Is Chorizo spicy? Everything you need to know

Chorizo is a popular type of highly seasoned pork sausage originating from the Iberian Peninsula. It’s a famous ingredient used in Spanish and Mexican cuisines and is mostly served as breakfast or as part of a larger meal.

It comes in two different varieties, mainly Mexican and Spanish chorizo. Both impart a smoky, spicy flavor, but the Mexican variety tends to be spicier than its Spanish counterpart. And because of that, you can’t use them interchangeably.

Other varieties you can get include Italian sausage.

Let’s dive deeper to know what this fantastic ingredient is all about.

Is Chorizo Spicy?

Yes, it is. Traditionally, chorizo is a heavily spiced sausage. However, the amount of spice in both varieties varies significantly.

Mexican chorizo is made from pork. It comes uncooked, and it is mostly ground meat and pork fat. Because of that, Mexican chorizo should be cooked first before eating. The red coloring in it is a result of spicy red pepper.

If you wish, remove the casing first before you cook chorizo to remain with the actual meat. 

It can also be made from beef, venison, or poultry. However, these varieties are rare to find.

Mexican chorizo can also be used on grills in place of ground beef.

Spanish Chorizo, on the other hand, comes cured and dry. Its main ingredients are coarsely chopped pork meat, paprika, garlic, white wine, and other herbs. The red color comes from smoked paprika.

One thing you should know, though, is that Spanish Chorizo can be spicy or sweet depending on the type of paprika used.

And since it comes either fully cooked or cured, you just need to slice it like pepperoni and eat it without cooking it.

The Heat Level of Chorizo

As aforementioned, both Spanish and Mexican Chorizos are highly seasoned and have a smoky flavor. However, the heat level of both varies since both are made of different ingredients.

Here, let’s look at how they vary from each other…

Variations in Heat Level

Chorizo sausage is mainly available in two different heat levels: hot and mild.

Chorizo, which is spicy, will obviously be hotter. On the other hand, Chorizo, which is less spicy, will have mild heat levels.

Even with that said, a chorizo’s heat levels will depend on who made it.

And, since different producers prefer different amounts of spice, don’t be shocked when you come across one labeled mild chorizo that is hotter than the spiciest chorizo you ever had.

Factors that Affect the Heat Level in Chorizo

As aforementioned, chorizo is traditionally meant to be a spicy sausage. Therefore the heat levels will be affected by factors like:

•  The type of chorizo
• The main ingredients used

Therefore, depending on how spicy you want your chorizo, there are plenty of options out there for you.

Final Take on Chorizo

Chorizo is typically a spicy type of sausage, mainly served in Mexican and Spanish cuisines. It is traditionally meant to be spicy and is famous for its smoky flavor in different meals.

Usually, Mexican chorizo is known to be spicier than Spanish chorizo. However, the heat level or amount of spice in these types of sausages varies, depending on the chorizo and spice used.

Spanish chorizo is best for eating with soups and stews. It can also be eaten with tapas platters.

Mexican chorizo, on the other hand, apart from it being known to be cooked with eggs, could be used on a variety of different dishes like:

• Omelets
• Tacos
• In soups
• As pizza topping
• In burritos

FAQs About Chorizo’s Spiciness