Just Add Chorizo: This $5 Trader Joe's Find Is A Breakfast Hash Game Changer

If you're looking for a budget-friendly and easy morning meal, Trader Joe's should be your number one stop. The grocery giant offers a range of frozen and pre-made options to make those busy mornings much less stressful. One of its recent frozen additions, Spicy Spuds, is making shoppers' breakfasts both tastier and much less time-consuming. It also made the list of Tasting Table's 14 fan-favorite Trader Joe's sides so good, they could be the main course.

For just $4.49, this 20-ounce frozen find may just be a side dish, but its texture and bold flavor take center stage in any meal. You get bite-sized potato pieces seasoned with a savory, mildly spicy blend featuring cayenne pepper, lime juice, Parmesan cheese, and smoked paprika. If you're a fan of bigger, bolder flavors in the morning, these Spicy Spuds make an excellent base for a breakfast hash when paired with chorizo for a rich, savory boost from the seasoned pork. 

If you follow a plant-based diet, or even if you don't, Trader Joe's much-beloved Soy Chorizo is a great alternative. While a soy-based chorizo might sound like a compromise, many say the vegan TJ's staple tastes better than the real thing, making it easier than ever to grab everything you need for breakfast at one spot. To bring the dish together, cook your chorizo or Soy Chorizo in a skillet first. If using pork chorizo, remove the meat and cook the Spicy Spuds directly in the leftover pan fat so they get golden and extra crispy before mixing everything back together.

On Reddit, many shoppers who saw this combination of chorizo with the Spicy Spuds were reminded of breakfast they would eat growing up, known as chorizo con papas in Mexican households. Some add a bit of hot sauce and cilantro to the Spicy Spuds and chorizo to make breakfast burritos. You can also add some chopped bell peppers and onions into the pan to amplify the savory flavor. Reddit commenters noted that the Spicy Spuds make a great filling for many dishes, including one Mexican staple called pambazos. One Redditor noted that Trader Joe's sells sandwich rolls that work just like the Mexican bolillo rolls used in pambazos. Covered in a red guajillo chile sauce before being fried and filled with the spicy potato and chorizo filling, you can add a bit of shredded lettuce, queso fresco, and sour cream to finish it off. 

If you really want to step your breakfast game up a notch, you can buy Trader Joe's Corn & Wheat Tortillas, cut them into triangles to make a delicious homemade chilaquiles recipe. Just fry them, add red or green salsa, or even Trader Joe's Pepita Salsa,a fried egg, and the potatoes on the side. Since these Spicy Spuds aren't too spicy, they'd would work great for toddlers, but if you wanted extra kick, you could always add extra cayenne or serve them with your own hot sauce on the side. As you can see, these spuds are basically meant for breakfast, but are versatile enough to work for lunch or dinner options, such as tossed into Trader Joe's Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup, or as a side to your one-pan dinner. This is truly one of Trader Joe's better meal combos around.