Breakfast tacos are a quintessential Tex-Mex dish, especially in Central and South Texas, where they are a breakfast staple. In Austin, breakfast tacos are so popular that you can find them made to order in restaurants, food trucks and even inside gas stations. In this post, I will show you how to take this breakfast favorite up a notch by making chorizo breakfast tacos, with crispy and spicy chorizo, soft scrambled eggs and all the right toppings.
Try my other recipes for Brisket Breakfast Tacos, Carnitas Tacos, Pork Belly Tacos and Homemade Chorizo.
Ingredients
- Homemade chorizo or store-bought chorizo
- Canola oil
- Butter
- Red potatoes
- Queso fresco cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Jalapeño pepper
- Pico de gallo (optional)
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Salsa (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Cook the Chorizo
My local market in Austin, TX carries about 10 different kinds of chorizo. For breakfast tacos, I like to use chorizo that is loose, like ground beef, if available. Otherwise, I will choose a sausage-style chorizo and remove the casing before cooking.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and break it up into small pieces as it cooks. Stir occasionally and let the fat render, about 8-10 minutes. Unlike ground beef, it can be difficult to determine when chorizo is fully cooked since it does not change color as it cooks. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chorizo is cooked to 165°F. Once the chorizo is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease.
Cook the Potatoes
Adding some breakfast potatoes to your breakfast tacos is a great way to get some crunch. It also makes tacos that are more filling and will hold you over until lunch. Dice red potatoes into ½” pieces with the skins on, and boil them for about 5 minutes. Then drain and sauté them in a skillet over medium heat with a little canola oil and butter until they are golden brown.
Remove the casing, if any, from the chorizo before cooking.
Boil then pan fry the diced red potatoes.
Scramble the Eggs
For breakfast tacos, I prefer basic scrambled eggs. That means no milk or cream, just eggs cooked in a little bit of butter. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in the skillet and then pour in the egg mixture. Cook, stirring gently, until the eggs are just set but still soft. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Warm the Tortillas
No breakfast taco is complete without warm tortillas. Fresh corn tortillas are my go-to for almost every kind of lunch or dinner taco. But, when it comes to breakfast tacos, I'm a flour tortilla guy. Fortunately, my local market makes fresh flour tortillas in house every day so it's pretty easy to get great tortillas.
To heat them up, wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet in a 250°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through. Alternatively, you can heat the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side. For an even faster option, wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave them in 30-second bursts until they are warm.
Cook the scrambled eggs.
Warm up the tortillas.
Assemble the Tacos
Now that everything is ready, it’s time to assemble your tacos. Lay out your warm tortillas on a plate. Add a generous scoop of scrambled eggs, chorizo and potatoes to the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese while the eggs are still warm, so it melts into the filling. Add your favorite toppings. There is no wrong way to dress up your breakfast tacos.
Storage
Breakfast tacos are best enjoyed hot off the skillet, while the tortillas are still warm and the eggs are fluffy. If you have leftover chorizo, store the chorizo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you're ready to eat, simply reheat the chorizo, scramble some eggs and warm up fresh tortillas for another round of tacos.
Final Thoughts
With a combination of spicy sausage, soft scrambled eggs and fresh toppings, this Tex-Mex favorite is sure to become one of your go-to breakfast dishes. It’s a wonderful way to start your day, especially when enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee on a lazy Sunday morning. Bet you can't eat just one. Enjoy!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Chorizo Breakfast Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb chorizo casing removed
- 1 tbs canola oil
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 lb red potatoes diced
- 8 eggs scrambled
- ½ cup queso fresco cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cook the chorizo over medium heat in a non-stick pan until the meat is done and registers 165˚F. Chorizo will not change color like ground beef, so it is important to make sure it is thoroughly cooked with a thermometer.
- Cook the diced potatoes in a pan with a little canola oil and butter until golden brown.
- Scramble the eggs and cook over low heat.
- Spoon a generous helping of the eggs onto a tortilla. Add some chorizo and potatoes. Add a bit of your favorite hot sauce (if you dare) and top with queso fresco and sliced jalapeños.
Leave a Reply