Spicy Potato Soft Tacos with Chorizo

Are you ready to shake up your Taco Tuesday routine? Look no further than these delicious Spicy Potato Soft Tacos with Chorizo. This recipe combines the hearty comfort of crispy cubed potatoes with the savory, spicy kick of chorizo, all wrapped up in a warm tortilla. Whether you're cooking for a crowd or just craving a flavorful and satisfying meal, this easy, one-pan chorizo potato tacos recipe is sure to impress.

If you, like me, love the idea of carbs on carbs (remember my potato cheese pierogis??), you’re going to flip for this super inexpensive, hearty, and delicious potato tacos recipe.

Jump to:

• What are Mexican potato tacos?
• Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Potato Chorizo Tacos
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Spicy Potato Soft Tacos With Chorizo
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
• Serving Suggestions
• Expert Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Sausage and Potato Recipes
• Spicy Potato Soft Tacos with Chorizo
• 💬 Reviews

What are Mexican potato tacos?

I was first introduced to the concept of potato tacos when I was working in the kitchen at Cuba Libre in Philadelphia. As the only white, non-Spanish speaking person in the kitchen, I was a nervous, 20-something-sponge trying to soak up everything I could. What an amazing learning opportunity! 

One of my favorite revelations from that time was when I was first exposed to tacos de papa con chorizo. (Another favorite? Mashed potato tacos, or tacos de papa. Holy heck. I’ll be sure to share that recipe soon because it’s FIRE.) These delectable, snacky treats are apparently a popular street taco option in Mexico.

Anyone who has worked in the restaurant industry is likely familiar with the concept of “shift meal” or “family meal.” For all of you uninitiated, that’s when restaurant staff gets fed before or after the shift, often using whatever scraps and cheap ingredients are on hand.

One of my absolute FAVORITE shift meals was when the grill line cook would cook up a pile of heavily spiced Mexican chorizo sausage and then toss it with a basket of crispy potatoes straight from the fryer. This super flavorful sausage and potato taco filling would be laid out in a skillet with a big basket of warm corn tortillas and an assortment of fixin’s. YUM.

Y’all, lemme tell you: there’s nothing quite so glorious as a salty, spicy, carby plate of chorizo and potato tacos at 2 in the morning after a sweaty 12-hour shift. If you know, you know. 😉

Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Potato Chorizo Tacos

Hold onto your hats, friends! These chorizo potato tacos are like a fiesta in your mouth. Imagine biting into a soft, lightly blistered corn tortilla filled with crispy pan-fried potatoes flavored with the oil leftover from cooking spicy chorizo and a flurry of delicious toppings. 

The first thing you'll notice is the satisfying crunch of the golden-brown potatoes, followed by the bold and zesty flavor of the Mexican sausage. 

But it's the combination of all the flavors that makes these tacos so much more than the sum of their parts. The smoky spices mixed with the starchy potatoes and the slightly sweet corn tortilla create a whirlwind of deliciousness that will have you dancing in your seat. 

Aside from being absolutely crave-worthy and deeply satisfying, these potato and chorizo tacos are also:

• Quick & Easy - You’ll have dinner on the table in just 20 minutes, start to finish.
• Made With Only 8 Simple Ingredients - I personally always keep potatoes and onions on hand in the pantry, and some kind of ground meat in the freezer. Nearly everything else you need is a pantry staple, so these stellar sausage and potato soft tacos are always within close reach.
• Budget-Friendly - No matter what happens with grocery prices and inflation, potatoes and ground meat are always among the cheapest possible ingredients to reach for. If you go a step further and make your own corn tortillas from scratch using a bag of masa harina, they’re even more affordable. I personally paid just $6 for the whole batch, all toppings included, so each 3-taco serving cost just $1.50.
• Easily Customizable - Can’t find chorizo? I’ll show you how to swap in ground pork or chicken or use Italian sausage instead. Don’t have Russets? Try using Yukon Gold potatoes. Wanna make them vegetarian? No problem! Swap in your favorite plant-based chorizo or simply spice up the potatoes. You can also turn them into delectable breakfast burritos by adding eggs, or customize them by adding your own favorite smattering of toppings. Read on below for tons of ideas!

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make these chorizo and potato soft tacos. Here’s what to grab:

• Raw Mexican Chorizo - Depending on where you shop, you may find them in links or shrink-wrapped in bulk. If you are using linked sausage, make sure to remove the casings first.
• Olive Oil - Just your normal cooking oil is perfect here. Feel free to swap in the neutral oil of your choice.
• Russet Potatoes - Russet and Idaho potatoes are the starchiest varieties that are common here in the US. Either will work beautifully here! You can also swap in Yukon Gold potatoes if you prefer. If you do, feel free to leave the peels on.
• White Vinegar - Adding some vinegar to the potato cooking water increases the pH, which slows the breakdown of pectin and helps to create a sort of crust on the outside of the cubes. This helps the potatoes to retain their shape when you sauté them, leaving you with perfectly crispy bites with soft interiors — all without having to bust out a deep fryer. (Thanks to J. Kenji Lopez-Alt for yet another science-backed cooking technique!) You can also swap in apple cider vinegar.
• Yellow Onion - I like adding a little sweetness to the mix, and yellow onions are perfect for just that. You’re also welcome to use either red or white onions or shallots, or you can omit them altogether.
• Lime - Adding a big squeeze of fresh, acidic lime juice helps to brighten all the flavors.
• Kosher Salt and Pepper - Because everything needs seasoning.

To Serve — Mix & Match What You Like!

One of the best things about eating tacos is getting to load up the tortillas with all your favorite fixin’s. Here is what we usually use to plate these crispy potato tacos with chorizo:

• Soft Tortillas of Choice - I prefer corn, but flour or whole wheat are also delicious. You’re also welcome to sub in crunchy taco shells or tostadas instead!
• Lime - Even though we add a big squeeze of lime to the potato taco filling, I like serving extra citrus wedges on the side for color and brightness. Plus, even if you don’t use it in your tacos, they’re great for adding zingy punch to your water, sparkling water, agua fresca, beer, or margarita.
• Cheese Crumbles - Cotija, queso fresco, or feta are all perfect! They’re salty, tangy, and ideal for cutting through the spicy richness of the chorizo.
• Green Onions - Use both the whites and greens for the best combination of flavor and color. Oh, and save those root ends. You can easily regrow green onions from scraps to save a bit of $$ in the future!
• White Onions - For some allium spiciness and a lovely bit of crunch. Feel free to use red or yellow onions instead.
• Cilantro - If you know me, you know I have a deep obsession with cilantro. I’ll happily eat a bunch as my salad greens, or chew on a few stems while I’m cooking. If cilantro isn’t your jam, try using lemony parsley to replace some of the bright, herby freshness it provides.
• Salsa Verde - I like the creamy, super spicy version similar to TJ's Creamy Jalapeño Sauce, but any store-bought or homemade salsa will work great! If you’re not a fan of too much heat, try swapping in some deliciously tangy Peruvian green sauce instead.
• Cholula - Good golly, I could pretty much drink this stuff. It’s more vinegary and flavorful than spicy IMO, so pretty much any Mexican or Tex-Mex meal gets doused in it.

How To Make Spicy Potato Soft Tacos With Chorizo

These potato sausage tacos come together in a flash. Here’s how:

Step 1: Cook Chorizo. Remove casing from sausage and put in a sauté pan over medium heat with olive oil. Cook sausage, breaking up pieces with spatula as you go. Continue cooking until dark brown and there are some tasty crispy bits. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the flavorful oil behind.

Step 2: Boil Potatoes. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a pot and cover with 1 inch of water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Boil until *just* fork tender, about 5 minutes at a full, rolling boil. Drain in a colander in the sink until mostly dried.

Step 3: Pan-Fry Potatoes & Onions. Add the cooked potatoes and onion to the pan with the seasoned oil. If the pan looks dry, add up to another 2 tablespoons of oil as needed. Add a generous sprinkle of salt to help the vegetables sweat. Sauté until potatoes are golden brown on the outside and are slightly crispy and the onions are caramelized. 

Step 4: Finish Taco Filling. Add the cooked chorizo back to the pan and gently stir to incorporate. Finish with lime juice from one lime, cooking until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5: Serve. To assemble tacos, heat tortillas in a pan with a bit of oil or butter until pliable (or microwave in a tortilla warmer). Scoop in potato-chorizo mix, then top with cheese, green and/or white onions, cilantro, Cholula, and salsa verde. Enjoy!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations

As much as Joe and I love these fried potato tacos with Mexican sausage, there are plenty of ways to adjust the recipe to fit your dietary needs and preferences. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Vegetarian Potato Tacos - Swap in the meatless sausage of your choice (e.g. Soy-rizo), finely chopped mushrooms, or use double the potatoes and the spices listed at the end of this section for a vegetarian take on these thrifty tacos.
• Vegan Potato Tacos - Follow the instructions for going vegetarian, and either swap in vegan cheese or omit it altogether.
• Potato & Sausage Breakfast Tacos - Add some whisked eggs to the sausage potato taco filling and scramble it together. Alternatively, scramble or fry eggs separately and tuck them into the tortillas with the chorizo potato filling for an added boost of protein.
• Chorizo Sweet Potato Tacos - Swap starchy Russets for jewel-toned sweet potatoes for a colorful twist.
• Italian Sausage Tacos - While the flavor profile will be decidedly different, hot Italian sausage is also great in this recipe. Feel free to alter your toppings to reflect the new flavor profile. Or, to make hot Italian sausage into more of a Mexican affair, spice it up with smoked hot paprika, ground chipotles, cumin, coriander, and chili powder using the amounts listed in the bullet point below as a starting reference point. (Note, you won’t need to add as much salt, garlic, or oregano as if it were plain ground meat.)
• If you can't find Mexican chorizo, you can swap in the ground meat (e.g. pork, chicken, turkey) of your choice. If you make this swap, I suggest adding the following herbs & spices:
  • 6 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon Smoked Hot Paprika or Ancho Chili Powder (or smoked sweet paprika if you don't love spicy foods!)
  • 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Chili Flakes
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Oregano (preferably Mexican vs. Greek or Italian)
  • ⅛ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt 

Serving Suggestions

The possibilities are endless when it comes to serving up these mouth-watering potato and Mexican pork sausage tacos! Here are a few of my favorite ideas to get you started:

• Top your tacos with a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro for a cool and refreshing finish.
• Add some diced onions and fresh jalapeños for an extra kick of heat and crunch. Or, for a fresh and zesty twist, try adding some pico de gallo or diced tomatoes to your tacos.
• Serve them with a side of guacamole or queso and a basket of chips to emulate the cantina dining experience at home.
• Pair your tacos with a side of refried beans and cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice to cheaply bulk up your meal with a complete vegetarian protein.
• If you're feeling saucy, try experimenting with different types of salsa, hot sauce, or even a squeeze of lime juice to give your tacos an extra pop of flavor.

No matter how you choose to serve them, one thing is for sure: this recipe for potato tacos with chorizo is sure to be a hit at dinnertime. So go ahead and get creative — your imagination is the limit!

Expert Tips

• Keep cooking the chorizo until you get some good crispy bits. The texture is stunning next to the soft, fluffy taters.
• To get the perfect crispy texture on your potatoes, make sure to dry them thoroughly after boiling them. Water and crispy mix about as well as oil and water. To that end, make sure you're not overcrowding the pan, which will result in steaming the potatoes instead of frying them.
• Additionally, try using a well-seasoned cast-iron pan here. The added heat retention and natural non-stick surface is perfect for getting the crispiest results.
• After scooping all the sausage potato filling out of the pan, consider using the now empty pan to heat your tortillas and soak up all the remaining flavor.
• Use a smallish pot (around 4 quarts or so) to boil the potatoes so the vinegar isn’t too diluted to do its job. Also, don’t forget to season the water with salt!
• Keep costs even lower by making your own tortillas. 
• To get the most out of your limes, wash and dry them first. Next, zest them and mix the zest with either sugar or salt as a natural preservative. Use either for rimming your margarita glasses or just to season or sweeten anything you think would be good with a touch of citrus! Once zested, firmly roll the lime on the countertop to help extract as much juice as possible before slicing it open and squeezing it. Oh, and don’t toss the spent hulls. Use them for making delicious flavored water before composting them!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Sausage and Potato Recipes

If you tried this recipe and loved it, be sure to rate and review it below! For more inexpensive and delicious recipe inspiration, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, & Facebook. You can also get all of my newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter!