Vegan Product Review: Soyrizo

Soyrizo is a vegan meatless chorizo product made by El Burrito Mexican Food Products, Inc. Made from non-GMO soybeans, Soyrizo has 60% less fat than traditional chorizo and no cholesterol or preservatives.

This tasty alternative to the traditional Mexican chorizo sausage cooks up easily in a frying pan and is a spicy addition to breakfast, or any meal. As with most off the shelf products, it has a nice spice to it, but not enough for my taste. When I cook Soyrizo I generally add garlic, jalapenos or other spices to liven it up a bit. However, even without my doctoring, it is one of the tastiest meat alternatives out there.

Soyrizo: Nutrition Information

Each serving of Soyrizo has 120 calories, 9 grams of fat (.5g saturated fat), 3 grams of fiber, 440mg sodium, and 7 grams of protein. It also contains 15% of the daily value of vitamin A, 2% of vitamin C, 6% of calcium and 10% of iron. The fat and sodium content are a bit higher than I would like, but if you keep the fat and sodium content for the rest of the meal to a minimum, Soyrizo is a very tasty source of protein and iron.

Soyrizo: Serving Suggestions

I usually mix Soyrizo with scrambled tofu and serve it in the same manner that you would serve chorizo and eggs; however, there are lots of other options for this great tasting meat substitute. It is great served with rice or beans and is also just fine on its own cooked with peppers and onion. It can be used as a spicy alternative to vegan ground burger crumbles in most dishes and is particularly delicious in vegan chili.

Also, the texture and consistency is similar enough to chorizo made from beef or pork that anyone interested in transforming their favorite chorizo dishes to healthier, vegan or vegetarian meals should have no problem doing so.

Soyrizo: Overall Review

I love Soyrizo. It's a bit higher in fat and sodium than I prefer, so I don't serve it quite as often as our taste buds would like, but the nutritional value is such that it can certainly be incorporated into meal planning every week if you wish. I like the taste and the texture and appreciate the versatility of the product.

This is a great, rich tasting addition to any vegan or vegetarian diet and a great way for flexitarians and meat-eaters to incorporate non-meat protein sources without losing flavor.