Here comes the uncomfortable truth: you can make the best chorizo in the world, the richest chimichurri, the perfect criolla, but if the bread is crap, the choripán is crap.

Bread is HALF of choripán. It’s not “the container” for the chorizo. It’s a fundamental part. And here’s the problem: good bakery bread is expensive, and supermarket bread is a disaster with no taste.

The solution: you make it yourself. And yes, making homemade bread sounds intimidating, but this recipe is EASY. You don’t need to be a professional baker. You don’t need to knead like crazy. You don’t even need sourdough starter. Just basic ingredients, fermentation time, and an oven.

The result: crispy bread outside, tender and fluffy inside, with REAL bread flavor. The kind of bread that makes chorizo go from 7 to 10.

Real time: 3-4 hours (20 minutes working + 2.5 hours waiting + 25 minutes baking) Yields: 8 breads for choripán Difficulty level: Intermediate - more waiting than working

What You Need

Ingredients

  • 17.6 oz (500g) all-purpose flour 0000 (about 4 cups)
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) warm water
  • 0.25 oz (7g) fresh yeast (or 0.1 oz / 3g dry yeast)
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) fine salt
  • 1 tablespoon (10g) sugar
  • 1.5 tablespoons (20ml) olive or sunflower oil

Watch out: Flour 0000 is key. It’s what’s used for bread in Argentina. If you use self-rising flour or common flour (000), it’ll come out different. Look specifically for 0000 flour.

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Film to wrap or clean towel
  • Baking sheet or tray
  • Sharp knife or scissors
  • Water spray (or cup with water)

Important: You don’t need electric mixer or bread machine. It’s made with hands only.

How to Do It (detailed step by step)

Step 1: Activate the Yeast (if using dry yeast)

If using fresh yeast, skip this step.

  1. Put 3.4 oz (100ml) of warm water (not hot, warm) in cup.

  2. Add sugar and dry yeast.

  3. Stir and let rest 5-10 minutes.

  4. Yeast activates and foams. If it doesn’t foam, it’s expired. Get another one.

Water temperature: Warm, 95-105°F (35-40°C). If too hot, kills yeast. If cold, doesn’t activate well.

Step 2: Mix the Ingredients

Here you start building the dough.

  1. In large bowl, put flour forming small mountain.

  2. Make hole in center (volcano style).

  3. In that hole add: water with activated yeast (or crumbled fresh yeast if using that), remaining warm water, salt, and oil.

  4. With spoon or hand, start mixing from center outward, incorporating flour little by little.

  5. Keep mixing until forming sticky, messy dough. Doesn’t matter if it looks ugly, it’s normal.

Watch out: Don’t add all flour at once. Incorporate little by little. Depending on day’s humidity, maybe you need slightly less or more.

Step 3: Knead (without going crazy)

This is where most people get scared. Chill, it’s easier than it seems.

  1. Lightly flour the counter.

  2. Pour dough onto counter.

  3. Knead with this technique: push dough forward with palm of your hand, fold it over itself, turn 90 degrees, repeat.

  4. Do this for 8-10 minutes.

  5. Dough at first is sticky. If it sticks too much, add A LITTLE flour. But don’t overdo it. Slightly sticky dough is good.

  6. After 8-10 minutes, dough becomes smooth, elastic, and doesn’t stick to hands as much.

You know it’s well kneaded when: Dough is smooth, elastic, and when you stretch it a bit, doesn’t break immediately. If you stretch and breaks right away, needs more kneading.

Trick: If you get tired of kneading, do 5 minutes, let it rest 10 minutes, and another 5 minutes. Rest helps gluten relax.

Step 4: First Rise (here you wait)

This is bulk fermentation, where dough doubles in size.

  1. Make ball with dough.

  2. Put in greased bowl with a bit of oil.

  3. Cover bowl with film or damp clean towel.

  4. Let rest in warm place (NOT hot, warm) for 1 to 1.5 hours.

  5. Dough has to double in size. If it’s cold, can take longer. If it’s hot, less.

Warm places: Top of fridge, near (NOT on) stove, in oven turned off but with light on.

How you know it rose well: Press with finger. If mark stays and doesn’t come back, it’s ready. If comes back fast, needs more.

Step 5: Divide and Shape the Breads

Here you convert big dough into individual breads.

  1. Pour dough onto lightly floured counter.

  2. Degas it: give gentle pats to remove air.

  3. Divide into 8 equal portions (weigh if you want them even, each should weigh about 3.5 oz / 100g).

  4. With each portion, make ball: take dough, tuck edges inward, give round shape.

  5. Then stretch each ball into elongated cylinder shape, about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide. Like hotdog bun, but chubbier.

Shaping technique:

  • Take ball
  • Flatten slightly with palm
  • Roll on itself, like matambre
  • Seal final edge pressing with fingers
  • Roll on counter to even out

Step 6: Second Rise (waiting again)

Breads need second rise before baking.

  1. Put breads on baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oiled.

  2. Leave space between each bread (they’ll grow).

  3. Cover with clean towel.

  4. Let rise 45-60 more minutes.

  5. Breads have to increase almost double in size and be fluffy.

Trick: If you want more “baguette style” elongated bread, make cylinders longer and thinner. If you want “French bread” chubbier type, make them shorter and fatter.

Step 7: Prepare the Oven

Here comes key secret for crispy bread.

  1. Preheat oven to 430°F (220°C) (HIGH temperature).

  2. Put metal container with water on oven floor or bottom rack. Steam is key for crispy bread.

  3. Let oven heat well for 15-20 minutes BEFORE putting breads in.

Steam is crucial: When bread cooks with steam, crust is crispy and shiny. Without steam, it’s opaque and hard.

Step 8: Score the Breads (scoring)

Right before putting breads in oven:

  1. With very sharp knife or kitchen scissors, make lengthwise cut on each bread. A half-centimeter deep slash, end to end.

  2. You can also make 3 diagonal cuts instead of one long one.

Why cut: Cut allows bread to expand in oven without bursting anywhere. Also looks nicer.

Trick: Wet knife in water before cutting. Glides better.

Step 9: Bake (moment of truth)

Here breads transform.

  1. Put sheet with breads in preheated oven at 430°F (220°C).

  2. Immediately spray water in metal container you put before. Steam forms. (Or use sprayer and spray water in oven before closing).

  3. Bake 10 minutes at 430°F (220°C).

  4. Lower temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake 12-15 more minutes.

  5. Total: 22-25 minutes.

You know they’re ready when:

  • They’re golden (not pale or burned)
  • When you tap bottom, they sound hollow
  • They smell like toasted bread

Watch out: All ovens are different. Yours may need 3-5 minutes more or less. Watch them the last minutes.

Step 10: Cool (YES OR YES)

When you take them out of oven:

  1. Put them on rack so air circulates below.

  2. Wait minimum 15 minutes before eating them.

  3. Bread keeps cooking inside with residual heat. If you cut them right away, crumb is gummy.

Pro tip: If you want crust MORE crispy, when you take them out of oven, brush with a bit of water and put back 2 more minutes.

How to Use This Bread for Choripán

  1. Wait for it to cool (15-20 minutes minimum).

  2. Cut lengthwise, without separating completely.

  3. Toast on grill or griddle with crumb side down, 1-2 minutes.

  4. Assemble your chori and enjoy.

The difference between this bread and supermarket bread is ABYSMAL. You’ll notice that:

  • Has BREAD flavor
  • Crust crunches when you bite
  • Crumb is fluffy but not gummy
  • Absorbs chimichurri without falling apart
  • Holds juicy chorizo without getting soaked

Bread Variations

Whole Wheat Bread for Choripán

  • Replace 7 oz (200g) white flour with whole wheat flour (not all, or it’s too heavy)
  • Add 2 tablespoons (30ml) more water (whole wheat absorbs more)
  • Rest same

Seeded Bread

  • Add 3 tablespoons seeds (sunflower, flax, sesame, chia)
  • Mix with dough in step 2
  • Optional: sprinkle more seeds on top before baking

Herbed Bread

  • Add dried oregano, rosemary, or thyme to dough (1 tablespoon)
  • Gives aromatic touch that combines perfect with chorizo

Crispier Bread

  • Lower 1.5 tablespoons (20ml) water (drier dough)
  • Bake 5 more minutes
  • Turns out baguette style

How to Store Bread

Same day: Leave breads on rack covered with clean towel. Perfect up to 8 hours.

1-2 days: Store in paper bag (NOT plastic bag). Plastic softens crust. Paper maintains crunch.

3-5 days: Store in closed plastic bag. Crust softens but bread is still edible. Reheat 5 minutes in oven before using.

Freezer: Wrap each bread in film and store in freezer bag. Last up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat directly in oven 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

The Errors That Ruin Bread

Error 1: Rushing the rises Bread needs time. If it didn’t rise well, it’s small, heavy, and without structure. Give it the time it needs.

Error 2: Water too hot Water over 120°F (50°C) kills yeast. Warm water, 95-105°F (35-40°C) max. Test with finger: should be warm, not hot.

Error 3: Not kneading enough If you don’t develop gluten (kneading 8-10 minutes), bread doesn’t rise well and is crumbly. Don’t skip kneading.

Error 4: Cold oven Bread needs VERY hot oven. If you put it in warm oven, doesn’t grow, doesn’t brown, and looks bad. Preheat minimum 20 minutes.

Error 5: Not making steam Without steam in oven, crust is opaque and hard, not crispy and shiny. Water container is key.

Error 6: Cutting hot bread If you cut it fresh out of oven, crumb is gummy and spreads. Wait minimum 15 minutes.

Questions Everyone Asks

Can I make it without yeast? No, this bread needs yeast. Without yeast doesn’t rise. Yeastless breads exist (like focaccia with baking soda) but aren’t for choripán.

What if I don’t have 0000 flour? You can use 000 common flour, but bread will be less fluffy. 0000 has more gluten and gives better structure.

Can I prepare dough night before? YES. After first kneading, put dough in fridge all night (8-12 hours). Next day take out, divide, shape, short rise (30 min) and to oven. This is called “cold fermentation” and bread is even MORE flavorful.

Why didn’t my bread rise? Options:

  • Expired or dead yeast
  • Too hot water (killed yeast)
  • Very cold environment (took much longer)
  • Didn’t leave enough time

Why did my bread come out hard? Options:

  • Too little water in dough
  • Baked too long
  • Didn’t make steam
  • Cut bread too hot

Can I make it on grill instead of oven? Yes, but harder. Need grill with lid and constant temperature. Put breads on sheet over grill, close lid, and cook 25-30 minutes. Not same but works.

How much does it cost to make homemade bread? With these ingredients, 8 breads cost $3,000-4,000 ARS ($3-4 USD). About $400-500 ARS ($0.40-0.50 USD) each. At artisan bakery they charge $1,200-1,500 ARS ($1.20-1.50 USD) for similar bread. Save more than half.

Is homemade bread healthier? YES. You know exactly what it has: flour, water, yeast, salt, oil. Industrial bread has preservatives, improvers, extra sugar, trans fats. Yours doesn’t.

Do I need mixer? NO. Kneads perfectly with hands. Mixer with dough hook speeds up process, but not necessary.

The Final Truth

Making homemade bread isn’t hard. It’s TIME. Waiting time, rising, baking. But active time (you working) is only 20 minutes.

The rest is waiting for yeast to do its magic.

Is it worth it? Absolutely. When you try choripán with freshly made homemade bread, you understand you never want to go back to store-bought bread.

First time it’ll come out good but not perfect. Crust maybe not as crispy as you wanted, or crumb a bit denser. Doesn’t matter. It’ll still be a THOUSAND times better than supermarket bread.

Second time you already know your oven, your yeast, your timing. Comes out better.

By fifth time you’re already amateur baker and they come out perfect.

And best: when you invite people and tell them “I made the bread,” they look at you like you’re a genius. Let them think that. Don’t tell them it’s easy.

Follow us on Instagram: @choripan_com_ar

More recipes and guides: