Back to Recipes
🥩Meat

Francesinha

The famous Porto sandwich, stuffed with various meats, covered in melted cheese, and bathed in a spicy tomato and beer sauce.

⏱️90 min
👥2 Servings
Hard
Francesinha

📖 The Story

The Francesinha was created in 1953 by Daniel David de Silva, a Portuguese emigrant who returned from France and Belgium. Inspired by the French croque-monsieur, he adapted it to Portuguese tastes by adding local meats and a unique beer-and-tomato sauce. The name "francesinha" means "little French girl" and was first served at A Regaleira restaurant on Rua do Bonjardim in Porto. Today, every Porto restaurant takes pride in their secret sauce recipe.

🧺 Ingredients

  • For the sandwich (per serving):
  • 2 thick-cut slices of bread
  • 1 linguiça (cured Portuguese sausage)
  • 1 fresh pork sausage
  • 2 slices of ham
  • 2 slices of bologna
  • 1 thin-cut rump steak
  • 5-6 slices of Flemish cheese
  • 1 egg (optional)
  • French fries to serve
  • For the sauce:
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 20ml olive oil
  • 200ml white wine
  • 4 tbsp ketchup
  • 4 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp oxtail soup mix
  • 100ml whiskey
  • 50ml Tawny Port wine
  • 500ml Pilsner beer
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tbsp piri-piri sauce
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 100ml milk
  • 1 tsp flour

👨‍🍳 Instructions

  1. 1

    Prepare the sauce: Dice the onion and braise in olive oil until soft.

  2. 2

    Add white wine, ketchup, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil.

  3. 3

    Dissolve oxtail soup mix in 520ml boiling water and add to the pot.

  4. 4

    Add whiskey and Port wine. Boil for 35 minutes with the lid half-on.

  5. 5

    Blend until smooth.

  6. 6

    Add beer, Worcestershire sauce, piri-piri, and chicken bouillon.

  7. 7

    Dissolve flour in milk and add to the sauce. Boil for 15 more minutes with lid on.

  8. 8

    Keep on minimum heat until serving.

  9. 9

    Assemble the sandwich: Lightly toast bread without crushing it.

  10. 10

    Cook steak medium-rare and let it rest briefly.

  11. 11

    Cut and cook linguiça and fresh sausage to match bread size.

  12. 12

    Fry the egg (optional) and potatoes separately.

  13. 13

    In an oven-safe dish: layer bread, ham, bologna, linguiça, sausage, steak, and second bread slice.

  14. 14

    Cover with cheese and broil until melted.

  15. 15

    Add egg on top if desired, pour hot sauce over, and serve immediately.