Creamy Chorizo Pasta

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Creamy chorizo pasta is a quick and easy all in one meal. It is a great way to enjoy a homemade dinner as a family, no matter how busy you are.

This post is sponsored by the Wisconsin Pork Association.  As always, all opinions are honest and my own.

If you are looking for an easy weeknight supper, you are in the right place. This creamy chorizo pasta doesn’t take a lot of effort to make, but it tastes absolutely amazing.

Great home cooked meals do not have to be complicated. This family friendly dinner is a perfect example of that.

The ingredient list is nice and short yet there is tons of great flavor. Starting with chorizo guarantees that!

I think that might actually be one of my greatest dinnertime kitchen hacks. Starting a recipe with sausage means you get so many layers of flavor without having to empty out the spice cabinet.

After all, the important thing is to get the family together to connect and make memories. So keeping the recipe simple is a great way to maximize your time together while keeping the stress level low.

A Little Bit About Chorizo

There are two kinds of chorizo at the store, so you want to make sure you start with the right kind. Both are full of flavor and have a red tint from smoked dried red peppers.

Some chorizo links come cured and smoked. This chorizo is more of a Spanish or Portuguese style chorizo and it doesn’t need to be cooked further before being eaten.

It can be sliced and added to a sandwich or charcuterie board as is or it can be added to recipes. It is great in beans or can be added to soups or stews.

However, in this recipe we are using fresh chorizo. It has a lot of the same flavors as its smoked cousin, but it is still raw and needs to be cooked before it is used.

Fresh chorizo tends to be found more frequently in Mexico and the United States. Fresh chorizo can be spicier than cured as it is more likely to be made from chili peppers than paprika.

Browning up some fresh chorizo is the start to many delicious meals. The cooked sausage can be used for chorizo tacos, nachos, queso fundido, quesadillas and more.

My husband and I love using browned chorizo as a base for fajitas. We just add sliced peppers and onions to the chorizo and cook them until they are tender.

Pile the mixture in a tortilla with a little bit of cheese and sour cream and they are delicious. It’s basically a 6 ingredient meal that is ready in less than a half hour.

More About Pork

If you come here often, you know our family loves pork. It is an economical high-quality protein that is lean and versatile.

In fact, today’s pork has about 16% less fat and 27% less saturated fat as compared to 30 years ago. Pork farmers have been working hard to make sure the meat they produce not only tastes good but is nutritious and sustainable too.

Of course they are doing that for us consumers, but they are also ensuring their own families are getting great pork. Afterall pork is raised by real farmers on real farms in Wisconsin and throughout the United States.

Whether you buy your meat at a local butcher shop or the grocery store, you are supporting those farmers and their families. And between the pork chops, roasts, loins, hams, and sausage there are countless ways to enjoy the bounty they create.

You can check out all of our great pork recipes. Then head over to porkcares.org to learn more about pork’s “We Care” commitment to sustainability and great tasting nutritious food.

More Great Sausage Recipes

Of course sausage doesn’t only belong on the dinner table, there are a ton of great breakfast options as well. Try cornbread and sausage egg casserole for a tasty twist on a classic or make some yummy biscuits and sausage gravy.

Kielbasa, rice and mustard greens in the instant pot is another great quick supper option. Again, it relies on the sausage to add big flavor with minimal work and ingredients.

If one pan meals are your thing, try making one pot pasta with broccoli and Italian sausage.

Or try adapting this recipe and use Italian sausage instead of chorizo and mozzarella instead of Monterey jack. You will have a creamy Italian sausage and peppers pasta that is sure to win your family over.

Did you make this great recipe? Please leave a review in the recipe card below!

Creamy Chorizo Pasta

Servings: 6 Servings

Author: Carlee

Making a flavorful meal for your family shouldn't be reserved for special occasions. This creamy chorizo pasta dinner is super simple to make and is perfect for a busy weeknight supper.

4.91 from 40 ratings

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Equipment

• Swiss Diamond 4.3 Qt Saute Pan
• Lodge 3.6 Quart Enamel Cast Iron Casserole Dish with Lid 

Ingredients

 

.5x1x2x

• 16 oz. rigatoni or other shape pasta
• 16 oz. fresh chorizo
• 1 onion
• 2 bell peppers
• 1¼ cup milk
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese*
• Optional: cayenne or chipotle seasoning

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Instructions

 

• Cook pasta to al dente according to the directions on the box. Drain and set aside.
  16 oz. rigatoni
• While you are boiling the water for the pasta, prep the other ingredients. The peppers and onions should be chopped to bite sized or smaller.
  1 onion, 2 bell peppers
• In a large pan, brown the chorizo over medium to medium-high heat. If there is excess grease, pour it off, but reserve a Tablespoon or two for cooking the vegetables.
  16 oz. fresh chorizo
• Add the diced onions and peppers and cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers are cooked to your liking.
• Drop the heat to medium-low and add the milk and cream cheese, stirring until the cream cheese is melted and a thick creamy sauce is formed.
  1¼ cup milk, 8 oz. cream cheese
• Stir in the shredded cheese than add the pasta.
  1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese*
• Adjust the seasoning to your taste and serve warm.
• Leftover should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Notes

Feel free to use pepper jack cheese for more spice.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 712kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 32gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 1255mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“Cooking With Carlee” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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