This is one of our absolute favorite weeknight pasta recipes. We use freshly made chorizo from the store or local butcher, fresh tomatoes, spinach, red bell pepper, onions, and more great, flavorful ingredients.
This chorizo pasta recipe is packed with nutrients from the veggies, but has all of the comforting, spicy creaminess from the chorizo and sauce. This simple pasta dish is an easy meal that makes about four servings, mainly because we also love it as leftovers! But the whole family will love it if you have more than two mouths to feed. 🙂
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS CHORIZO SPINACH PASTA RECIPE:
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 cup fresh Cherry Tomatoes
- ½ of a large Red Bell Pepper
- ½ of a medium Yellow Onion
- Kosher Salt & freshly cracked Black Pepper
- ½ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
- 2 cloves Garlic
- ½ lb. fresh Mexican Chorizo (best quality – see notes)
- ½ tsp. Sugar
- ½ cup Half & Half (or whole milk, or cream)
- 1 ½ cups dried Medium Shells Pasta (or your favorite)
- 4 cups tightly packed Fresh Baby Spinach
- ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
- Pasta Water (be sure to save it!)
- 1 or 2 Lemon Wedges
Mexican Chorizo vs. Spanish Chorizo
Mexican Chorizo is raw, uncooked, slightly spicy pork sausage with flavors of chiles and vinegar, and lots of seasonings (and red bell peppers). It’s a savory sausage with just a little bit of heat (depending on the recipe), and it can be cooked just like breakfast pork sausage.
Spanish Chorizo is cured sausage, so it is not fresh. It can have a consistency similar to salami or pepperoni (which is considered fully cooked and dry), or semi-cured and soft. It’s not quite as spicy as Mexican chorizo, and it’s great for charcuterie platters!
IMPORTANT INGREDIENT NOTES & RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Use the freshest vegetables you can find. This does make a difference in flavor, I promise! Try to grab these ingredients on the same day you make the pasta, or a day before (if you can). This is particularly important for the spinach.
- Look for Mexican chorizo that is behind the meat counter. We want freshly made Mexican chorizo that resembles ground pork (or beef) for this recipe. If you have a store that makes chorizo in the meat department and sells it by the pound, I would definitely recommend purchasing it. I actually prefer the Mexican chorizo from Whole Foods; it has a really awesome cinnamon note, and it’s always super fresh. The chorizo you use makes a big difference in this recipe, so if you can find some really good stuff, buy it! Purchasing it by the pound is also so helpful when you only need half a pound. 🙂
- Half and half, whole milk, and heavy cream are interchangeable in this recipe. Half and half is an equal blend of milk and cream, so it offers the richness of the cream with fewer calories per serving. Whole milk doesn’t offer as much flavor, but still lends a luxurious creamy texture to this recipe. Heavy cream is full of rich flavor, but comes with the calories, too. Use whichever you’re most comfortable with or craving!
- Use good Parmesan Cheese. This is another thing that I talk about a lot; good Parmesan is worth it. I actually buy a chunk from Whole Foods (I like to buy things there that really are worth it!), and it costs me $5. That $5 chunk lasts us for at least 5-6 meals, so it’s an easy choice to make that really steps up the flavor of your recipes.
- Save your pasta water!! Don’t dump out that liquid gold! It’s actually easy to save it for this recipe, because you use a slotted spoon to scoop the cooked shells directly into the creamy chorizo sauce. The shells will already transfer over some of the pasta water inside of them, and that’s a good thing. Save the rest of the pasta water so you can make the sauce even creamier if you want!
- Don’t skip the lemon juice. It may seem odd, but the fresh lemon juice at the end adds a touch of acidity that really balances the creamy, rich flavors in this dish. It won’t make it taste lemon-y, I promise. It just make the whole dish taste better. 🙂
STEPS TO MAKING THIS CHORIZO PASTA:
I like to keep this part easy to follow and to-the-point, so I’ll break it down into five main steps.
- Cut the tomatoes into quarters, and finely chop the bell pepper and onion. Cook all of them in olive oil (with a pinch of salt and crushed red pepper) over medium heat for about 7-8 minutes until softened.
If you’re new to my blog, I love to pair wine with food whenever possible. My fiancé sells wine for a living, and I work in a boutique wine shop part time (mainly just to pay for my wine costs.) 🙂 We are passionate about it, and I am a full believer that wine and food can blend together and elevate one another. Here are my favorite wine pairings for this creamy chorizo spinach pasta:
WINE PAIRINGS FOR CHORIZO PASTA:
Budget Friendly + Easy Choice: Rioja (Spain) :: Rioja is a great example of Spanish red wine. Rioja is a region that produces affordable, very drinkable, dry, and food friendly red wines. They usually have a blend of grapes in them (you’ll see a lot of the Tempranillo grape in Rioja), and can be found at nearly any major store or wine shop. Look for a bottle that is pretty young, which indicates that it didn’t spend a lot of time in an oak barrel. Rio Madre Graciano or Flaco Tempranillo are really delicious for around $10!
If You’re Feeling Adventurous: Mencía (Spain / Portugal) :: If you’ve read any of my other wine pairings, you’ll know that I have a THING for this grape. Mencía is a grape from Spain and Portugal, and it’s really food friendly. There are some cool fruit notes, a decent amount of acidity, and a ton of flavor! Raúl Pérez makes a REALLY great bottle, Ultreia, which you can find for under $20 at most wine shops.
Another Fun Option: Cava (Spain) :: Bubbles are so much fun to pair with food! Specifically Cava because it’ss delicious, very affordable, and incredibly food friendly. Cava comes from Spain, and is made up of a blend of Spanish grapes. It is made in the same method as Champagne (with a lot of TLC), but the prices are WAY better. Look for Naveran Brut for about $15, or Cava Bracino, also about $15.
Make this a Meal:
If you make this pasta and love it, be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see! Or leave a comment & rating below so I know how it went for you! And as always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have.
Cheers to your dinner tonight, and cheers to your creamy chorizo spinach pasta!
xx Sara
Creamy Chorizo Pasta with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper
- 1/2 Yellow Onion
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
- Kosher Salt & freshly cracked Black Pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Medium Shells dried pasta
- 1/2 lb. fresh Chorizo
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp. Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Half & Half*
- 4 cups fresh Baby Spinach
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
- Pasta Water
- 2 wedges fresh Lemon
Instructions
- Quarter the cherry tomatoes. Remove the stem and the seeds from the red bell pepper. Finely chop the bell pepper and onion.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion with a pinch of salt and the crushed red pepper. Stir to coat everything in the oil, then cook for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Cook the dried pasta shells in boiling salted water until al dente (about one minute less than the package directions.). To time this best, pour the pasta into the boiling pasta water when you add the chorizo to the softened vegetables.
- Add the chorizo and garlic, and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking the chorizo into small pieces as it cooks. Stir in the sugar, then pour in the half & half. Stir the half & half into the chorizo until it is mostly absorbed, then stir in the fresh spinach until it has completely wilted down and mixed into the chorizo sauce.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pasta shells directly into the chorizo and spinach sauce, reserving the pasta water. Stir to coat the pasta entirely in the chorizo and spinach sauce, then turn the heat off from under the skillet.
- Stir in the parmesan. If you want a creamier pasta, stir in reserved pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until it's as creamy as you like it. Taste the pasta, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, and serve immediately (with more parmesan if you like!)
Tried this recipe?
Make sure to follow on Pinterest @aflavorjournal and on Instagram @aflavorjournal
Comments & Reviews
This was a wonderful recipe! I love getting chorizo at our local farmer’s mar and am always looking for new ways to use it. This may be my favorite!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Anne! The chorizo from your local farmers market is AMAZING, I’m sure! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, and I so appreciate your kind words!!
I’m always looking for a great recipe using fresh chorizo from the local Mexican market.
My husband and two teenage boys loved this meal and immediately told me to add it to my recipe cycle. Soooooo yummy!
Mary, this totally makes my day!! I’m SO glad you all enjoyed it!! I bet the fresh chorizo from your local Mexican market is absolutely amazing, and I’m so glad you tried my recipe with it! Thank you for taking the time to comment, and I’m so happy to hear that it made your recipe cycle! 😍
My friend and I for school have to choose and make a pasta recipe, we also have to research about it and we found yours. We haven’t made it yet but we are excited to make it!
This is such a cool project, Jenny!! I’m SO excited for you to make it, and you have to check back and let me know how it goes!!
I will let you know, we are making it next Friday but the catch is, is that we have to make our pasta from scratch!! I have only made pasta from once but i’m sure it will end up well!!
That’s quite the catch – but it will TOTALLY end up well! I can’t wait to hear all about it!
We were going to make it this week and we were so excited! But then we both got covid and now have to quarantine 😭
I’m so sorry to hear that, Jenny! I hope you recover quickly!! 🙁
Good news, i’ve recovered and i am cooking the recipe tomorrow!! But my friend hasn’t recovered so i am cooking it by myself, its okay though aha
I can’t wait to hear how it goes, Jenny! I’m so sorry to hear that your friend still hasn’t recovered though. 🙁 If you need anything while you’re cooking it, just let me know!!
We’ve made this chorizo pasta four times already and its such a big hit for everyone we make it for. thank you for an amazing pasta recipe that we will cherish for many years to come!
How AWESOME that you’ve made this four times, Sheila! I’m just happy to share a fun recipe with chorizo with you, and nothing beats a great chorizo pasta recipe! Thank you for commenting and I can’t wait for you to keep enjoying it!
Who knew chorizo in pasta was SO GOOD???? It’s a FAVORITE now for me and my family! Thank you!
So happy to hear that you love, it Fred!!
All I can say is YUM! I made this pasta for dinner last night and I am so glad I chose to double the recipe because I can’t wait to eat this again and again. My boyfriend loved it as well. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe with us!
I’m SO happy to hear that you enjoyed it, Minnie!!
Simply wish to say this is the best way to use extra chorizo up. I always buy a little extra at the store and freeze it for later but this pasta is going to be my new way to use it instead. Thank you for an amazing recipe we love it very much
Yay! I’m so glad you love this chorizo pasta, Candace! It’s such a great way to use chorizo in a unique recipe, so thank you for trying it out! I’m just happy to bring new recipes to you!
I literally moaned eating this! I cooked it after doing a final exam and a midterm, so you know I didn’t have the energy to fiddle with a long complicated recipe. It came together quickly and easily with minimal effort.
I can’t wait to eat it again tomorrow for lunch! I also look forward to seeing your other recipes.
This is literally the best comment ever, Rose! I’m SO glad you enjoyed this pasta recipe so much, and that it was so rewarding after your final and midterm!! So excited to connect & I hope to bring you so many more recipes that you love!
Hi Sara, after making this I had to tell you how much we loved it. I had leftover chorizo in the freezer and didn’t know what to do with it. I happened upon your recipe and it was meant to be because it’s now going to be in our weekly dinner rotation. Absolutely delish!!!!!
I’m SO glad to hear that you loved it, Brenna! I’m honored that it will be making a weekly appearance!
OMGosh! This was fantastic! I added something of my own – MY OWN – that made it on the salty side. Had I NOT done this it would have been absolutely perfect. Eve with me going a bit overboard on the salt (again, on me) it would have been perfect! Next time I will not add my own standard house seasoning and leave it to the expert recipe owner!!! Can’t wait to make this again! Thank you!
I’m SO glad that you enjoyed it, Lilly!! And I’m so guilty of always adding a touch of something to anyone else’s recipes – so I totally get why you would add your own house seasoning! 🤣 but I’m so happy that it will be perfect for you just as is – thank you so much for taking the time to comment about it! I hope you keep enjoying the recipe!!
We’ve made this over and over again and really love it. I add more spinach to pack a few more nutrients into it and use whatever noodles are in the pantry. Chorizo from our farmers market is great in the summer but the package from the store works for us when the farmers market isnt open. Either way the pasta turns out great every time. Thanks!
So happy to hear that you enjoy it, Tera! More spinach is a great idea – and versatility is always key!
THis recipe is our favorite! We love chorizo and never thought to put it into pasta but boy am I glad you thought of it. Thanks for the fantastic recipe and we will continue to enjoy it!
You are so welcome, Clara! I’m so glad that you enjoy it!!
Does it have to have Parmesan? My husband is anti cheese which makes cooking a decent pasta bake so hard but this looks delicious!
You don’t have to use Parmesan! I would still stir in some of the pasta water at the end to add a little saltiness that the Parmesan would have brought, but you should be totally fine to make this without the cheese! I hope you love it!!
Had everything in my fridge except the red bell pepper, used pickled peppers instead and it tasted delicious! The portion was good enough for my partner and I, would double the recipe for a party of 3 or 4.
Love your pepper swap, CJ! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
My boyfriend left some beef chorizo at my house and I wasn’t sure what to do with it as I’ve only ever made it with eggs. I was a very curious about this recipe and the only changes were slight beef rather than pork chorizo and frozen spinach (cooked and drained). Can I just say wow! It blew my socks off! I bet it will be even better after it has a chance to set and let the flavors develop. This one is a winner and I thank you for sharing the recipe.
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked it, Hilary! It will totally be even better after it has a chance to set, for sure. You’re so welcome for the recipe, and I hope you keep enjoying it!
I’ve made this 3 times now in one month. It’s officially in the permanent rotation! Still amazing. Every time.
Yaa! That’s awesome, Hilary! I’m seriously honored to have a recipe as part of your rotation now!
Love this recipe. Easy tasty weeknight meal. As a vegetarian we use soy chorizo and it’s super.
I love your vegetarian swap, and I’m so glad you love the pasta!!
Yum!!’ We make this with GF pasta and Trader Joe’s soy chorizo and it is scrumptious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Caroline!! I HAVE to try the Trader Joe’s soy chorizo with it next time!
This was just the BEST pasta recipe I’ve ever made!!!!! I was honestly very skeptical of making a pasta recipe with chorizo but it is so fantastic. THANK YOU for sharing!!! We cannot wait to keep making this again and again!!!
I’m SO glad you enjoyed it, Jen! Thank you!
I’ve made this a few times & we love it! Only difference I used soy chorizo & sun dried tomatoes. So delicious!
I’m SO glad you love it, Tracy!! And I love that you use soy chorizo and sun-dried tomatoes – that sounds amazing!!