Macarrones con Chorizo (Spanish Pasta with Chorizo)

A recipe for Macarrones con Chorizo (Spanish Pasta with Chorizo)! Penne is paired with a simple tomato sauce, chorizo, and shredded Manchego cheese.

This Macarrones con Chorizo recipe is a fairly simple and easy way to use up two of my favorite Spanish ingredients: Chorizo and Manchego cheese!

A simple tomato sauce is made with crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, and a bit of salt and dried oregano. After simmering for a few minutes, the sauce is tossed with diced chorizo and al dente penne pasta before transferring to a baking dish.

Top evenly with a layer of shredded Manchego and Parmesan cheese, then bake just until melted and bubbly.

This comforting meal is best served warm from the oven, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

A Few Tips

When removing the chorizo from the pan, leave the oil behind. This will be used to cook the onions and tomato sauce.

Avoiding alcohol? You can swap the white wine for chicken stock or simply omit.

Most of the recipes I have come across use penne pasta, but you can substitute with other types of tube pasta if desired.

Boil the pasta just until it is starting to become tender, but not fully softened. It will continue to cook in the oven and soak up the tomato sauce.

To get a more golden topping, you can also broil the cheese-topped pasta until golden in a broiler-safe dish.

Notable Ingredients

Spanish Chorizo is a type of smoked or cured sausage seasoned with paprika. Based on the type of seasoning, it can be spicy or sweet. It is available in the specialty or deli section of many larger grocery stores and markets with Spanish ingredients.

For those in the Northern Virginia area, I was able to locate it at Wegmans. Do not substitute with Mexican Chorizo, a completely different product. I used mild Spanish Chorizo for this dish, but the spicy version would be great for those who want a little kick.

Manchego is a type of Spanish cheese made with sheep’s milk, pasteurized or unpasteurized. It is from La Mancha, Spain and named after the breed of sheep- Manchega. The color is pale yellow to yellow with a deep yellow to brownish inedible rind.

In the beginning of the aging process, from 3 to about 6 months, it is called Manchego Curado. At this point, the cheese is pale yellow with a smooth texture. Once the cheese is aged around a year (Manchego Viejo), the yellow color deepens and it becomes crumbly in texture. It is fragrant, with a sharp and nutty flavor. Be careful not to confuse it with Manchego-style cheese created in other parts of the world.

If you cannot find Manchego, you can swap for a low moisture Mozzarella in this recipe.

Looking for more recipes with chorizo?

Try my:

• Croquetas de Chorizo (Spanish Chorizo Croquettes)
• Chorizo and Sweet Potato Salad
• Patatas a la Riojana (Potatoes Rioja-Style with Chorizo)

This recipe was originally posted in March 2014 and updated in August 2022.

Macarrones con Chorizo (Spanish Pasta with Chorizo) Recipe

Adapted from The Spanish Cuisine

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Macarrones con Chorizo (Spanish Pasta with Chorizo)

A recipe for Macarrones con Chorizo (Spanish Pasta with Chorizo)! Penne is paired with a simple tomato sauce, chorizo, and shredded Manchego cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword cheese, chorizo, macarrones, manchego, noodle, pasta, Spain, Spanish

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
• 8 ounces (227 grams) Spanish chorizo diced
• 1 medium onion peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) dry white wine
• 18 ounces (515 grams) crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pound (450 grams) dried penne pasta
• 4 ounces (113 grams) Manchego cheese shredded
• 2 ounces (57 grams) Parmesan cheese grated
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

• In a large saucepan, drizzle the olive oil over medium heat.
• Once heated, add the chorizo and cook, stirring often, until heated through and starting to crisp, about 4 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the chorizo to a plate while leaving behind the oil.
• Add the onion to the saucepan and cook until beginning to turn golden, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Pour in the white wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Cook until nearly evaporated.
• Pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with the oregano and salt. Stir in the chorizo.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. If too thick, add a little more crushed tomatoes or water. Adjust seasonings to taste.
• While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Once boiling, add the penne and cook until just starting to become tender. Remove from heat and drain.
• Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 centimeter) baking dish with olive oil.
• Combine the drained penne and chorizo tomato sauce. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Cover the pasta evenly with the shredded Manchego cheese, followed by the grated Parmesan.
• Cook in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and starting to turn bubbly, 20-30 minutes.
• Serve the pasta warm from the oven.