This creamy chorizo pasta is ready in less than 20 minutes. It's garlicky, smoky, and perfect for when you want something quick and delicious. You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients for this comforting one pot pasta recipe so I hope you love it as much as we do!
Hey hey! If you are a fan of pasta and chorizo, then this is the recipe for you. I also found this really fun pasta at the store and I'm obsessed!!! Why does a fun pasta shape make pasta dishes look even more delicious?! Anyway, this is the kind of recipe I love to make if I've had a long day and need something comforting and easy.
I've got over 25 creamy pasta sauce recipes for you to choose from if you're looking for more inspo!
My personal favorite pasta sauce recipes I think you'll love:
- The BEST Spicy Alfredo Sauce
- Creamy Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce (a high protein alternative to Alfredo Sauce)
- Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
Made by someone you can trust: for those of you who are new here, my name's Emily and I'm an ex-chef, turned food content creator/recipe developer. I adore testing and creating new recipes and sharing them with you. I don't use AI, I take inspiration from magazines, travel, restaurants, books, friends, and turn my thoughts into dishes that I think you'll love and want to make over and over again. So, I hope you love this dish, if so, then check out more of my recipes to make in the future!
Customizable: this chorizo pasta is on the simpler side which means it's great to customise! I love adding peas or sliced courgettes into the dish to up the vegetable count. Or you can swap out the chorizo for torn extra firm tofu marinated in paprika for a vegetarian option! You can really make it your own.
Quick and One Pot: it comes together within 20 minutes which is ideal for when you need a speedy dinner. Plus everything comes together in one pot, meaning low effort and minimal washing up!
Main ingredients
White onion: you can use white onion, red onion, or shallots depending on what you prefer!
Garlic: fresh whole garlic cloves are the best here, if you can avoid using garlic granules, I would!
Chorizo: this spicy Spanish sausage is one of my favorite ingredients. Make sure to buy a good quality Spanish chorizo (don't buy it in slices). I buy cooked chorizo that I then slice, but if you can only find uncooked Mexican-style chorizo sausages, feel free to use that.
Paprika: this adds an additional layer of smokiness.
Oregano: dried oregano is my personal herb of choice. You can optionally use fresh parsley and add it in just before serving.
Chicken stock: a chicken stock cube + boiling water adds flavor. If you've got storebought or homemade chicken broth, feel free to use that.
Pasta: I love a fun pasta shape, but linguine, spaghetti, or bucatini all work really well for this recipe.
Cream: you can use heavy (full fat) cream or single (light) cream.
Balsamic vinegar: this adds a hint of acidity to balance out the flavors of our pasta sauce and it's so good.
Parmesan: freshly grated parmesan adds the perfect cheesiness to our chorizo pasta. Alternatively you could use pecorino.
For the full ingredients list with measurements and instructions, scroll down this blog to the recipe card.
How to make creamy chorizo pasta (with photos)
The full ingredient list and more detailed method are in the recipe card below, this is just for a visual reference.
Step 1: Place a deep skillet/frying pan on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in the garlic and onion and fry for 3-5 minutes until softened.
Step 2: Once the onion and garlic have softened, add in the chorizo and fry for a further 3-5 minutes.
Step 3: Add in the paprika, dried oregano, chicken stock and 500ml pasta (you want the pasta to just be covered by the liquid, keep the rest of the liquid to add throughout if need be). Place on the lid and leave to simmer away for 8 minutes (until just underdone al dente) stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick.
Step 4: Remove the lid of the pan and add in the cream and the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper according to your preferences. Stir to combine and leave to simmer for a couple of minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly and the pasta to finish cooking.
Step 5: Once the chorizo pasta is to your desired sauciness, divide between two bowls and top with grated parmesan and finely chopped chives. I hope you enjoy!
Tips for Success!
- Pick your chorizo wisely! You can usually buy regular cooked Spanish chorizo or spicy chorizo, so go for whichever one you'd like based on your preferences. The better the quality, the tastier the pasta!
- Weigh your pasta portions or use a pasta portioner! I usually do 100g dried pasta per portion.
- Add more stock if the pasta is sticking to the base of the pan. Although I've suggested 750ml which works for me and my kitchen, it may be that your pasta of choice or pan requires more water. If the pasta seems overly watery, remove the lid earlier so that the water can evaporate.
- I always undercook dried pasta by a minute from package instructions so that it can finish in the sauce at the end and still be perfectly al dente.
Recipe FAQs
For this recipe, you want Spanish chorizo; the firm, cured kind that's already cooked and full of smoky paprika flavor. Mexican chorizo is a fresh, raw sausage with a completely different texture and flavor, so it's not a straight swap here.
A lot of chorizo pasta recipes lean on a tomato base, but I wanted this one to be lighter and all about that creamy, garlicky sauce letting the chorizo's smokiness properly shine through, rather than being masked by tomato. If you'd like to add a teaspoon of tomato puree, feel free to add it in when frying the chorizo with the onions and garlic.
It's a small addition but it makes a big difference; just a teaspoon cuts through the richness of the cream and adds a little tang that balances the smoky, salty chorizo beautifully. Don't skip it!
Nope, that's the beauty of this recipe — the pasta cooks directly in the stock along with the chorizo, so it soaks up all that smoky, garlicky flavor as it goes, and you've got one less pan to wash up.
This is best enjoyed fresh, since the pasta can continue to soak up the sauce as it sits, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce back up.
Yes, just make sure your pan is deep enough to hold double the stock and pasta, and you may need a couple of extra minutes for the pasta to cook through since there's more liquid to come back to a simmer.
More pasta recipes you might enjoy!
If you tried this Creamy Chorizo Pasta or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you!
Easy Creamy Chorizo Pasta (One Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 white onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 150 g chorizo finely cubed
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 750 ml chicken stock I used 1 chicken stock cube + 750ml boiling water
- 200 g dried pasta
- 200 ml cream single or heavy (up to you!)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 25 g parmesan grated
- 5 g chives finely sliced
Instructions
- Place a deep skillet/frying pan on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in the garlic and onion and fry for 3-5 minutes until softened.
- Once the onion and garlic have softened, add in the chorizo and fry for a further 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the paprika, dried oregano, 500ml of chicken stock (save the rest if you need it) and pasta (you want the pasta to just be covered by the liquid). Place on the lid and leave to simmer away for 8-10 minutes (until al dente) stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick. Make sure to add in more stock if the pasta is sticking to the base of the pan and there's a lack of liquid.
- Remove the lid of the pan and add in the cream and the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper according to your preferences. Stir to combine and leave to simmer for a couple of minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Once the chorizo pasta is to your desired sauciness, divide between two bowls and top with grated parmesan and finely chopped chives. I hope you enjoy!
Leave a Reply