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This easy Chorizo Pasta recipe is all made in one pan, is made with plenty of easy ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes. It’s also hearty, satisfying and SO delicious! Follow my step-by-step videos for the full one-pan method.

A large pan of cooked pasta with chorizo and vegetables in a tomato sauce sauce. On a table with a basil plant and sides dishes.

It’s no surprise to me that this Chorizo Pasta recipe is so popular. You can’t get enough of this one! And it appears very regularly on my meal plans too, probably for all the same reasons…

For starters, one pan meals are my midweek sanity saviours and everyone LOVES them.

Secondly, chorizo has to be one of our favourites in my house, which is such a win because it’s a really convenient ingredient to have in the fridge – especially on those days when I haven’t actually planned dinner.

I whip this one up as a backup meal so often that I decided to create a sister recipe, Chicken and Chorizo Pasta, which is very similar but has the addition of, well, chicken!

The step-by-step videos below make this recipe even easier to follow.

Please just make sure to use the right chorizo (the type in a ring) to get that chunky, meaty and smoky deliciousness, and pay attention to the level of stock to use so you get a nice silky, saucy dish.

I tried this once without as much and it wasn’t as nice when it was drier.

When it comes to the pasta we use, obviously we can be flexible here, but make sure to use a sturdy pasta such as penne, rigatoni, fusilli or conchiglie and the like (if you want to use orzo though, follow my Chorizo Orzo recipe here).

Because we make this all in one pan, the pasta needs to be able to withstand stirring and cooking alongside other ingredients.

Why you’ll love this Chorizo Pasta recipe

⭐️ Dinner in under 30 minutes

⭐️ All made in one pan

⭐️ Super tasty and family friendly

A bowl of chorizo pasta with a fork, on a tablecloth with stripes, with the pan of pasta in the corner.

Sarah’s notes

Chorizo is such a forgiving ingredient, releasing that oily, smoky, strong flavour as it cooks, making a delicious sauce quickly and without the need for mountains of herbs and spices.

It has a long shelf-life and can be refrigerated, so doesn’t need forethought for being used up or brought out of the freezer in time.

I’ve used my favourite one pan pasta method here to make it as quick and simple as possible, add broccoli and it’s a one pan meal. WIN!

Chorizo Pasta Ingredients

The raw ingredients for making Chorizo Pasta laid out on a white surface.
  • Chorizo – We’re using the ring sausage-style chorizo for this recipe to cut into chunks, rather than the finely sliced variety.
  • Onions and garlic – I use pre-prepared frozen as I am always looking for a shortcut! Chopping up fresh is fine too.
  • Pasta – Use your favourite or what you have, adjusting cooking time accordingly, but it’s best to use something sturdy. I use rigatoni.
  • Broccoli – You need to cut these into medium bite-sized chunks. This is so they cook in the same time as the pasta. If they are too big, they will be too crunchy and too small and they will be soggy.
  • Cherry tomatoes – If you want these to hold their shape rather than burst into the sauce, just add them 3-4 minutes before the pasta finishes cooking.
  • Sweet smoked paprika – I use sweet smoked paprika as it’s warming and a little smoky but also fine for the palate of children. If you want something more spicy, add or substitute regular paprika.
  • Vegetable stock – I always make up 750ml/3.25cups of stock and then check on the pasta as it cooks and add more if needed if it’s looking dry. If you like very ‘wet’ saucy pasta, go ahead and add it all at the start.
  • What else you’ll need – Chopped tomatoes, oregano, black pepper, tomato puree (tomato paste), parmesan and basil.

How to make Chorizo Pasta

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add chopped chorizo until it releases its oil and goes brown (as per the recipe below).

2. Add onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well and cook as per the recipe below until the pasta is cooked through.

4. Stir well and add parmesan and basil to serve.

Substitutions & Additions

  • Sweet smoked paprika: I use this as it’s warming and a little smoky, but also fine for childrens’ palates. If you want something a little more spicy, add or substitute regular paprika.
  • Chicken – If you’d like to add this, try my Chicken and Chorizo Pasta recipe. So good!

Leftovers

In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully before serving.

If you don’t serve this as soon as it’s cooked, you’ll find that the sauce absorbs into the pasta and there’s not a lot left. It won’t affect the taste, you may just want to add a splash more stock when you warm it through.

Can you freeze Chorizo Pasta? I’m not a big fan of freezing pasta as it can go quite mushy when defrosted and reheated.

All that said, there’s nothing wrong with freezing for a lunch if you have leftovers, it’s just not quite as good as fresh or reheated from the fridge.

Recipe Tips

Type of chorizo

I like to use one of the ring types and cut it into bite-sized chunks. This will give you lots more flavour that the already thinly sliced type (they will disappear into the sauce). You can use the spicy one or regular.

How much liquid to use

I always make up 750ml/3.25cups of stock but only add 500ml/2 cups to start with. I then check on the pasta as it cooks and add more if it’s looking dry. If you like very ‘wet’ saucy pasta, go ahead and add it all at the start.

Other Must-try chorizo recipes…

FAQs

Can I make a vegetarian version of this pasta?

I haven’t tried it, but you could substitute the chorizo for vegetarian chorizo or other vegetarian protein. You may want to double the sweet smoked paprika to add that smoky flavour.

Can you recommend a good pan for this recipe?

Try and use a big lidded pan for this recipe. I have tried-and-tested some one-pan pans recently and there were some good ones in that list. Hope this pan review helps.

Can I make this creamy?

I wanted to make this Chorizo Pasta without cream because quite a few of my one pot pastas do include it, and I prefer this one a bit more tomatoey.
However, it totally would work with a creamier sauce too, so feel free to add a little double cream (heavy cream) OR cream cheese once you take it off the heat (I do this in my Marry Me Chicken Pasta and Peri Peri Chicken Pasta and they’re so good!)

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

A close up of Chorizo Pasta.
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5 from 61 votes

Chorizo Pasta

By Sarah Rossi
This easy Chorizo Pasta recipe is a delicious one pot dinner, with pasta cooked in a rich tomato sauce, for simplicity and flavour combined.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 People

Ingredients 

  • 220 g (8 oz) Chorizo, Chopped into bite sized chunks
  • 1 Onion
  • 3 Garlic cloves
  • 250 g (9 oz) Dry pasta
  • 400 g (14 oz) Tinned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Tomato purée (tomato paste in USA/CAN)
  • 250 g (9 oz) Broccoli florets
  • 250 g (9 oz) Cherry tomatoes
  • 750 ml (3.25 cups) Hot vegetable stock
  • 50 g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, Grated
  • 10 g (2 tsp) Fresh basil, Chopped

Instructions 

  • Cook the chorizo: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan (one which has a lid) over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry until it starts to release its oils and go brown (about 5 minutes).
  • Onion and garlic in: Add the onions and garlic and fry gently until softened (about 4-5 minutes).
  • Rest of the ingredients: Add the dry pasta, chopped tomatoes, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper, tomato pureee, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and about 500ml/2cups of the stock. Give everything a good stir, pop the lid on and cook for about 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked through and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  • *Note!* I always make up 750ml/3.25cups of stock and then check on the pasta as it cooks and add more if needed if it's looking dry. If you like very 'wet' saucy pasta, go ahead and add it all at the start.
  • To serve: Add the parmesan cheese, garnish with basil and serve immediately.

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Notes

Onions and garlic: I use pre-prepared frozen as I am always looking for a shortcut! Chopping up fresh is fine too.
Pasta: Any shape of pasta you like is fine, just adjust the cooking time accordingly if it takes more or less time. I used rigatoni.
Sweet smoked paprika: I use sweet smoked paprika as it’s warming and a little smoky but also fine for the palate of children. If you want something more spicy, add or substitute regular paprika.
Broccoli: You need to cut these into medium bite-sized chunks. This is so they cook in the same time as the pasta. If they are too big, they will be too crunchy and too small and they will be soggy.
Cherry tomatoes: If you want these to hold their shape rather than burst into the sauce, just add them 3-4 minutes before the pasta finishes cooking.
Adding the stock: I always make up 750ml/3.25cups of stock and then check on the pasta as it cooks and add more if needed if it’s looking dry. If you like very ‘wet’ saucy pasta, go ahead and add it all at the start. You can use powder or stock cubes (bouillon cubes).

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 22gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 1316mgPotassium: 878mgFiber: 7gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1844IUVitamin C: 84mgCalcium: 411mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Family Food, Italian
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This post was originally published on February 4, 2021 and updated later to make improvements.

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41 Comments

  3. 5 stars
    Had this for dinner tonight- and even the fussiest, laziest eater enjoyed it and wolfed it down- biggest compliment indeed! Very tasty and easy to make. Will definitely make again. Thank you x

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    Delicious, enjoyed by the whole family. I added a grated courgette as an extra (hidden) vegetable! Another yummy recipe from your blog, thank you.

    Reply