Pork Chorizo Poppers (Paleo & Whole30)

Who’s excited for the Super Bowl this weekend!? I genuinely consider Super Bowl Sunday to be a legitimate holiday at our house. Regardless of who is playing, I get giddy with excitement the days leading up to the big event. When Travis and I were living that long-distance relationship life, being able to spend that “holiday” together was something I looked forward to most.

There’s a lot to love about Super Bowl Sunday. First, I enjoy getting the chance to learn more about the teams and their players. There are always such great back stories that I would have never known had they not made it to the final game of the season.

Of course, I also love the chance to get together with friends for a casual afternoon on a random Sunday. It always makes me wish we did things like that more often. Hearing who is rooting for which team is always fun, and the subsequent rivalries that ensue (and possibly a little low-risk betting) gives the afternoon a fun competitive edge.

I do enjoy watching both the game AND the commercials, forcing me to ask myself the very important question, “When do I use the bathroom!?”

And last but most certainly not least, I LOVE the food! Appetizers are my favorite and I could “chip and dip” all day long. What’s better than a holiday (I’m just gonna go ahead and call it that) that is ALL about the small bites and dips!? I let myself go a little crazy with the spinach & artichoke dips, cheese, “man dip”, guacamole, you name it, I’ll likely dig in!

We are planning a nice long hike with the dogs in the morning, so that we can feel totally content with plopping ourselves on the couch and settle in for a nice long afternoon of munching, cheering, and enjoying time with friends!

This year, we are heading to a friend’s house, and I wanted to think of something fun, delicious, simple, but also somewhat healthy and hearty to bring over. Enter Pork Chorizo Poppers and Guacamole. I love that they are bite-sized and all I need to do is stick a toothpick in them to make them fun, individual servings. You can easily turn them into “sliders” by using sweet potato slices as the bun, or you can serve them up with a couple of sides for a full-on delicious meal any night of the week!

When testing the recipe, I used my go-to chorizo spice blend, and went ahead and made a double batch since I knew we would be having the poppers for dinner that night. I think 2 pounds of pork makes the perfect amount to bring to a small get together or to make 4-6 large servings. Besides, I would ALWAYS recommend a double batch of this chorizo and freezing half if you don’t use it at once. I love having a stash on hand because the seasoned meat is AWESOME in breakfast tacos, frittatas, a taco Tuesday salad, etc.

I hope that whatever your weekend brings  (and whether you’re in it for the food, the game, the commercials, or just as an excuse to party on a Sunday), you have a great one and whip up a batch of these perfectly seasoned, tasty, and fun poppers to share!

Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Pork
• 1/2 red onion, diced (optional)
• Cilantro, for garnish

Spices:

• 4 Tbsp paprika
• 2 Tbsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

For the Guacamole:

• 2 avocados
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp each: cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Start with making the chorizo. In a large bowl, combine all of the spices and vinegar and mix well.  
2. Add the onion and pork and mix well. I just use my hands and work everything together until the spices are mixed evenly throughout the pork. At this point, you can cover it and let it sit for a few hours, or go ahead and make the poppers right away. 
3. Preheat the oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Using a Tablespoon as a scooper, make the pork mixture into round, even balls and place each ball on the prepared baking sheet.Once all of the balls are formed, gently press down on each one to flatten for the “popper” effect. 
4. Bake at 400º for 25 minutes. The poppers will likely release a lot of liquid but that can be drained out 🙂 Broil for an additional 2-3 minutes to brown the tops.
5. While the poppers are baking, make the guacamole. Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and mash the avocado while you mix everything up!  
6. Once the poppers are cooked, serve with guacamole and maybe some sliced sweet potatoes if chorizo sliders are more your thang!
   

These make a great appetizer or small bite, but also work great as an entre for dinner. No matter how you serve these little poppers, I have a strong feeling you will LOVE them! They are the perfect bold flavor, a fun size, and so easy to make! 

Print

Pork Chorizo Poppers

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

These fun-sized little poppers pack a punch of flavor, are super easy to throw together, and make a great appetizer or entre, depending on your mood! 

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Maggie @ Our Fine Day

Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Pork
• 1/2 red onion diced (optional)
• Cilantro for garnish

Spices:

• 4 Tbsp paprika
• 2 Tbsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

For the Guacamole:

• 2 avocados
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp each: cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Start with making the chorizo. In a large bowl, combine all of the spices and vinegar and mix well.
2. Add the onion and pork and mix well. I just use my hands and work everything together until the spices are mixed evenly throughout the pork. At this point, you can cover it and let it sit for a few hours, or go ahead and make the poppers right away.
3. Preheat the oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Using a Tablespoon as a scooper, make the pork mixture into round, even balls and place each ball on the prepared baking sheet. Once all of the balls are formed, gently press down on each one to flatten for the "popper" effect.
4. Bake at 400º for 25 minutes. The poppers will likely release a lot of liquid but that can be drained out 🙂 Broil for an additional 2-3 minutes to brown the tops.
5. While the poppers are baking, make the guacamole. Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and mash the avocado while you mix everything up!

6. Once the poppers are cooked, serve with guacamole and/or some sliced sweet potatoes if pork chorizo sliders are more your thang!