One of Spain’s most popular comfort foods is migas con chorizo. This easy side dish recipe combines stale bread, olive oil, garlic, and chorizo for a true treat. Serve Spanish migas for breakfast with a fried egg, or as a Spanish-style Thanksgiving stuffing.
Looking for other Spanish recipes you’ll love? Don’t miss these popular recipes for huevos rotos and tortilla de patatas.
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Introduction
Migas is the Spanish way to use up stale bread. The most basic version is made by frying stale bread chunks in olive oil and seasoning with garlic cloves. I call it Spanish stuffing!
The stale bread is dampened with water, and once it’s fried to golden perfection, it’s mixed with other yummy extras, like fresh chorizo, juicy salt pork, fried eggs, and roasted red peppers. Many people love to add a sweet garnish, like grapes or pomegranate seeds for a savory-sweet combo.
It’s important to note that here in Spain, migas are usually served as a full (and heavy!) dish. But it also makes a lovey, Spanish-style Thanksgiving stuffing! I make it every year, and it’s always a hit.
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you’ll need to make this mouthwatering migas con chorizo? Grab these key ingredients, and you’ll be off to a great start!
- Bread: you can use what you have on hand, but the heartier the better! I like to use a local sourdough, stale baguette, or even a local corn flour bread I find here. Experiment!
- Chorizo: Try to find semi-cured chorizo if you can or otherwise use raw chorizo. A fully cured one won’t be quite as tasty.
- Salt pork: Substitute with pancetta or fried bacon.
- Paprika: Use smoked Spanish paprika for the best results. Sweet paprika is most traditional, but go for spicy if you prefer.
- Olive Oil: Good quality oil is essential, as the bread takes on the flavor of the oil here.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Vegetarian Version
- Omit all meat and add fried onion, more bell pepper, and roasted chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
- Fry the onion separately in large chunks until lightly caramelized.
- For the garbanzo beans, coat canned, drained beans in olive oil, sea salt, and paprika and spread on a baking tray. Cook at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes until chewy, not dry.
- Add the onion and chickpeas at the end for texture and protein.
How to Make Migas con Chorizo
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Pulse the bread chunks in the food processor until it’s a mix of small and large chunks. Toss the crumbs in a large bowl with ¼ cup of water and mix with your hands, then set aside. (image 1)
- Fry the garlic cloves and bay leaves in a heavy skillet. (image 2)
- Once the garlic starts to brown, add the meat and cook until browned. Drain the meat, reserving the fat. (image 3)
- Fry the peppers in the pork fat until they’re browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and paprika. (image 4)
- Add the garlic and meat mixture back to the pan, then dump in the breadcrumbs and stir well, making sure the bread is well coated. (image 5)
- Add some extra olive oil, and if making for Thanksgiving, feel free to add some turkey drippings. (image 6)
- Transfer the migas con chorizo to a large serving plate and garnish with fresh rosemary or pomegranate seeds if desired. (image 7)
- Enjoy the migas while they’re hot and fresh! (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
In Spain, migas is a flavorful dish that makes day-old bread taste amazing! Simply whirl it into breadcrumbs and mix it with browned chorizo and salt pork (or pancetta/bacon) and sautéed peppers and garlic. Cook with olive oil until browned and flavorful, and enjoy!
In Spain, migas makes great use of day-old bread, while in Mexico, migas is typically made with stale tortillas.
Migas means “crumbs” in English, which refers to the breadcrumbs that make up the majority of the dish in Spain.
Expert Tips
- If it’s looking too dry (the breadcrumbs look raw and aren’t absorbing enough oil), don’t hesitate to add more olive oil. The final dish should be somewhat dry, but packed with flavor.
- Add a fried egg on top to make this a full meal!
- Make this vegetarian by omitting the meat and bulking this up with caramelized onions, extra sautéed pepper, and canned chickpeas.
Migas with Chorizo Recipe
This simple and quick Spanish migas with chorizo recipe transforms stale bread, chorizo, garlic, and peppers into a delicious dish! This is one of my favorite side dishes for a Spanish-style Thanksgiving.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 322.15kcal
Instructions
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Tear the bread into chunks and pulse in a food processor until the bread becomes half breadcrumbs, half small chunks.
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Place the crumbs in a large bowl and drizzle about ¼ cup of water on top. Mix with your hands until the bread is damp, but not soggy. Add more water if necessary.
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Pour two generous tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add the garlic cloves (with skin on) and the bay leaf. Fry over medium heat until the garlic cloves are browned, which should take a few minutes.
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Add the chorizo and salt pork and cook until browned. Remove the meat and veggies with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the oil in the pan.
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Add the diced peppers to the seasoned oil and fry until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the paprika and sauté for 10 seconds.
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Add the garlic and meat mixture and season to taste with salt.
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Add the rehydrated bread crumbs and cook until the bread absorbs the oil and turns golden and has a dry consistency, about 5 minutes. If the bread looks raw and not golden, add more olive oil.
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If you have turkey drippings, add a spoonful of them to the migas right before serving.
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To serve, spoon the migas onto a large platter and garnish with rosemary sprigs if you wish. Try garnishing with pomegranate seeds or sliced grapes for a sweet and savory rendition. Enjoy right away!
Notes
- Make sure the bread is damp (but not soggy) before adding to the pan. If it’s too dry, it won’t absorb enough flavor to be tasty.
- If it’s looking too dry (the breadcrumbs look raw and aren’t absorbing enough oil), don’t hesitate to add more olive oil. The final dish should be somewhat dry, but packed with flavor.
- Add a fried egg on top to make this a full meal!
- Make this vegetarian by omitting the meat and bulking this up with caramelized onions, extra sautéed pepper, and canned chickpeas. Coat the chickpeas in olive oil, sea salt, and paprika and roast at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes until chewy, not dry.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 322.15kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.27g | Protein: 14.68g | Fat: 13.37g | Saturated Fat: 4.79g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.91g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.32g | Cholesterol: 30.94mg | Sodium: 389.33mg | Potassium: 174.76mg | Fiber: 2.22g | Sugar: 4.04g | Vitamin A: 946.79IU | Vitamin C: 33.22mg | Calcium: 82.49mg | Iron: 3.47mg
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
