This is a warm potato salad built around pan-fried Spanish chorizo — the sausage does most of the flavor work, and the fat it leaves in the pan becomes part of the dressing. It comes together in about 25 minutes with one pot and one skillet, and the ingredient list is short enough to pick up on the way home. If you need a filling lunch or a light dinner without much cleanup, this delivers.
The technique that matters
The single most important move in this recipe is not wiping out the skillet after the chorizo comes out. That reddish, smoky fat left behind is what coats the onions and eventually the whole salad. If you drain it off or swap the pan, you lose the depth that makes this dish work without a complicated dressing. The second thing worth getting right is potato doneness — you want them tender all the way through but still holding their shape when you toss everything together. Start checking at 10 minutes by piercing a piece with a fork; it should slide in without resistance but the potato shouldn’t be falling apart. Overcooked potatoes turn the salad mushy fast.
Shopping notes
- Spanish chorizo: This is the cured, firm sausage sold in vacuum-sealed packages near deli meats or specialty charcuterie — not the raw, loose Mexican chorizo in the refrigerated sausage section. They behave completely differently. If your store only carries the raw version, this recipe won’t work the same way.
- Small red potatoes: The small size matters because quartering them gives you pieces that cook evenly in 10–12 minutes. Larger red potatoes work but need to be cut smaller; big uneven chunks will cook unevenly.
- Red wine vinegar: Standard pantry stuff. White wine vinegar is a fine substitute. Skip the balsamic — it’s too sweet and will muddy the flavor.
What can go wrong
- Chorizo steams instead of crisping: This happens when the slices are crowded in the pan. Work in two batches if your skillet is small. You want each round sitting flat with space around it.
- The salad tastes flat: Red wine vinegar is doing the seasoning work here alongside salt — if it tastes dull, add another small splash of vinegar before adding more salt. Acid is usually what’s missing.
- Potatoes fall apart when tossing: They were either overcooked or still too hot when you combined everything. Let them cool for 3–4 minutes after draining before they go into the bowl. Skip the garnish of extra parsley on top — not worth the extra dish — but do mix the parsley in while everything is still warm so it wilts slightly and blends in.
- Salad is greasy: If the chorizo released a lot of fat, don’t pour every drop of the skillet drippings over the salad. Use the onions to soak up what’s in the pan, then add the rest of the bowl ingredients and judge by eye. You want everything lightly coated, not pooling at the bottom.
- Onions are too sharp or raw-tasting: Two minutes in the skillet is the minimum — if your onion slices are thick, give them a full 3 minutes. They should look slightly translucent and have lost their raw bite before you add them to the bowl.
Spanish Chorizo and Potato Salad
Equipment
- Chefs Knife
- Cutting board
- Large pot
- Skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds small red potatoes quartered
- 8 ounces Spanish chorizo sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 1 bunch fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, place the quartered potatoes and cover them with cold water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced chorizo and cook until it is browned and crispy on the edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to a mixing bowl, reserving the oil in the skillet.
- In the same skillet, lightly sauté the red onion for about 2 minutes until slightly translucent. Add this to the mixing bowl with chorizo.
- Add the cooked potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and chopped parsley to the mixing bowl.
- Pour in the red wine vinegar, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss gently to combine all the flavors ensuring the salad is well mixed.
Notes
Jen’s Tips:Â
- For added zest, sprinkle some lemon zest over the salad before serving.
- For a lighter version, substitute half of the chorizo with a diced, roasted red bell pepper.
- If maintaining a crisp chorizo texture, serve the salad immediately after tossing.
Serving Suggestions:Â
- Serve the salad warm or at room temperature, garnished with extra chopped parsley. It pairs beautifully with a chilled glass of Spanish Albariño wine. Its vibrant colors of red, green, and golden yellow create a visual feast that invites the appetite.
Culinary Context:Â
- Spanish Chorizo and Potato Salad is a modern twist inspired by Spain's rich tapas culture. The interplay of robust chorizo with tender potatoes is emblematic of Spanish cuisine's ability to combine simple ingredients into extraordinary dishes.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use any other sausage if I can’t find Spanish chorizo?
A firm, smoked kielbasa or andouille is the closest substitute — both are cured, slice cleanly, and release fat when pan-fried. The flavor will be different but the technique still works. Avoid any raw or fresh sausage; it won’t crisp the same way and the fat it releases tastes different.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can boil the potatoes and slice the chorizo up to a day ahead and refrigerate them separately. Hold off on cooking the chorizo and assembling until you’re ready to eat — the chorizo loses its crisp texture once it sits in the salad for more than 20–30 minutes.
How do I know when the chorizo is done in the pan?
Look for the edges to turn dark and slightly curled, and the cut faces to develop a browned crust — about 5 minutes over medium heat. The pan will also show a pool of reddish-orange fat, which is what you want. If the chorizo looks pale and soft after 5 minutes, nudge the heat up slightly.
Is this served hot, warm, or cold?
Warm or room temperature is best — the fat from the chorizo solidifies when refrigerated and the texture gets heavy. If you do refrigerate leftovers, let the salad sit out for 15 minutes before eating rather than serving it straight from the fridge.
What to cook next
- Smoky Mediterranean Bean Skillet
- Warm Citrus Beet Salad
- Crispy Halloumi Panzanella Salad
- Speedy Twice-Baked Potato Casserole