Spanish

Serving

Spanish Quick & easy

Chorizo a la Sidra

Name: Chorizo a la Sidra
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1 lb Spanish chorizo (cured, not fresh), sliced into 1/2-inch rounds; 1 cup dry Spanish hard cider (sidra); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1 bay leaf; crusty bread for serving

Sliced Spanish chorizo simmered in dry Asturian cider until the sauce is tangy, smoky, and gloriously red — a quick tapas that pairs beautifully with beer.

20 minutes

Serves 2

Appetizer

9 min prep

15 min cook

Contains common allergens

Wheat

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the sliced onion, cooking until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.
2
Add the chorizo slices and cook, turning occasionally, until they release some of their paprika-red oil and are lightly browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3
Pour in the hard cider and add the bay leaf, then bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4
Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cider reduces by about half and forms a light sauce that coats the chorizo.
5
Discard the bay leaf and taste the sauce, adjusting with a splash more cider if it is too concentrated.
6
Serve immediately in the skillet or a warm dish, with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the cider sauce.

Chorizo a la Sidra — plated and served — Serving moment. How Chorizo a la Sidra looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

72/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 58

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

515

Calories

27 g

Protein

2 g

Carbs

43 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Chorizo a la sidra is a beloved tapa from Asturias and the north of Spain, where cider rather than wine is the local drink, made by simmering fresh chorizo in dry hard cider until the sausage plumps and the cider reduces to a tangy glaze. The apple acidity cuts the richness of the paprika-spiced sausage perfectly. It is bar food at its best: three ingredients, fifteen minutes, and a crowd reaching for bread.

Listahan note

This version simmers whole or sliced chorizo in dry cider until the alcohol cooks off and the sauce turns into a glossy, tangy glaze. It is built to be the easiest impressive tapa you can put on a table.

Technique cues

Prick or lightly brown the chorizo first so it releases some fat and color into the cider before it simmers.
Let the cider boil hard for a few minutes to drive off the raw alcohol, then reduce it to a syrupy glaze that clings to the sausage.
Use dry hard cider, not sweet; the tartness is what balances the rich, fatty chorizo.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Slice the bread and have it ready at the table while the chorizo browns, since the dish comes together in minutes once the cider goes in.
Make-ahead: You can brown the chorizo a few hours ahead, then reheat with the cider just before serving so the glaze is fresh.
Leftover move: Slice leftover chorizo over scrambled eggs or fold it into a potato hash with a little of the leftover glaze.
Cleanup rhythm: Deglaze the warm pan with a splash of water after serving so the sticky glaze lifts off without scrubbing.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Fresh Spanish chorizo

The star

Purpose: Soft cooking chorizo releases its paprika-rich fat into the cider, which is the whole flavor of the dish.

Handling: Leave whole and prick, or slice into thick coins, then brown lightly before adding cider.

Adaptation: Cured chorizo can work but stays firmer; a smoked pork sausage is the closest substitute if needed.

Dry hard cider (sidra)

The braising liquid

Purpose: Asturian dry cider provides the apple tartness that defines and balances the dish.

Handling: Pour over the browned chorizo and simmer until reduced to a glaze.

Adaptation: A dry white wine works, or for alcohol-free use apple juice cut with a splash of cider vinegar.

Bay leaf

Aromatic note

Purpose: It adds a subtle herbal background that rounds out the cider and sausage.

Handling: Add whole to the simmer and remove before serving.

Adaptation: A sprig of thyme can stand in, or omit for a more straightforward flavor.

Crusty bread

The essential vehicle

Purpose: Bread to mop up the cider glaze is part of the tapa, not an afterthought.

Handling: Slice and have it ready at the table to soak up the sauce.

Adaptation: Any rustic loaf works; a gluten-free crusty roll for dietary needs.

Technique notes

Flame the cider briefly if you are confident, which burns off alcohol fast and adds a faint toasty note, a flourish seen in some Asturian sidrerias.
Pour the cider from a height, the traditional escanciado pour, to aerate it before cooking, which is theatrical and softens the flavor.
Reduce the glaze until it just coats the back of a spoon for the glossiest, most cling-worthy sauce.

Ingredient swaps

Alcohol-free direction: Simmer in unsweetened apple juice with a splash of cider vinegar to mimic the dry cider tang without alcohol.
Lower-fat direction: Brown the chorizo and drain some of the rendered fat before adding cider for a lighter glaze.
Pork-free direction: Use a smoked chicken or turkey sausage seasoned with paprika, accepting a milder result.

Serve alongside

Crusty bread for the glaze
Pan con tomate
A plate of Manchego
Marinated piquillo peppers
More Asturian dry cider
A light Tempranillo
Sparkling apple soda for an alcohol-free match

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled chorizo and glaze in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat gently in a small skillet over low heat, loosening with a splash of cider or water if the glaze has thickened too much. It freezes acceptably for up to two months, though the texture is best fresh.

Equipment

A small heavy skillet or shallow pan
Tongs for turning the sausage
A sharp knife for slicing
A small spoon for basting the glaze

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