This creamy chorizo pasta recipe is garlicky, smoky, and bursting with savoury flavour. Made with just a few simple ingredients, it’s one of my signature quick creamy sauces that always delivers. Think of it as my popular Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce with a bold Spanish chorizo twist. It's comforting, rich, and completely delicious.
Hi! My mum has always made pasta with chorizo and it took me a little minute to get on board, but honestly this might be my new favourite pasta! I’ve always loved using ’nduja, it’s the Italian cousin of chorizo. This smoky Spanish version has a unique depth of flavour. It’s simple enough for a weeknight yet special enough to impress guests.
What I love most about a quick pasta dish like this is how customizable it is. Throw in baby spinach, bell peppers, or whatever’s hiding in the fridge. It’s a forgiving 25-minute meal that still tastes restaurant quality.
Some other quick weeknight sauces you should try:
Main Ingredients
Spanish chorizo - This is a cured sausage so can be eaten raw. Mexican chorizo is fresh so look for a spanish one. I find it easy to find at the grocery store.
An extra note on the chorizo! A good quality and authentic Spanish chorizo is going to make a big difference to the end result. When you slice it, it should have nice little chunks of fat, that is going to render out and create amazing flavor. It also means you won't need any oil when frying it.
Cream - Most commonly used is a heavy cream which you can always thin down with some additional pasta water.
Tomato Paste - Not to be confused with tomato puree. I like the ones in the tubes as they are easy to keep in the fridge.
Paprika - I like to really amp up the flavor of the existing ingredients. Chorizo already has paprika in it but I find adding some extra takes it to another level! I used smoked paprika.
Parmesan cheese - This needs to be REALLY finely grated with something like a microplane or the star side of a box grater. Grate your own as pre-grated cheese has additives and won't melt as well.
Lemon - I always add fresh lemon juice to a creamy sauce, it cuts through the richness perfectly. Keep your heat low when adding it and whisk it in quickly. If you have trouble with it curdling then mix it through right at the end after you have added the cooked pasta.
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How to make creamy chorizo pasta
The full ingredient list and more detailed method plus a video are in the recipe card below, this is just for a visual reference.
ONE: Fry the sliced chorizo in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. No olive oil is needed as it will release its own oils.
TWO: Add the diced red onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds.
THREE: Add the paprika and tomato paste cook for 1 - 2 minutes.
FOUR: Lower to a medium heat if you haven't already and mix the cream in, a whisk is easiest. Add ⅓ cup of pasta water and the lemon juice. Follow with the grated parmesan in two separate lots, letting it melt in before adding more.
FIVE: Add your cooked pasta through, mix and let gently bubble away for 2 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
SIX: Toss the Italian parsley through right before serving.
Some quick tips for success
- Weigh your pasta portions! I know it might seem like a bit of a faff but I write my recipes with the perfect sauce to pasta ratio. My perfect pasta portion is 100 grams dried pasta per person or 150 grams fresh.
- I always undercook dried pasta by a minute from package instructions so that it can bubble away IN the sauce at the end and still be perfectly al dente.
- Try and find a good quality chorizo. I tested this chorizo pasta recipe first with quite a generic one as I generally do on first tests. The flavor of a more authentic one in the final test was much stronger and more delicious.
- Up the spice! If your chorizo is quite mild and you want a little more kick you could add ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes (chilli flakes) when you add the garlic.
How to cook the perfect pasta
Ever wondered the what the perfect salt to water ratio is? This guide is a must for you!
Recipe FAQs
This recipe uses cured spanish chorizo. It comes ready to eat out of the packet. You could use fresh if you wish and squeeze it out of casings before pan frying (similar method to my creamy sausage pasta) but I have not tested it.
You can if you want to but it's always edible.
I hate rules! Use whatever you love or is in the cupboard. I used rigatoni pasta as it's one of my favorite shapes. I do think a long shape like spaghetti is trickier to eat when there are pieces of sausage in the sauce.
Some other delicious pasta sauces to try
If you loved this chorizo pasta recipe, explore my full pasta recipe collection — there’s something for every craving!
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Recipe
Quick Creamy Chorizo Pasta
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Ingredients
- 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh
- 120 grams chorizo sausage sliced into 0.5cm rounds
- ½ small red onion finely diced
- 2 - 3 fresh garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ cup cream
- 40 grams parmesan very finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup packed Italian parsley finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil your pasta according to package instructions, I tend to undercook by a minute so it can bubble in the sauce at the end. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- While your pasta is boiling heat a large fry pan or skillet over a medium-high heat and cook chorizo for 3 minutes or until lightly golden. You won't need to use any oil as the chorizo will release some but add a drizzle if you need.
- Add the red onion and a big pinch of salt and continue cooking for 3 - 5 minutes until onion softens. Turn heat down if onion is coloring.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and paprika and cook down for 2 minutes. All these individual additions are necessary for flavor layering, I promise!
- Add the cream and mix well, bring to a very gentle simmer. It will look dodgy to begin with but will come together. You might need to turn the heat down, it should never be boiling.
- Add ⅓ cup pasta water and mix in well, bringing back to a gentle simmer.
- Push the chorizo to one side of the pan and add the grated parmesan in two separate lots, mixing and letting the first lot melt in before adding the second.
- Add the lemon juice and whisk in quickly.
- Add your cooked pasta in, mix and let it gently bubble away for 1 - 2 minutes so the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta.
- Toss the parsley through right before serving and enjoy!
- Check out the video below to see the sauce come together!
Laura Dulgerian says
I ATE HALF THE BOX OF PASTA!! It was so good. I am a huge fan of chorizo but never thought to put it in pasta. I did a touch less cream and added chicken broth instead with some broccoli and it was amazing. Making this for friends next week!
Emilie Pullar says
Oh that is a great way to lighten it up a bit!!! So glad you enjoyed it Laura, thank you so much for making it 🙂
Alix says
Easy to follow recipe, and thoroughly delicious
Alison says
Delicious! Such a comforting pasta dish to serve in a bowl, relaxed style and really just soak in the goodness. I made it with Radiatori and served with a little garlic bread to really soak up the sauce!
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much for making it Alison! Always great to get feedback on a new recipe. So glad you enjoyed it x
Ish says
I love this recipe!
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much Ish!! 🙂