Chorizo is a pork sausage originating from Spain. It is made from coarsely chopped fatty pork and seasoned with chili and paprika. The mild Spanish paprika used is what gives this sausage its characteristic flavor.
Better known in the Western hemisphere are the Mexican and Caribbean versions. In these versions, the pork is ground rather than chopped and different seasonings are used in addition to chili.
Chorizo can be eaten as is or fried. Like breakfast sausage, it is used as an ingredient of other dishes. It also can be used as a partial replacement for ground beef or pork.