Review: El Burrito Soyrizo

Non GMO, vegan, gluten free, ero preservatives, no cholesterol…and actually tastes good? Almost impossibly – yes! Quite how I am unsure, I can only assume there’s some witchcraft afoot in this product. This soyrizo from El Burrito Mexican Food Corp (a sub label of House Foods) has been a staple in my fridge ever since I randomly grabbed it as a spare of the moment purchase more than a year ago; and promptly devoured the packet in less than a day after opening.

This is a rare find in the faux-meat world – it’s quite difficult to detect the underlying soy base if prepared well. Unlike a seitan product for example where the flavor of wheat gluten prevails, the flavorings here are robust: lots of citrus, lots of garlic and earthy chili; indeed I am willing to bet a few more sensitive souls actually find the spice levels too much. If you’re ok with a medium hot sauce, you’ll be o.k. here too, but it does have a little bite.

Texture wise, its a little softer than real chorizo, but it has an excellently rich mouthfeel; in fact its almost too rich, so use carefully. Quite honestly I am not sure how given then relatively low fat content (see below). For meat eaters looking to transition to a heather diet – and afraid of missing out on flavor – this would be a first choice for me. Indeed, that’s exactly what got me hooked.

For its ease of use, great nutrition and versatility in a range of dishes, this is one of our Smart Buys for sure.

El Burrito Soyrizo what’s in the box

One big plastic wrapped tube ‘o chorizo! Simply snip the end of the packet and stuff can be squeezed out with the consistency of raw sausage meat.

El Burrito Soyrizo cooking instructions, nutrition and ingredients

Cooking this soyrizo is very simple, just heat in a pan with a little oil. The soyrizo also very well at high temperatures (the packet says to cook it this way in fact), developing a really enjoyable crisp texture that might be useful in your dish.

Nutritionally, salt is all you really have to keep an eye on here. I’m continually surprised by how good this product tastes and how low the fat is – especially saturated fat.

What’s a fair price?

The best price I have found for this El Burrito soyrizo so far is $3.45 from Natural Grocers.

What dishes can you make with El Burrito Soyrizo

Obviously Mexican dishes like burritos, tacos, enchiladas and more spring to immediate mind. I’ve used this soyrizo in a myriad of dishes and it works really well. For something a little different – how about as a topping on a Mexican flavor inspired burger:

Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.  I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows.

I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years.   I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen.  Follow along on Instagram too!