Choripán Uruguayo
Recipes with Chorizo Uruguayo
The choripán is Uruguay's street food. Grilled chorizo, split and laid open inside a crusty bread roll, finished with salsa criolla or chimichurri. You eat it standing. The bread soaks the juices and the salsa criolla cuts the fat with raw onion and vinegar. Every parrilla in Montevideo serves one. The Mercado del Puerto sells them from noon until the fires go out.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
12 min
Servings
2
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- 2 chorizo uruguayo links
- 2 crusty bread rolls (pan francés or similar)
- For salsa criolla: 1 white onion, finely diced
- 1 ripe tomato, finely diced
- Half a green pepper, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Salt and black pepper
Steps
Make the salsa criolla first: combine the diced onion, tomato, and green pepper in a bowl. Add vinegar and oil, season with salt and black pepper, and let it sit at room temperature while you grill.
Grill the chorizo links over medium-hot coals or a gas grill on medium. Turn them every 3-4 minutes. Total grill time is about 12 minutes. The skin should puff and color with char marks; the juices at the puncture-free ends should run clear.
Split the bread rolls and toast the cut sides on the grill for 30-40 seconds until light gold.
Split each chorizo lengthwise with a sharp knife, opening it like a book. Lay it cut-side-up inside the toasted roll.
Spoon the salsa criolla generously over the chorizo. Close the roll and serve at once.
Tips
The salsa criolla needs at least 10 minutes to macerate before serving, so that the onion loses some sharpness. If the bread is too soft, it turns to mush. A roll with a proper crust is non-negotiable. Chimichurri works as a substitute for salsa criolla, but the two together is the best version.