Review: MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles

Overall

Are MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles any good?

Yes! We’re big fans of this product. It takes less than ten minutes from freezer to plate, it’s seasoned out of the bag and relatively healthy and affordable. What’s not to love?

As I fancy myself something of a whizz in the kitchen – not least the spice cabinet – it’s with some leery caution I pickup products that come pre-seasoned or pre-flavored. Surely, I tell myself, I could do a better job with the raw product and five minutes of rummaging around my stupidly large spice collection.

Enter stage right then these chorizo crumbles from MorningStar Farms. I initially mistook them for a seasoned version of the Grillers Crumbles, which we’re particularly fond of, but that’s certainly not the case. These are definitely their own unique product, in taste, texture and cooking method (see below).

Taste wise these have a mild heat with a wallop of citrusy zest. Theres a little garlic and paprika and you won’t need to reach for any additional seasoning of your own. I mean you can, but they’re plenty tasty right out of the bag. With the quick and easy cooking time, this means you can have a meal plated in less than 15 minutes without thinking at all.

Texturally the chorizo is slightly meatier than the softer Grillers Crumbles – it has more bite. If you decided to use these in tacos, burritos or enchiladas with the whole heap of toppings that’s usually part and parcel, I bet a few meat eaters might even be fooled. As a standalone product it’s obviously meat free, but it’s still plenty enjoyable.

One final note worthy of mention is this a vegan friendly product – something of a welcome anomaly in MorningStar Farm’s larger product range than often doesn’t cater to this dietary group.

MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles – what’s in the bag?

MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles

Here’s an action shot of the chorizo at work, ready to get folded up into some tortilla. I’ve served them here black beans, cilantro ranch, guac and pico.

MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles with blackbeans close up

MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles cooking instructions, ingredients and nutrition

As I mentioned earlier, these are not quite like the Grillers Crumbles product. The chorizo here is cooked by simmering in a little liquid, first at high heat, then at a lower heat. It works pretty well, but you needn’t begin with frying in oil like the Crumbles.

I haven’t tried the microwave cooking time, but might give it a whirl sometime soon as it reduces the cooking time to a mere five minutes.

MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles cooking instructions, ingredients

MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles package front

How much are MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles

In April 2019, I paid $4.98 for this 13.5 ounce bag. It’s not the cheapest MorningStar Farms product, but you’ll easily get a couple of meals for two people out of the bag; so for my money under $5 is a fair price all day long.

More MorningStar Farms products and dishes

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!

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