What Is Abbot's Butcher Plant-Based Chorizo?
Abbot's Butcher is a Los Angeles-based plant-based meat company founded by Kerry Song, and its Plant-Based "Chorizo" is one of the brand's four core refrigerated/frozen ground-meat products, alongside a Beefless Ground, Chicken-less Strips, and Italian Sausage. Unlike most of the plant-based meat aisle, which leans heavily on soy or wheat gluten, Abbot's Butcher builds its chorizo around a pea protein base, positioning it as a soy-free option for shoppers avoiding both animal products and soy.
The chorizo comes pre-seasoned with Spanish smoked paprika, chipotle peppers, and a chili powder blend, so it's meant to be sautéed straight from the package rather than mixed with your own spices. It's sold in a 10 oz pouch, ships frozen, and is stocked primarily at Target, Whole Foods, and a handful of regional grocers, plus direct-to-door through the brand's own site and delivery platforms like Instacart and Good Eggs.
Ingredients
The full ingredient list, pulled directly from the product packaging, is: filtered water, pea protein, tomato paste, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, onion powder, Spanish smoked paprika, chili powder (chili pepper, salt, garlic, paprika, oregano, cumin, coriander), sea salt, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, and chipotle peppers.
A few things stand out. First, there's no isolated soy protein or wheat gluten anywhere on the list — pea protein does the structural work here, which is unusual for a crumble-style product and matches the brand's soy-free, gluten-free positioning. Second, the seasoning is built from actual spices and vegetables rather than "natural flavor" catch-alls, which is part of why reviewers describe the flavor as tasting closer to house-made chorizo seasoning than a processed meat substitute. Third, there's no added sugar, no gums or stabilizers beyond what's naturally in the tomato paste, and no synthetic colorants — the reddish color comes from paprika and chili pepper, not caramel color or annatto.
Is Abbot's Butcher Chorizo Vegan?
Yes. Abbot's Butcher Plant-Based Chorizo is 100% vegan. Every ingredient on the label is plant-derived — there's no dairy, egg, honey, gelatin, or any other animal-derived additive, and the brand markets the entire product line as vegan. It's also labeled gluten-free and soy-free, which makes it one of the more allergen-friendly options in the plant-based ground meat category. As always, if you're checking a specific batch or a new flavor the brand releases later, it's worth running the label through the spvegan.com ingredient checker before you buy, since formulations can change over time even when a brand's overall line stays vegan.
Traditional pork chorizo, by contrast, is obviously off-limits for vegans (it's cured pork with pork fat), and even some "soy chorizo" products from smaller brands have been known to include dairy-based fillers or anchovy-derived flavoring in their spice blends, so it's still worth reading labels rather than assuming every product labeled "chorizo" in the vegetarian aisle is automatically vegan.
Nutrition Facts Comparison
Here's how Abbot's Butcher stacks up against two of the other widely available plant-based chorizo-style products, Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo and Melissa's Soyrizo. Figures are as labeled per package serving size, which differs slightly between brands.
| Product | Serving Size | Calories | Total Fat | Sodium | Carbs | Protein | Soy-Free? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbot's Butcher Chorizo | 1/2 cup (85g) | 140 | 6g | 420mg | 5g | 15-16g | Yes |
| Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo | 1/3 cup (56g) | 130 | 7g | 660mg | 8g | 8g | No |
| Melissa's Soyrizo | 2 oz (55g) | 90 | 4.3g | ~480mg* | 7g | 6g | No |
*Melissa's exact sodium figure wasn't listed on the source we checked; treat it as an approximate range typical of seasoned soy crumbles rather than an exact figure.
The standout number here is protein: Abbot's Butcher delivers nearly double the protein of Trader Joe's soy chorizo per serving, and more than double Melissa's, while landing in the middle on sodium. If you're using chorizo as a meatier protein source in tacos, burrito bowls, or scrambles rather than just a flavor accent, that protein density matters more than it might seem — it's the difference between a garnish and an actual protein component of the meal.
Taste and Texture
This is where Abbot's Butcher separates itself from soy-based competitors. The pea protein base browns and crisps in a way that soy crumbles generally don't — reviewers consistently describe a "meaty chew" with a crispy exterior and tender interior when it's cooked a few extra minutes past the package instructions (closer to 12-14 minutes in a hot, lightly oiled pan rather than the suggested 8-10). Straight out of the package it has a soft, almost paste-like texture, which is normal for pea-protein products and shouldn't be mistaken for spoilage — it firms up considerably once it hits the heat.
Flavor-wise, it leans savory and smoky rather than fiery. The Spanish smoked paprika and chipotle come through clearly, with a moderate, not aggressive, heat level — closer to a well-balanced restaurant chorizo than the vinegary tang you get from soy chorizo. Because it's fully pre-seasoned, it doesn't need much doctoring: a squeeze of lime and some chopped onion is usually enough to turn it into a taco filling. The tradeoff is that if you wanted a blanker canvas to season yourself, this isn't it — the spice profile is baked in and not adjustable.
How It Compares to Other Vegan Chorizo Alternatives
| Product | Base | Texture | Price (approx.) | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbot's Butcher Chorizo | Pea protein | Meaty, crisps well | $8-8.50 / 10 oz | Target, Whole Foods, online |
| Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo | Soy protein | Softer, more paste-like | ~$3 / 12 oz | Trader Joe's only |
| Melissa's Soyrizo | Textured soy protein | Loose, crumbly | ~$4-5 / 12 oz | Most major grocers |
Price is the biggest gap between these. Abbot's Butcher costs roughly double or more per ounce compared to Trader Joe's or Melissa's, and it's also the hardest to find, since it isn't stocked nationwide the way the soy-based options are (Trader Joe's is famously exclusive to its own stores, but its low price and wide store footprint make it the default budget pick where available). What you're paying the premium for is the soy-free formulation, the higher protein count, and a texture that holds up better in dishes where you want visible browning and bite, like tacos or a chorizo-potato hash, rather than dishes where the chorizo just gets folded into a sauce or scramble.
Ways to Cook and Use It
Because the seasoning is already built in, Abbot's Butcher Chorizo works best in dishes where you want that smoky, paprika-forward flavor to be the star rather than a background note. A few ways it performs well in practice:
- Tacos or burrito bowls: the most straightforward use — brown it in a hot pan for 12-14 minutes, then pile it onto tortillas with onion, cilantro, and lime, or over rice and beans for a bowl.
- Chorizo-potato hash: crisp diced potatoes separately, then combine with the browned chorizo for a breakfast hash; the pea-protein crumbles hold their shape better than soy chorizo does when stirred into a hash.
- Scrambled with tofu or JUST Egg: a classic chorizo-and-egg pairing works with either a firm tofu scramble or a liquid egg substitute, since the smoky chorizo carries most of the flavor.
- Stuffed into queso or dips: stirred into a vegan queso or folded into stuffed peppers, it adds meaty texture without needing extra seasoning.
One practical note: the pouch is meant to be used within a few days of thawing, and like most plant-based ground meats, it doesn't freeze and re-freeze well once opened — texture gets noticeably softer and more crumbly on a second freeze, so it's worth portioning out only what you'll cook in that sitting.
Who Should Buy This?
Abbot's Butcher Chorizo makes the most sense if you're avoiding soy for allergy or preference reasons and still want a ground-meat-style product with real bite and browning, not just a soy-crumble substitute. It's also a solid pick if you're cooking for a mixed household and want something that reads as "meaty" to skeptical eaters, since the texture is genuinely closer to browned ground meat than most competitors in this category. It's a weaker fit if you're cooking in bulk on a budget — at over $8 for 10 oz, it's meaningfully more expensive per serving than Trader Joe's or Melissa's, and if you're comfortable with soy, those options will stretch further for taco night or meal prep.
Final Verdict
Abbot's Butcher Plant-Based Chorizo earns its reputation as one of the better texture-forward vegan chorizo options on the market. The pea protein base browns and crisps in a way soy crumbles typically can't, the seasoning is built from real spices rather than flavoring extracts, and the protein count is genuinely competitive with animal-based chorizo. The main friction points are price and availability — it costs more than double what Trader Joe's charges and isn't sold nearly as widely, and the fixed seasoning means you can't dial the spice level down for a milder dish.
Rating: 8/10. It's not the cheapest or most available vegan chorizo on shelves, but for taste, texture, and protein content, it's one of the stronger options if you can find it and don't mind paying for it.
