Grilled Choripán Recipe (Argentinian Chorizo Sandwich)

Argentinian Choripán with Chimichurri and Salsa Criolla

Choripán is an Argentinian grilled sausage sandwich made with chorizo served in a crusty roll, usually topped with chimichurri. Easy to make, fun to eat.

For a U.S. grocery shopper: look for fresh, uncooked chorizo-style sausage or a mild pork sausage—not the dry Spanish chorizo sold near cured meats.

Choripán with Chimichurri & Salsa Criolla

Choripán is the ultimate street food in Argentina: a chorizo grilled over hot coals, tucked into rustic bread and served with herb, vinegar, and oil-based sauces. The recipe is simple, but when the ingredients are good, the result is absolutely delicious.

The success of choripán lies precisely in that simplicity. A good chorizo, preferably made with a mixture of beef and pork, provides the fat and texture needed to stay juicy during cooking. The bread, on the other hand, needs enough structure to hold the chorizo and sauces without falling apart. The classic accompaniment is the famous chimichurri sauce, and bringing a little American influence to this choripán recipe, we will also add salsa criolla.

For Argentinians, and even Uruguayans, choripán is like hot dogs are to Americans: that delicious, casual food you eat with friends, and an essential part of their urban culture.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Choripán is as addictive as the hot dog itself, but it has one huge advantage when you are planning a barbecue: it is very filling. Unlike hot dogs, choripán is a complete meal on its own.

It also has all the practicality of street food. You can prepare the sauces ahead of time and have everything ready before lighting the grill. Then all you need to do is cook the chorizos, toast the bread, and assemble the choripanes. It is an excellent option when you want to feed several people without spending hours in front of the grill.

Finally, it is much more affordable than a traditional meat barbecue.

History of Choripán

There is a lot to talk about here, and I love recipes with a story.

Choripán originated in the Pampas region, the agricultural and cattle raising heart of Argentina, and its first protagonists were the gauchos, no less than the Argentine cowboys. The idea was to simplify food preparation and make it practical for long working days.

Because it was meant to be eaten standing up, choripán eliminated the need for plates and utensils. The chorizo could be cooked directly over the coals and placed inside the bread, creating a quick, practical, and substantial meal that could keep the stomach full during long days of work.

In those vast plains, there was not much access to processed products either, so the accompaniments were made with simple ingredients that were readily available: herbs, onion, garlic, peppers, oil, and vinegar.

Over time, choripán made its way to Buenos Aires and became an important part of the traditional street food carts with grills. Its popularity eventually crossed all social classes, and the days when choripán was exclusively a gaucho affair are long gone. It is just as common to find it in the hands of an executive leaving a soccer match as it is as a quick meal during a worker's lunch break. Today, it is undoubtedly one of Argentina's most representative street foods.

Notes on This Choripán Recipe

Choripán is a simple recipe, so you don't have to worry about making things complicated. What matters is taking care with the quality of every ingredient.

The chimichurri and salsa criolla can be prepared ahead of time. In fact, for chimichurri, time is a key ingredient. If you prepare it 24 hours in advance, the vinegar, oil, and herbs will blend beautifully, allowing the flavors to settle and develop much better.

The bread should be toasted directly on the grill with the cut side facing the heat. Golden trick: take advantage of some of the same fat released by the chorizo onto the grill and use it to coat the bread before toasting it. Besides adding incredible flavor, this creates a protective barrier that keeps the crumb from becoming soggy from the sauces.

If you prefer a choripán that is less heavily dressed, drain some of the salsa criolla and chimichurri before using them. You can also make it with chimichurri alone, which is the more traditional accompaniment.

More recipes with chimichurri

Grilled marinated steak with chimichurri

Grilled chicken with chimichurri

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Choripán

Bread: I recommend Mexican bolillo, which is easily found in many supermarkets, or American baguettes. The latter are usually wider and softer than French baguettes, making them easier to chew and very well suited to this type of sandwich. Forget completely about soft breads like hot dog buns; they won't work.

Chorizo: Preferably a mixture of pork and beef (70% pork and 30% beef), with enough fat to keep it juicy during cooking. However, here in the USA, we sometimes have to use what is available. My local grocery store (Fry's / Kroeger) generally carries the 100% pork variety, and that's what I'll use. If you have a Mexican grocery store nearby, check with them to see what options are available.

For the Sauces (Chimichurri & Salsa Criolla)

To simplify the preparation, both sauces share the same base. Prepare a good amount of the following ingredients and divide them between two bowls:

• The Shared Base:
  • Parsley: Flat-leaf or curly, finely chopped. (Note: for the salsa criolla, two tablespoons of parsley are enough).
  • Peppers: Mild varieties such as Mini Sweet Peppers, Banana Peppers, or Shishito.
  • The Dressing: Mild olive oil, or a neutral oil, and a white vinegar with good acidity.
    
• To finish the Chimichurri, add to the first bowl:
  • Oregano: Fresh or dried.
  • Green onion: Both the white and green parts, finely chopped, or scallions.
    
• To finish the Salsa Criolla, add to the second bowl:
  • Tomato: Red, ripe but firm, cut into small dice.
  • Red onion: Thinly sliced.

How to Make Choripán

The first step to making a good choripán starts at the grocery store. Look for a well-seasoned chorizo with enough fat, and bread with a firm crust that is still easy to chew.

Prepare the chimichurri and salsa criolla first. One fundamental detail for the chimichurri: chop all the fresh ingredients by hand with a knife. Avoid the blender or food processor at all costs, as they would emulsify the oil and vinegar, giving the sauce a cloudy appearance and a pasty texture instead of a rustic, glossy finish. This is one of those recipes where I do not like to be too strict with measurements. I prefer to mix, taste, and adjust. Personally, I like my chimichurri with plenty of green onion, almost in the same proportion as the parsley.

Tips for Making Choripán

• The butterfly cut: Not all chorizos are the same thickness. If yours is particularly thick, cut it lengthwise without separating the halves completely and open it like a butterfly. This takes the choripán to another level. It not only increases the surface area in contact with the grill, allowing the chorizo to brown perfectly on the inside and become crispy on the outside, but it also has a mechanical advantage: the chorizo lies flat, fits perfectly inside the bread, and does not slide out when you bite into it.
  
• Avoid very high heat or a flame that is too aggressive. Medium heat allows the fat to render slowly while the exterior browns and develops those irresistible grill marks, preventing the chorizo from burning before it is fully cooked inside.

What to Serve with Choripán

Choripán is a complete meal on its own, but you can also make it part of a larger barbecue by serving it with salads, grilled vegetables, or different sauces so everyone can assemble their own.

There are also more modern versions that incorporate caramelized onions, mushrooms, grilled vegetables, and other ingredients. They are not traditional versions, but they are an excellent way to play with the recipe.

Choripán is best enjoyed freshly assembled. I do not recommend storing it already assembled in the refrigerator because the sauces will eventually soak into the bread and ruin its texture. If you need to prepare ahead, make the sauces and cook the chorizos separately, but assemble the choripanes right before serving.