Choripán — argentinisches Chorizo-Sandwich mit Chimichurri
The undisputed king of Argentine street food and the opening act of every asado: a juicy grilled chorizo, butterflied for maximum char, tucked into crusty bread and slathered with vibrant, garlicky, herby chimichurri. Choripán (chori + pan) is simple, smoky and gloriously messy — the thing everyone eats while the rest of the barbecue is still cooking. The chimichurri is non-negotiable, and the bread should be sturdy enough to soak up all the juices.
Make a chimichurri by mixing finely chopped parsley, oregano, lots of garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, chilli flakes and salt, and let it sit so the flavours meld. Butterfly fresh chorizo sausages (cut them lengthwise, almost through, and open them flat) so they cook fast and get maximum char. Grill them over medium coals, cut-side down first, until cooked through and crisp-edged. Tuck each into a split, lightly toasted crusty roll and spoon over plenty of chimichurri. Eat immediately.
- Butterfly the chorizo (open it flat) so it cooks through evenly and chars at the edges.
- Make the chimichurri ahead and let it sit — it's the soul of the sandwich, so don't skimp.
- Use crusty, sturdy bread that holds up to the juices and chimichurri.
Equipment
- Grill or grill pan
- Knife
- Bowl (for chimichurri)
Zutaten
Choripán
- 4 fresh chorizo sausages (criollo-style)
- 4 crusty bread rolls (or baguette pieces)
Chimichurri
- Large handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano; 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar; 100 ml olive oil
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (ají molido); salt
Zubereitung
- SCHRITT01
Mix the chopped parsley, oregano, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, chilli flakes and salt in a bowl. Let it sit at least 30 minutes (or longer) so the flavours come together.
- SCHRITT02
Cut each chorizo lengthwise almost all the way through and open it out flat (mariposa). This helps it cook faster and gives more surface to char.
- SCHRITT03
Grill the chorizos over medium coals (or a hot grill pan), cut-side down first, turning, until cooked through and crisp and browned at the edges, about 12–15 minutes. Don't rush over too-high heat or they'll char outside and stay raw within.
- SCHRITT04
Split the rolls and lightly toast the cut sides on the grill.
- SCHRITT05
Tuck a butterflied chorizo into each roll and spoon over plenty of chimichurri (and a little salsa criolla — chopped tomato, onion and pepper — if you like). Serve immediately, with napkins.
Make ahead
Make the chimichurri well ahead — it's better after resting and keeps for over a week, so it's a great staple to have on hand. Grill the chorizo and assemble the choripán fresh to serve. At an asado, the choripán is the first thing off the grill while the rest cooks.
Storage
Best assembled and eaten fresh and hot off the grill. Chimichurri keeps a week or more refrigerated and actually improves over a day or two (it's great on everything). Grilled chorizo keeps 2 days; reheat on the grill. Don't pre-assemble — the bread goes soggy. Bring the chimichurri to room temperature to serve.
Variations
With salsa criolla
Add salsa criolla (chopped tomato, onion, pepper in vinegar) alongside the chimichurri.
Chimichurri rojo
Use a red chimichurri (with paprika/tomato) for a different flavour.
Other sausages
Use any good coarse fresh grilling sausage if you can't get Argentine chorizo.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Häufige Fragen
What kind of chorizo is used for choripán?
Fresh, raw chorizo (chorizo criollo) — a coarse, seasoned pork (sometimes pork-and-beef) sausage that's grilled, not the cured, sliceable Spanish chorizo. It's juicy and meaty rather than dry. If you can't find Argentine-style fresh chorizo, any good-quality coarse fresh grilling sausage works as a substitute. The key is grilling it fresh over fire.
Why butterfly the sausage?
Cutting the chorizo lengthwise and opening it out flat (called 'mariposa', butterfly) speeds up cooking and exposes more surface to the grill for extra char and crisp edges. It also makes it sit flat and neat in the bread. A whole, un-cut sausage takes longer and can char outside before the centre is done. The butterfly is the classic choripán cut.
What is chimichurri?
Chimichurri is the essential Argentine herb sauce — finely chopped parsley and oregano with lots of garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, chilli flakes and salt. It's tangy, garlicky, herby and a little spicy, and it's spooned generously over the chorizo (and grilled meats generally). It's the defining flavour of choripán, so don't skip it — and it's even better made ahead.
What bread should I use?
Sturdy, crusty bread — a crisp roll (like a French-style pan or a baguette cut into lengths) that can hold the juicy sausage and chimichurri without falling apart or going soggy too fast. Lightly toasting the cut sides on the grill helps. Soft sandwich bread won't stand up to the juices; you want something with a bit of chew and crust.
What's the difference between choripán and a hot dog?
Quite a lot. Choripán uses a coarse, flavourful grilled fresh chorizo (not a smooth emulsified hot-dog frankfurter), in crusty bread, topped with chimichurri (and sometimes salsa criolla) rather than ketchup and mustard. It's smokier, meatier and more rustic — a piece of Argentine asado culture rather than fast food. The grilled-over-fire chorizo and the chimichurri are what set it apart.
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