pro-Tips & Technique

You can test how fresh your eggs are by dropping them in a bowl of water. If they sink to the bottom and lay flat on their side they’re fresh. If they float you’re dealing with old eggs and this recipe won’t be the same. I’m serious about this one. Older eggs spread out thin and watery in the pan and you end up with a flat scramble instead of soft fluffy curds.

Most chorizo throws off a lot of grease. I mean a lot. Don’t leave it all sitting in the pan or your eggs are going to be swimming in oil. I tilt the pan to one side and soak up the excess with a paper towel before I add the onions. Keeps everything from getting greasy without losing the flavor the fat carries.

Serving & Pairing

Chorizo and eggs don’t need much on the side but if you’re feeding a crowd for brunch you can stretch this into a full spread. Set out a basket of warm Mexican sweet bread with butter and a bowl of homemade salsa for extra heat on top. Mexican street corn is one of those sides that works morning or night and the cotija on top pairs so well with the smoky chorizo.

For drinks keep it simple. Strong black coffee or a cup of café de olla with cinnamon and piloncillo. If you’re going all out for a weekend brunch and want something sweet at the end, a caramel flan is the dessert that makes people stay at the table longer than they planned.

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FAQs & Troubleshooting

Can I make chorizo and eggs ahead of time?

You can cook the chorizo and the veggies the night before and store them in the fridge. Then in the morning just reheat everything in a skillet and add the eggs fresh. I wouldn’t pre-scramble the eggs because reheated scrambled eggs get rubbery and nobody wants that.

How do I store leftovers?

Put them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay good for about two days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat. The microwave works but the eggs can get tough if you overdo it.

Can I use turkey or chicken chorizo instead?

You can. Turkey and chicken chorizo are leaner so they won’t throw off as much fat. You might need a little extra oil to keep things from sticking. The flavor is milder but still good. An extra pinch of salt and a dash of smoked paprika makes up the difference.