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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Healthy Homemade Chorizo Sausage Recipe

    Published: Jan 4, 2020 · Last Modified: Aug 19, 2021 by Beyond Mere Sustenance with Leave a Comment· This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

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    A cast iron skillet of cooked chorizo with a wood spoon and bright cloth napkin.
    A collage of photos - cooked chorizo and uncooked chorizo.
    A Pinterest pin with both raw and cooked homemade healthy chorizo sausage.

    A quintessential Mexican ingredient, Healthy Homemade Chorizo Sausage Recipe provides all the flavor of its fattier counterpart without the fat and calories! This easy chorizo sausage recipe is ready to cook and add to your favorite recipes in just minutes...

    A cast iron skillet with Healthy Homemade Chorizo Sausage cooked, a wooden spoon, and a small bowl of red chile powder.
    Jump to:
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks - Recipe Inspiration
    • 🥖 What is Mexican Chorizo?
    • 🥖 Is Mexican Chorizo Healthy?
    • 📋 Ingredients You'll Need
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Tips
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 🧂 Useful Stuff
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 🍲 How to Use Mexican Chorizo

    👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks - Recipe Inspiration

    I grew up on Mexican chorizo. It was ALWAYS in our tacos and frequently in our scrambled eggs as well. I loved it then, but it usually resembled fatty orange grease with very little in the way of solids.

    I found the well-known brand that frequently ended up in the cast iron skillet when I was growing up. Here's a list of the ingredients: Pork salivary glands, lymph nodes and fat, chorizo seasoning, pork, vinegar, soy grits, sodium nitrite. YUCK!

    Over the years, and in my quest to cook healthy Mexican food, I have found some healthier chorizo options - particularly the house made chicken chorizo at Sprouts and the San Manual chicken chorizo.

    However, I am one that wants to know exactly what is in the food I eat... especially with sausage. It has been on my "to do" list for years (literally) to make my own Healthy Homemade Chorizo Sausage Recipe.

    So here we are just days into 2020. The "New Years Resolutionaries" are out in force, and I'm hoping they'll find this easy Mexican chorizo sausage recipe!

    🥖 What is Mexican Chorizo?

    While Spanish chorizo and Mexican chorizo share some ingredients, they are very different. Most importantly, Mexican chorizo is a RAW sausage, while Spanish chorizo is cured and dried (it can be eaten uncooked). Please don't confuse the two!

    Mexican chorizo is a heavily spiced sausage that gets its color from red chiles and paprika. Not all recipes include annatto, but I love its earthy flavor and brilliant red hue, and chose to include it in my chorizo recipe.

    Traditionally, chorizo involves grinding the meat, toasting, hydrating, blending and straining dried chiles, then stuffing casings. I have completed this arduous task with the help of the sausage attachment on my KitchenAid.

    The process is time consuming, and I have never cooked chorizo in the casing. My easy chorizo sausage recipe is EASY. Haha.

    I suppose one might say this is "cheater" chorizo because I start with ground turkey, chicken, or lean pork (rather than grinding my own), and add ground spices rather than starting with dried red chiles.

    The end result provides all the Mexican flavor you're looking to add to your healthy breakfast recipe or Healthy Mexican Seafood Soup, and you don't have to squeeze it out of the casings before cooking!

    🥖 Is Mexican Chorizo Healthy?

    Not all chorizo is created equal! This homemade Mexican chorizo recipe is healthy because it is made with healthy, lean meat (chicken, turkey, pork, bison, or lean ground meat) and no preservatives. As I've often said, a lot (if not most) commercial chorizo is made with "mystery meat" and contains a lot of fat and preservatives. It is possible to find lean chorizo. Our butcher department has house made pork chorizo that leaves almost no grease in the pan when cooked.

    📋 Ingredients You'll Need

    Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.

    All of the ingredients for healthy homemade chorizo sausage ready to be added to the ground turkey - garlic, red chile powder, salt, spices, Mexican oregano, vinegar.
    • ground meat or poultry - Choose turkey, chicken, lean pork, beef, bison, or a combination.
    • red chile powder - Ancho, guajillo, New Mexico red chile powder are good options. DO NOT USE generic "chili powder." It's a spice blend that will
    • paprika
    • Mexican oregano
    • annatto powder - Achiote powder is another name for this ingredient.
    • ground cumin
    • cinnamon
    • cloves
    • garlic
    • vinegar - White or apple cider vinegar are fine.

    🔪 Instructions

    Recipe steps - 1. Add ground meat, spices, and remaining ingredients to a bowl. 2. Combine thoroughly.
    1. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly (hands are best!).
    2. Form into a ball, then divide into zip bags or containers. This chorizo sausage recipe makes about 2 pounds. I divide it into 4 bags of approximately ½ pound each, then freeze 3 for later use.

    💭 Tips

    • I have used very lean ground turkey, ground chicken thighs, and lean ground pork, as well as a combination of lean ground meat in this recipe. They're all good.
    • The chorizo may be lean enough to require spraying the pan with cooking spray. I usually do.
    • After disposing of a bunch of freezer-burned food recently, I invested in reusable sous vide bags with a pump. They're great!

    ❓ FAQ

    How long can I store my chorizo?

    I usually ½ pound in the refrigerator (for up to a week), and freeze the remainder in ½ pound bags for up to 3 months (longer in a deep freeze).

    🧂 Useful Stuff

    Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps to offset the costs of maintaining my blog and creating awesome content! 😊

    Ancho Chile Powder
    Hatch Red Chile Powder
    Sous Vide Bags

    I love having fresh homemade chorizo ready to use, but I especially love grabbing an already made zip bag from my freezer! The chorizo is so quick and easy to make with readily available ingredients... why not give it a try?

    Signature in red and green with chiles and limes. Healthyish Latin cuisine.

    📖 Recipe

    A blue cutting mat with 2 pounds of homemade lean chorizo sausage.

    Healthy Homemade Chorizo Sausage Recipe

    Tamara Andersen
    A healthy homemade bulk chorizo sausage ready to cook in minutes before adding to your favorite healthy Mexican recipes!
    Dairy Free
    Gluten Free
    Peanut Free
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Main Dishes
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 2 pounds
    Calories 96 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 pounds ground turkey see notes
    • 4 tablespoons red chile powder see notes
    • 2 tablespoons paprika
    • 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
    • 2 teaspoons annatto powder
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon each cinnamon and cloves
    • 2 teaspoons garlic minced
    • ½ cup white or apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions

    • Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix thoroughly.
    • Divide into zip bags or containers for now and later!
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    I use 93/7 lean ground turkey. I have also found similarly lean ground pork and ground chicken. The chorizo all tastes great, and will beat the macros on store bought!
    I use a combination of ancho or chipotle chile powder and New Mexico red chile powder. Avoid using generic "chili powder" as it is a spice mix rather than pure red chile powder.
    You can minimize the heat level by choosing chile powder on the milder side (New Mexico chile powder comes in mild to hot varieties). You can also cut some of the heat with more paprika and less red chile powder.
    I use about 2 ounces chorizo per person when adding to eggs, grits, etc. That means my recipe yields 16 servings. You may choose to add more or less.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g

    NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or star rating! Email us with any questions: tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com

    🍲 How to Use Mexican Chorizo

    • Easy Texas Breakfast Tacos
    • Mexican Mini-Frittatas with Chorizo and Cotija
    • Mexican Waffles with Chorizo
    • Mexican Seafood Boil with Shrimp and Chorizo
    • Healthy Turkey and Chorizo Burgers
    • Seared Scallops with Beer and Chorizo
    • Mexican Chorizo Mayonnaise with Roasted Veggies
    • Healthy Chorizo Grits Breakfast Bowls
    • Black Beans and Greens
    • Bison Tacos
    • Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms
    • Mexican Seafood Soup
    • Healthy Mexican Shrimp and Grits
    • Grilled Mexican Pizza with Shrimp Ceviche and Avocado Hummus

    How to Use My Homemade Healthy Chorizo

    Seared Scallops with Beer and Chorizo

    Mexican chorizo and cumin flavor the corn, squash, and tomatoes de-glazed with beer and topped with perfectly seared scallops... A quick, healthy, and gluten free scallop recipe with a distinct Mexican vibe!

    Quick Chorizo and Egg Breakfast Tacos Recipe

    Super quick and healthy chorizo and egg breakfast tacos come together in just a few minutes and are a great way to start your day!

    Mexican Shrimp Boil with Chorizo

    Healthy Mexican Seafood Soup

    Low Carb Mexican Cauliflower Rice Bowls

    Healthy Mexican Grits Breakfast Bowls

    Mexican Grilled Pizza with Shrimp Ceviche and Avocado Hummus

    Healthy Stuffed Green Chiles with Turkey and Chorizo

    Mexican Mini-Frittatas with Chorizo and Cotija

    Easy Clam and Chorizo Pizza With Arugula Salad

    « Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Borracho Style
    Easy Texas Breakfast Tacos »

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