Chorizo Picadillo is the wonderful combination of potatoes and spices in a budget friendly version. It’s easy enough to make any night of the week.
Chorizo sausage costs about 75% less than ground beef so you can spend less and still get the Mexican food you crave.
- What kind of chorizo is used?
- Is chorizo cooked?
- What is the meaning of Picadillo?
- How do you say Picadillo in Spanish?
- How do you serve Picadillo?
- Recipe
As much as I love chorizo sausage, it seemed natural to use it in a traditional recipe to replace ground beef. I have nothing against ground beef but it so expensive right now.
Budget friendly meals are on the menu these days so we do what we can, right?
What kind of Chorizo is used?
For this recipe, I’ve used Mexican chorizo by Cacique. It’s a raw sausage tube you will usually find near the other raw sausage in the grocery store.
Spanish chorizo is more like a cured sausage, like a tube of summer sausage, smoked sausage or kielbasa. You can always use that instead, but your picadillo will have a different texture. Definitely give it a try, though!
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If you can’t find this chorizo, pick up a tube of regular breakfast sausage like Jimmy Dean’s. You can make your own chorizo by spicing it up. Check out my Homemade Chorizo recipe.
Is Mexican chorizo cooked?
Mexican chorizo is raw. You need to fully cook it before eating.
Before you cut into the tube, wash the outside. You must. Just think of how many people have handled that tube.
If you take a knife to it, you will be moving the germs from the outside to the inside. Yuck!
Just wash it. No questions.
A tube is only $1.33 at our store so we pick up several of them at the same time. I love mixing it with eggs for breakfast. Be sure to check out my list of recipes using chorizo.
What is the meaning of Picadillo?
The actual word “picadillo” is a Spanish word meaning “mince”. This is the ground meat. I believe that ground meat is also called mince in England.
There always seems to be a meat and potato hash style recipe in most cultures I’ve studied.
Picadillo is a spicy stew or hash of meat and potatoes and other vegetables. In Cuba, for instance, it will often include raisins and green olives. You’ll usually see it served over rice or in tacos.
You can find variations of Picadillo in many Latin countries, including Puerto Rico, Cuba and Mexico, as well as the Philippines.
If you want a more traditional recipe, you can check out my recipe for Instant Pot Mexican Picadillo.
How do you say picadillo in Spanish?
The word picadillo comes from the Spanish word “picar” which means “to mince”.
To pronounce it, you would say PEE-KAH-DEE-YO. Notice that the double “l” makes the “Y” sound.
How do you serve Picadillo?
Most of the time, I see picadillo served on top of rice. I also see it in tacos, like this one.
You can use it anywhere, though. Fill burritos, enchiladas or tamales. Stuff gorditas or arepas. Try making Cuban mashed potato balls with a bit of picadillo inside.
I can tell you that I’m going to make baked flautas with the leftovers. Yum!
Recipe
Chorizo Picadillo Tacos on a Budget
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Ingredients
- 1 pound Baking Potatoes, like Russet, peeled and chopped
- ½ Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped or use white onion
- ½ Red Bell Pepper, large, seeded and chopped or use the whole pepper if it's small
- 1 Jalapeno, stem, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
- 10 ounces Cacique Pork Chorizo
- 3 ounces Tomato Paste
- 12 Corn Tortillas, softened
Instructions
- Peel and chop potatoes. Place in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Cook on medium-high heat until you're able to easily puncture with a fork, about 20-25 minutes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, continue with the remaining instructions.
- Chop all the vegetables as instructed. Place the chorizo sausage and the vegetables in a large skillet on medium heat. The chorizo has enough fat that it should be fine cooking in a dry skillet, however, if you use a different type of chorizo or other meat, you may need about two tablespoons oil to keep it from sticking. Continue until chorizo is fully cooked, about 20-25 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and add them to the skillet of chorizo mixture. Add one cup water and tomato paste. Stir until combined.
- Heat through, about 3-5 minutes, then remove and serve.
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Notes
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. All amounts are estimates and 24Bite® takes no responsibility for actual figures since calculations vary by packaging and supplier. Please calculate the amounts yourself based on package labeling if you have specific dietary requirements. 24Bite®, Kim Guzman or Christian Guzman shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.
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Biana says
Looks delicious! And great tip for washing the outside of the chorizo tube first.
Sarah Baumeister says
I loveeee chorizo. This recipe is so flavorful and I love it with an egg on top the next day.
AISilva says
Love the idea of making these tacos on a budget. I also never thought of watching the outside of the chorizo, great tip. Thanks!
Sharmila Kingsly says
Absolutely tasty and awesome Tacos.. I love packing this for my kids!!
Brianna says
Spicy chorizo and potatoes are the taco combo I never knew I needed. These were great!