Chorizo pasta is a bold, savoury dish with smoky notes and a pleasant spicy kick. The rich, flavorful chorizo pairs beautifully with a bright tomato sauce that clings to chewy pasta. This easy one‑pan pasta recipe takes about 30 minutes and is perfect for a relaxed evening with friends or family.
This simple chorizo pasta was one of the first recipes published on the site and quickly became a favourite.
Table of Contents
Easy pasta recipes are a speciality here. Try other weeknight favourites such as Cajun chicken pasta, slow cooker bolognese, or the vegetarian ricotta and spinach pasta for more ideas.
⭐️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The smoky, spicy flavours of chorizo add depth and character to a simple pasta dinner.
- You can easily add vegetables or other ingredients, so this recipe adapts to what you have on hand.
- It’s quick and satisfying, ready in about 30 minutes — ideal for hectic weeknights.
Spanish chorizo vs Mexican chorizo
Chorizo is a pork sausage whose style varies by region. The two main types are:
- Spanish chorizo – a cured, air‑dried sausage seasoned with garlic and paprika. It can be eaten as is or cooked and has a firm texture with smoky, spicy flavour.
- Mexican chorizo – a fresh, uncured sausage made from ground pork and chilli spices. It must be cooked before eating, has a softer texture, and renders more fat during cooking.
If using Mexican chorizo, drain most of the rendered fat before continuing to avoid an overly greasy sauce. Either variety works well in this dish depending on availability and taste.
🧾 Ingredients
- Chorizo – removes its distinctive smoky, spicy character; remove casing and cut into chunks.
- Pasta – short or tube shapes like rigatoni or penne work best to hold the sauce.
- Tomatoes – passata or tinned crushed/diced tomatoes provide a bright, reliable base.
- Onion & Garlic – essential aromatics for depth of flavour.
- Olive oil – for cooking and a hint of fruity bitterness.
- Herbs – dried oregano during cooking; finish with fresh basil or parsley.
- Optional – bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, capers or a splash of white wine add texture and interest.
Refer to the recipe card below for exact quantities.
🧂 Seasoning a recipe
Salt and seasoning are personal and may depend on dietary needs. General tips:
- Start with a small amount of salt and taste as you go — you can always add more.
- Aim for balance: sweet, sour, salty and bitter elements should complement each other.
- Adjust seasoning according to strong-flavoured ingredients; bold ingredients often require less added salt.
- Consider cooking method: high‑heat methods concentrate flavour and may need less seasoning than moist cooking.
👩🏻🍳 Step By Step
1 & 2
- Remove the casing from the chorizo and dice into small pieces.
- Heat the oil in a high‑sided skillet. Brown the chorizo until golden and the fat renders. Transfer the chorizo to a bowl and leave 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat in the pan.
3 & 4
- Add the diced onion to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a further 1–2 minutes.
- Add the dried oregano and tomato purée, coating the onions. Cook for 2 minutes to develop flavour.
5 & 6
- Pour in the passata and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add about 300ml boiling water, return the chorizo to the pan and stir in the rigatoni. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 12–15 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened.
Making chorizo pasta bake or creamy sauce
- Creamy chorizo pasta – once the pasta is cooked, stir in 150ml single cream and heat gently; add it at the end so the cream doesn’t reduce too much.
- Chorizo pasta bake – after the pasta is cooked, top with mozzarella and bake at 170°C for 20–30 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges.
💡 Using the right pasta shape with the correct sauce
Match pasta shape and sauce for the best result:
- Long, thin pastas (spaghetti, angel hair) suit light sauces like marinara or pesto.
- Short, wide pastas (fettuccine, pappardelle) pair well with rich cream sauces.
- Tube-shaped pastas (penne, rigatoni) hold chunky meat or vegetable sauces — ideal for this chorizo dish.
- Spiral pastas (fusilli, rotini) trap bits of sauce and vegetables nicely.
- Small shapes (orzo, ditalini) work well in soups or salads.
- Stuffed pasta (ravioli, tortellini) benefits from light or cream sauces that complement the filling.
These are guidelines — feel free to experiment with different pairings to find your preference.
🍯 Storage
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Not recommended for freezing, as the texture and sauce can be affected.
❓FAQ
Yes. Sausages like andouille or kielbasa will work, though their flavour profiles differ from chorizo.
Yes, you can prepare it in advance and reheat. Flavours often develop further when the dish rests.
If you try this recipe or any other from the site, please leave a comment and a rating — feedback is appreciated.
Quick And Easy One Pot Chorizo Pasta 7 Ingredients
A quick and easy chorizo pasta using just 7 ingredients. Turn it into a bake or a creamy pasta for weeknight perfection.
Ingredients
- 400g (1 lb) rigatoni or similar pasta
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 200g chorizo, casing removed and cut into chunks
- 500g passata
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g Parmesan, grated
- 1 fresh mozzarella ball, drained
- ½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- In a high‑sided skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté the chorizo until the fat renders and the pieces are golden. Remove the chorizo to a bowl and leave 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan. Add the diced onion and cook about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1–2 more minutes.
- Stir in the tomato purée and dried oregano, coating the onions, and cook 2–3 minutes. Pour in the passata and about 300ml boiling water. Return the chorizo to the pan, add the rigatoni and stir to coat. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened.
- Divide among bowls and top with grated Parmesan, torn mozzarella and fresh basil if desired.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 37 g |
Protein: 20 g |
Fat: 29 g