Chorizo Seasoning
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If you love bold, smoky flavors, this Mexican Chorizo Seasoning recipe is one you’ll want to keep on hand! This easy recipe combines warm spices, a hint of heat, and rich depth to instantly transform ground pork into homemade chorizo. It only takes 5 minutes to mix up and is perfect for making tacos, breakfast burritos, or any dish that needs a punch of authentic Mexican flavor.

3 reasons to love this seasoning
- Bold, authentic flavor! Homemade chorizo seasoning delivers rich, smoky, Mexican-inspired flavor that’s fresher and more vibrant than store-bought options.
- Total control over ingredients! You can adjust the spice level, salt, and heat to fit your taste, with no sugar, fillers or preservatives.
- Quick and convenient! It comes together in 5 minutes using pantry spices, making it an easy recipe to keep in your pantry and make homemade chorizo to use in a variety of recipes.

Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this chorizo seasoning recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Smoked paprika
- Chili powder – I recommend using ancho chile powder. It’s available at most major grocery stores on the spice aisle, or you can find it online. It has a sweet fruit flavor and mild heat, which makes it easy to adjust the spice level in this seasoning mix to your taste my adding more or less cayenne pepper. You can also use traditional chili powder if you already have it in your pantry and want to keep things simple.
- Mexican oregano – while there is a difference between Mexican oregano and traditional oregano, you can use them interchangeably in this recipe if you don’t have Mexican oregano on hand. Mexican oregano is a bit stronger in flavor, but their shared peppery flavor, means that you can use either one and end up with similar flavors.
- Garlic powder (or granulated garlic)
- Onion powder (or granulated onion)
- Salt – I prefer either kosher salt or sea salt, over table salt, because of their coarse texture and superior flavor.
- Cayenne pepper (optional) – this ingredient will spice up your chorizo seasoning. We like things spicy around our house so I usually add 2-3 teaspoons of cayenne pepper to this mix. Adjust this amount to your spice preference when making the seasoning at home.
I like to buy the spices in large bulk containers, either online or at Costco. It saves money and I know I’ll always have them on hand to mix up my favorite homemade seasoning blends or to refill smaller spice jars.
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 6 months.
Easy as that you have a simple chorizo seasoning, ready to mix with ground pork and make flavorful homemade chorizo!


Ways to use it
To make homemade chorizo, combine two tablespoons of this seasoning mix with one pound of ground pork. Use the chorizo to make any of these recipes.
- Green Chili Chorizo Queso (pictured above)
- Chorizo Tostadas
- Crispy Chorizo Tacos
- Grilled Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Slow Cooker Chorizo Corn Chili
You can also cook and crumble chorizo on the stove, then mix it with scrambled eggs to make epic breakfast tacos or breakfast burritos.
Mexican Chorizo Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons chili powder, ancho chili powder, if available
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- cayenne pepper, optional: add 1-3 teaspoons for spice
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 6 months.
Notes
- This recipe makes 8 tablespoons of chorizo seasoning. I recommend using 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of ground pork to make homemade chorizo.
- To make soy chorizo, crumble extra-firm tofu and mix it with the seasoning.
- This recipe is gluten free, and contains no added sugar, making it perfect for a whole30 or keto diet.
- To make a spicy chorizo seasoning, add 1-3 teaspoons of cayenne pepper to the seasoning blend. For a medium spice level, add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. To make it hot, use 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper.
Nutrition Facts
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