Name: Francesinha (Portuguese Layered Sandwich)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 8 slices of thick white bread; 4 thin beef steaks (about 120g each); 4 smoked pork sausages (linguiça or chouriço, halved lengthwise); 4 slices cured ham; 4 slices mortadella or similar cured pork; 16 slices mild melting cheese (Edam or flamengo, traditional Portuguese cheese); Butter for toasting; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 medium onions (finely chopped); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 2 bay leaves; 250 ml beer (lager style); 150 ml beef stock; 200 g tomato passata; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp port wine; 1 tsp paprika (sweet); 1 tsp piri piri sauce (or hot chilli sauce, to taste); 1 tsp sugar; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (for thickening if needed); Fried eggs (optional); French fries

August 13, 2025
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Francesinha (Portuguese Layered Sandwich)

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Francesinha is a bold and hearty sandwich from Porto, famous for its generous layers and rich sauce. It is a dish that takes the idea of a sandwich far beyond a simple lunch and turns it into something closer to a full meal on a plate.

This is comfort food with a sense of occasion, often enjoyed as a shared treat with friends. Its layered meats, melted cheese, and signature beer infused tomato sauce create an indulgence that is as much about the experience as the taste.

It is served hot, usually with chips on the side, and arrives at the table covered in melted cheese with the sauce poured over until the bread disappears beneath it. Every forkful is rich, savoury, and deeply satisfying.

What Is Francesinha?

Francesinha begins with thick slices of bread, stacked with layers of cured ham, fresh sausage, steak, or roast meat. The sandwich is topped with cheese before being smothered in a hot sauce made with beer, tomato, and spices.

The name means little Frenchie, a playful nod to its inspiration. While it resembles a croque monsieur in spirit, the scale and complexity are unmistakably Portuguese. It is both a sandwich and a full plated dish.

Some variations add a fried egg on top, allowing the yolk to mix with the sauce. Others include extra layers of meat or spicy chouriço for added depth. Whichever the style, the essence lies in the balance of meat, bread, cheese, and sauce.

Ingredients and Taste

A typical Francesinha includes white bread, cured ham, fresh sausage, thin steak or roast beef, and slices of cheese that melt easily. The sauce combines beer, tomato, garlic, stock, and sometimes piri piri for heat.

The bread is sturdy enough to hold the fillings without collapsing under the sauce. The cheese melts into a soft blanket over the top, keeping the heat in and helping to bind the flavours together.

The sauce is key. It is savoury with a hint of sweetness from the tomato, given depth by the beer and stock, and often a touch of spice. When poured over the sandwich, it soaks into the bread, creating a rich, almost stew-like quality.

A Taste of History

Francesinha is believed to have been created in the mid-twentieth century by a Portuguese chef who had worked in France and Belgium. He adapted the French croque monsieur to suit local tastes, adding more meat and a bold sauce.

The dish became a hit in Porto, where its generous size and warming sauce suited the city’s cooler, rainier climate. It quickly moved from a novelty to a staple in cafés and casual restaurants.

While the core recipe remains the same, each kitchen brings its own approach to the sauce and fillings. Some guard their sauce recipes closely, treating them as a signature element of their establishment.

Today, Francesinha is a symbol of Porto’s food culture. It reflects a willingness to take inspiration from abroad and make it unmistakably Portuguese, resulting in a dish that invites both curiosity and loyalty.

How to Make Francesinha

Francesinha, meaning “little Frenchie,” is a bold Porto sandwich layered with cured meats, steak, and cheese, crowned with a rich beer and tomato sauce. It’s indulgent, messy, and unforgettable. The magic lies in the sauce’s slow simmer, which binds the hearty elements together into a dish best eaten with a knife and fork. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions

Ingredients

For the sandwich

8 slices of thick white bread
4 thin beef steaks (about 120g each)
4 smoked pork sausages (linguiça or chouriço), halved lengthwise
4 slices cured ham
4 slices mortadella or similar cured pork
16 slices mild melting cheese (Edam or flamengo, traditional Portuguese cheese)
Butter for toasting

For the sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
250ml beer (lager style)
150ml beef stock
200g tomato passata
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp port wine
1 tsp paprika (sweet)
1 tsp piri piri sauce (or hot chilli sauce, to taste)
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (for thickening if needed)

For serving

Fried eggs (optional)
French fries

Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the sauce base

To begin, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and bay leaves, cooking until onions are soft and golden. Stir regularly to prevent burning. Transition to adding liquids.

Step 2: Build the sauce

Pour in beer, beef stock, tomato passata, and tomato paste. Stir to combine, then add port wine, paprika, piri piri, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer. Move to slow cooking.

Step 3: Simmer for flavour

Let the sauce simmer gently for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This slow cooking deepens flavour and softens the onions. If the sauce is too thin, whisk in the cornflour slurry. Proceed to blending.

Step 4: Blend and strain

Remove bay leaves. Use a stick blender to puree the sauce until smooth, then strain for a silky finish. Return to low heat to keep warm while preparing the sandwich components.

Step 5: Cook the meats

In a skillet over medium to high heat, grill the steaks for 2–3 minutes each side until just cooked through. Cook sausages until browned. Set aside and keep warm. Move to bread preparation.

Step 6: Toast the bread

Butter each bread slice lightly and toast on a griddle or frying pan until golden on both sides. This helps keep the sandwich structure firm. Prepare for layering.

Step 7: Assemble the sandwich

On a toasted bread slice, layer cured ham, mortadella, steak, and sausage. Top with another bread slice. Cover the sandwich completely with cheese slices. Move to melting the cheese.

Step 8: Melt the cheese

Place sandwiches on an oven safe tray. Heat in a preheated oven at 180°C for 5–7 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted and drapes over the sides. Proceed to saucing.

Step 9: Sauce generously

Place each sandwich on a deep plate. Pour hot sauce generously over the top, allowing it to soak into the bread slightly. Transition to garnishing.

Final Step: Serve immediately

Serve hot, optionally topping each sandwich with a fried egg. Add French fries on the side to complete the experience. Presentation tip: Keep extra sauce in a jug for those who want more.

Variations and substitutions

Linguiça substitute: Use Spanish chorizo (mild, not smoked) if Portuguese sausage is unavailable.
Flamengo cheese substitute: Use mild Edam or Gouda.
Port wine substitute: Use Madeira or omit and add 1 tsp brown sugar for sweetness.
For a lighter version, replace beef steak with grilled chicken breast.

Cooking Tips for Perfect Francesinha

Use day-old bread to prevent the sandwich from becoming soggy.
Keep sauce warm and covered until serving to maintain its smooth texture.
Slightly undercook the steak before assembling so it stays juicy after oven heating.
Always melt the cheese in the oven, not under a grill, to avoid uneven melting.