Swap Bacon With One Smoky, Spicy Meat For Next-Level Potato Skins

Although their origins are murky, potato skins are indisputably delicious. Made with crispy, hollowed-out potato halves filled with toppings like bacon, cheese, and sour cream, potato skins are a hearty, savory, and mouth-watering appetizer. Although classic potato skin fixings are tried-and-true toppers, consider shaking things up by ditching bacon for chorizo.

A spicy, flavorful sausage, chorizo is made from pork and seasoned with a dynamic blend of spices like paprika, garlic, and chile powder. Known for its deep flavor that can be equal parts smoky and savory, chorizo gives potato skins a bold flavor that rivals the taste of bacon without straying from those familiar pork flavors. At once succulent and crispy when cooked, chorizo elevate potato skins with their dynamic, satisfying mouthfeel. Small, flavorful crumbles of the sausage add heft to the snack and integrate seamlessly with other ingredients, ensuring an even distribution of meaty goodness.

Potato skins aren't complete with just one topping. Luckily, chorizo marries well with many of the same ingredients that potatoes do, which means your pairing options are anything but limited. Cheddar or Monterey Jack are sharp, melty cheeses that can hold up the bold taste of chorizo. Top that decadent layer of meat and cheese with rich sour cream, tangy guac, and spicy jalapeños for a handheld appetizer that ticks all the boxes. Don't forget some green onion trimmings for a burst of allium freshness. If you're feeling particularly creative, use sweet potatoes to contrast the sausage's robustness.

Chorizo comes in a few different forms, so consider your options before you introduce it to your platter of potato skins. Mexican chorizo is typically made by filling a long sausage casing with raw ground pork and seasonings before it is air-dried for a short period for aging purposes. It's characteristically crumbly and often removed from its casing before cooking and consumption. There are red and green versions (the latter being harder to find), which get their hue based on the type of chiles used.

Spanish chorizo, on the other hand, is commonly prepared by stuffing a sausage casing with seasoned pork meat and curing it. It's air-dried for a longer period than its Mexican counterpart and often sold ready to eat without cooking or removing from the casing. This type of Spanish chorizo is firm, dense, and well-suited for slicing and snacking. Although it can work with potato skins, Mexican chorizo might be a more practical option for those who want the flavor of charred rather than cured pork..

It's no secret that tofu isn't pork, but soyrizo might just trick you into thinking otherwise. Soyrizo, or soy chorizo, is made from tofu or other soy proteins that have been marinated and seasoned in chorizo-inspired spices. It's sold in sausage-esque casings and flaunts a texture similar to Mexican chorizo, making it an excellent option for vegan potato skin recipes. Regardless of which variety you use or what you pair it with, as long as you add chorizo to your potato skins, your taste buds will thank you.