You probably know chorizo as a spicy sausage, typically made with pork or beef, that you find mixed into Spanish and Mexican dishes to add some extra heat. But you may not realize that there are actually two types of chorizo! You see, Spanish-style chorizo is typically served fully cooked and cured, with an edible casing that lets you slice it up easily. But Mexican-style chorizo is typically uncooked, featuring wet meat that you squeeze out of the casing, and which cooks up to make a crumbly pile of meat that you can stir into dishes like eggs or tacos. And you’ll find both types on your grocery store-shelves, which can only add to your sausage confusion.
That’s why we took it upon ourselves to sample a wide range of different chorizos, both raw and fully cooked, judging them on taste, texture, ingredients, and heat. Here are our picks for the best supermarket chorizo you can find on your local store’s shelves or Amazon.
The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.
- Reynaldo’s Beef Chorizo – Chorizo De Res
-
“Chorizo Des Res” doesn’t mean anything special, it’s just the Mexican name for a beef chorizo, typically made from beef byproducts like salivary glands, lymph nodes, and beef fat. And if you’re still reading this paragraph, you’ll be happy to know that those disturbing-sounding ingredients actually make a very tasty sausage that’s well spiced with paprika and garlic. Now, this is one of the raw chorizos that you have to cook, so it takes a little longer to make, but it also gives you the best beef chorizo. We’re talking about a pile of deliciously spicy beefy crumbles. (Personally, I enjoyed the hell out of mine, mixed with eggs and cheese.)
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Bar S Fully Cooked Chorizo
-
Like the package says, these all-pork sausages are fully cooked, which means that all you need to do to prepare them is to throw them in the microwave for 45 seconds. (Although, they do have other preparation instructions on the package if you want to do things the hard way.) They also have an edible casing, so you can eat them like a traditional sausage. Taste-wise, they’re fairly mild, with some garlic and paprika to give it a little extra bite. But while they may not be the spiciest option, it’s hard to argue with “almost-immediate chorizo goodness.”
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Chef Bruce Aidells All Natural Chorizo Smoked Chicken Sausage
-
I’ll admit, I didn’t expect this particular brand to make the hottest chorizo I sampled on this list. But it’s got plenty of chili powder and paprika to give you a hit of heat that lingers on your lips after every bite. Texturally speaking, it has a bit of thick skin, which makes it both harder to cut and easier to send chorizo pieces tumbling onto the floor. But overall, it is both tasty and hot. And it’s the best chorizo brand to buy if you really want to set your mouth aflame.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Johnsonville Chorizo Fundido Recipe
-
If you’re one of those people who believes that everything’s better with cheese, then you’ll be happy to hear we can be friends. But it also means you need to try this chorizo, which features some delicious Monterey Jack cheese blended into the mix. The pork itself is pretty light, with a little spice coming from some garlic, paprika, and mesquite smoke, but the cheese is the real star here. And it’s definitely the best chorizo if cheese is also the star in your life.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Chorizo Cacique Premium Pork Al Pastor Chorizo
-
If you’re wondering what “al pastor” means, it’s a type of pork marinated with chiles, spices and pineapple, typically cooked on a vertical rotisserie, like shawarma. It’s also delicious, with a great blend of heat and sweetness that comes from mixing in spices like paprika and chili powder with pineapple and orange juice. The result is a chorizo that gives you plenty of heat, but with a bit of a tangy sweetness that really rounds out the flavor. Now, this is one of the uncooked chorizos, so it’ll take a bit more time, but it’s the best Mexican chorizo (and the best chorizo overall) that I tried, so it’s definitely worth the effort.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
Best Beef Chorizo
Most Convenient Chorizo
Best Spicy Chorizo
Best Chorizo with Cheese
Best of the Best
Other chorizos we tried: Cacique Beef Chorizo, La Chona Fully Cooked Chorizo (pork), Ranchero Beef Chorizo, Ranchero Pork Chorizo, Silva Chorizo Mexican Style
