Forget Bacon: Give Breakfast 10x The Flavor With This Spicy Swap

Crispy bacon can transform a simple serving of fried eggs into a scrumptiously smoky breakfast. This cured protein is crunchy, savory, and salty, making it a reliable staple, but if you're after something with a little more kick, consider swapping it for chorizo.

Chorizo is a variety of spiced pork sausage that features paprika and chili. These core seasonings give it a distinctive flavor and a rich color. Available in a cooked variety (that's often sliced thinly for tapas) or a soft form that needs to be cooked first, this meaty classic is smoky, warming, and aromatic; it's simply packed with attitude. Uncooked chorizo has an almost paste-like texture inside its casing, but once it's cooked, it has a similar texture to ground pork and can develop lots of crispy edges as it's fried. It also has a slight chew to it, which lends it a satisfying and filling texture that's ideal for pairing with jammy eggs or even fluffy pancakes and syrup if you like a sweet-and-salty start to your day. While chorizo is traditionally meat based, you can find vegan versions, like soy chorizo from Trader Joe's, that feature the same spices but substitute the pork for textured soy protein, resulting in a low-fat and low-cholesterol option.

Aside from its taste and meaty texture, one of the best things about using chorizo at breakfast (whether it be the meaty the or vegan variety) is the way it releases its golden, flavorful oils into the pan as it cooks. In the same way that rendered bacon fat can be used as a frying agent for potatoes and veggies, the same goes for this smoky, spicy elixir. Just cook your raw chorizo in your skillet and crack your eggs straight into the fat as it renders to give the eggs a distinctive color and spicy flavor. You can do the same with home fries or hash browns too to build a lavish breakfast with plenty of protein, carbs, and warming spice. Better yet, you won't need to use any additional oil as the fat from the chorizo will be plenty to crisp up your taters and give your fried eggs frilly edges. Crispy nuggets of chorizo are also incredible for adding to breakfast burritos instead of a classic pork or beef sausage, scattering them over fluffy scrambled eggs, or incorporating into an omelet.

Chorizo also happens to be the secret ingredient for upgrading Sloppy Joes and the aromatic addition you need for the best taco night ever. So if you don't manage to use it all up at breakfast, be sure to incorporate it into your dinner recipes.