Boil

Chorizo & Potato Tacos

by:
February 24, 2022
5
5 Ratings
Chorizo & Potato Tacos
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 25 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This recipe is featured in the story, Forget Taco Tuesday—You'll Want Julia Turshen's Chorizo Tacos Everyday, sponsored by Bosch. —Julia Turshen

Test Kitchen Notes

Reprinted with permission from Now & Again: Go-To Recipes, Inspired Menus + Endless Ideas for Reinventing Leftovers by Julia Turshen, copyright © 2018. Published by Chronicle Books.

This savory chorizo and potato taco recipe is a perfect weeknight hit no matter the time of year. It may seem like a tedious extra step to boil the potatoes before crisping them up in the pan, but it's actually the quickest and easiest way to make sure they're nice and soft on the inside. Also make sure to give them a few good shakes in the colander to ensure they're dry before they hit the pan—that way you'll get a perfectly even crust and avoid oil splatters.

To warm up your tortillas, the microwave works in a pinch, but you take your taco-making skills seriously, don't you? Of course you do. Try charring them directly on the flame of your gas stove or outdoor grill for a hot second, then, wrap the stack of tortillas in a slightly damp kitchen towel and allow them to steam for a few minutes. Speaking of tortillas...if you've got dietary restrictions or simply feel like mixing things up, an easy swap try using a lettuce wrap instead. Bibb or butter lettuce is your best bet, since they have wide leaves that are sturdy enough to hold as much taco filling as your heart desires. When buying this type of lettuce, you want to pick the freshest leaves possible and avoid any that appear wilted since they will be more likely to rip or tear.

This taco filling has all of the familiar and gratifying appeal of really good corned beef hash. If you can’t find fresh chorizo, substitute finely chopped cured chorizo or use ground pork plus a couple of minced garlic cloves and a spoonful each cayenne pepper and sweet or smoked paprika. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Chorizo & Potato Tacos
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) baking potatoes (about 2 large), scrubbed and cut into ½-inch (12-millimeter) cubes
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons (or more) canola or other neutral oil
  • 3/4 pound (340 grams) fresh chorizo, casings removed
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • Warm corn tortillas, for serving
  • 1 handful cilantro leaves (a little bit of stem is fine!), finely chopped
Directions
  1. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water by about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters). Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and stir to combine. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and give them a really good shake to make sure they’re as dry as possible.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over high heat, crumble the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until the chorizo has released its liquid, the liquid has evaporated, and the meat begins to sizzle in all of its glorious fat.
  3. Add the onion and drained potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp. Between the nonstick skillet and the chorizo fat, you shouldn’t need any more oil, but if things are looking dry and your potatoes aren’t crisping nicely, go ahead and add another splash of oil. Season to taste with salt.
  4. Divide the potato mixture among the tortillas. Sprinkle with the cilantro.
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4 Reviews

Crackers1
Crackers1 February 22, 2023
Google has amazing ways of making me stumble accross things...this video is a reminder of how the art of cooking has been pretty much lost. Who needs to watch a video of someone boiling potatoes and leisurely straining them to go on to do the simplest thing as sautee them with a non specified origin of the chorizo (an important detail). Also, what kitchen has neatly stacked cake stands? Functionality, people. Food52 used to be great, but as with Mark Bittman, has become food porn or food lite. Let's try to get back to what actually matters, regenerative agriculture, eliminating factory farms, and trying to eat locally. What I'm seeing is all too gluttonous. This was obviously from years ago, but it's all gotten annoyingly more indulgent and less reverence for what sustains.
 
Pen
Pen May 11, 2019
We made this with El Salvadoran chorizo and they were fantastic!
 
Nan G.
Nan G. September 24, 2018
My husband absolutely will not eat chorizo so I use soy chrorizo.
I intend to try this as it sounds great.
 
Smaug
Smaug August 16, 2018
Presumably this is Mexican chorizo, but it's not stated- that still covers a lot of ground, and the quality of the dish is wholly dependent on the chorizo. The potatoes will cook fine in a covered skillet without the water- they have plenty of moisture of their own. Unless you're really crazy about greasy food- and apparently many are- there's no reason to add oil when cooking this (or any) sausage, it will have more than enough of it's own to cook itself and brown the potatoes.