Sometimes RER masquerades as a healthy living blog. Shocking, I know.
Well today I am about cancel out all my chia seed loving posts with some real Mexican food talk. Today’s “Just the Tip” is all about the healthiest chorizo to eat.
Growing up my mom would sometimes make chorizo on the weekends. My brother and I loved it!
Then, I went through this hippie dippie vegetarian phase and I would buy Soy Chorizo. I swear it’s just as good!
But now that I’m not vegetarian anymore I decided to re-evaluate my chorizo choices and see which one is the healthiest (relative to each other, this isn’t really a health food).
Beef Chorizo:
Pork Chorizo:
Soy Chorizo:
Just The Tip: Pork Chorizo is the lowest in calories and fat!
But – the ingredients are kinda gross if it’s not something you grew up with. I’m okay with it but you might want to go by the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy if you can’t handle eating organs.
Question: What would be your chorizo choice?
Chorizo is basically the bomb, though I can’t remember the last time I had it!
I am Portuguese and just the other day found “turkey linguica” — and it actually was pretty good. I also got my fiance some Paleo Chorizo from Whole Foods (but if you ask me those nitrates make things taste deliciouso!)
Vegetarian here, so I opt for the soyrizo for obvious reasons. I was just saying to a friend the other day that soyrizo is pretty much the best “faux meat” out there. It’s one of the few veg analogs that really tastes good, has good texture, and doesn’t remind me of whatever taste is lacking.
I made the mistake of reading the ingredients in pork chorizo when I was cooking it once. DISGUSTING! I love it in a breakfast taco though!
I have only just discovered Chorizo when a friend shared a recipe. Its mashed pinto beans with diced tomatoes, onions, broth and chorizo all simmered together. Sooo Freakin’ goooood!
Pork would be my choice. What is the difference between Mexican and Portuguese chorizo? I think I have only had Portuguese style.
Hobson’s choice – soy since I’m vegan.
Oo I’ve had chorizo (probably beef? I have no idea), but I’m intrigued with the soy. I might have to try that and trick my boyfriend into eating it.
Beef. I actually discovered chorizo when I went off to college in a very Portuguese area (who knew Dunkin Donuts and Dominos had a special chorizo menu?!) and really liked it! I tried to make it myself but it didn’t work out so well 🙁
I think I’d go with the veggie chorizo.
Lower fat and calories doesn’t always equate to healthier. The soy chorizo (soyrizo?) seems like the healthiest because it’s cholesterol free and has less saturated fat.
I’m fine with organs and stuff, though. The yummiest Mexican food I’ve recently eaten was a lengua torta. So yummy!
I saw soy chorizo at Trader Joe’s, but haven’t tried it yet. Maybe I’ll get some next time!
I forget you used to be vegetarian. I’d be interested in a post about any differences you’ve noticed one way or another. Would you ever consider it?
I just ate chorizo for the first time last week, thanks for the heads up.. I will NOT be looking at the ingredients
favorite chorizo = whatever my favorite mexican place stuffs into the quesedillas!!
Growing up, we had chorizo like every week loooooooved it. Mmmm with huevos y papas all mixed together and scooping it up with a tortilla. Yum. And then I found out what’s in it and why it tore apart my stomach. 🙁 when i am in a chorizo mood I have to buy soy, but its just not the same as the pork. Perhaps I can figure out a way to have a ‘healthy’ pork version sans organs 😉
Don’t block me from you blog……I can’t/don’t eat MX food. My husband is a #1 fan and will actually go eat at a MX restaurant solo while I’m teaching the evening aerobic classes. It works. 🙂
I’ve never had a chorizo and am not really sure what it is. But I like Mexican food and am craving some guac right now!!
I’ve never had it!!! But probably the pork if it’s better for you!
I’m a fan of the soy chorizo! I’m one of those people who looked at the ingredients and couldn’t handle it, haha!
I’m not a huge chorizo fan…or any sausage fan for that matter. But bacon? Load me up.
Have you ever had linguica? It’s similar to chorizo but not as spicy.
I love the veggie chorizo from Trader Joes!
Hi Monica!
Here, in Spain, pork chorizo. In fact, pork is one of the animals more eaten 🙁 It is usual to cook meals like “fabada” or “bollos preñaos”. If you search these words in Google, you will see lots of recipes about it.
Have a nice day!
(Sorry for my poor English)
I love soyrizo!
I’ve never had chorizo! And now I’m not so sure I will??
Love the soy stuff. I’m not a vegetarian, but any form of sausage or extruded meat weirds me out big time.
We had chorizos for dinner last night. Mmmm, I love how many different ways you can cook with them. I even dice em up and throw them in an alfredo sauce every now and then just to spice things up a bit! 😉
We have an awesome Mexican/international grocery by us that makes its own. So yeah. Selection not so hard. I’d probably go with pork, though, given the options. It reminds me that I should make some chorizo burgers …
i WANT CHORIZO NOWWWW!
Oh, you’re brave! I can’t do the organ meats, despite my boyfriend’s best efforts. And ironically I can handle sausage, whose parts aren’t all that. I’d definitely try the soy chorizo though!
I LOVE chorizo. I haven’t had chorizo in years. I am going through a hippie dippie phase right now so I am kind of afraid of seeing what is in chorizo. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
I’ve had soy chorizo before and really liked it. It’s fantastic in a burrito or any other dish where you mix in meat with other veggies, etc. I did try some Trader Joe’s soy chorizo as a feature flavor in something I cooked once (I think I mixed it with kale or something) and it gave off a very vinegar-y taste, which I wasn’t a huge fan of. I’m sure some brands are better (tastier) than others.
Hmmm…you might want to check out the serving size, it looks like the pork and beef are both 5 servings per 2.5 oz (1,300 per package for beef and 600 per package for pork) and the soy is only 4 servings (560 calories for the whole package). So overall, the entire package of tofu is fewer calories 🙂
I checked that the stats were for a 2.5oz serving for all – not sure how that breaks down to different serving sizes for the whole 12oz package?!
You are definitely right! Weird. Something is off with those measurements!
They’re trying to trick us! Oh well, I’m going to eat it all either way 🙂 Thanks for chiming in though!
Chorizo owns my heart! I grew up on it; scrambled into eggs, sprinkled with cheese and lovingly wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. A love affair to remember…
I usually buy chicken chorizo from Sprouts (fresh meat section in the little styrofoam tray). cook that up and sprinkle/crumble it over the egg of choice (whites, beaters, etc.) My son and I love it! I don’t have all the health stats on it, but it doesn’t taste greasy and there’s not a lot of grease in the pan after I cook it.
Love giving these little ethnic tastes to my Gringo kids! 😀
Happy Tuesday!
We LOVE chorizo but… I can’t ever find Brazilian/Portuguese chorizo in MN, only Mexican 🙁