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    Home / Dinner / Francesinha

    Francesinha

    Porto’s legendary sandwich — layers of bread, ham, linguíça, and steak buried under melted cheese and a spicy beer-tomato sauce.

    ⏱ 30 minPrep time
    🔥 30 minCook time
    🍽 2Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Francesinha recipe photo

    The francesinha is Porto’s glorious indulgence — a towering sandwich of ham, sausage, steak and melted cheese, drowned in a spicy tomato-beer sauce and crowned with a fried egg. It is not subtle; it is magnificent.

    Born in the cafés of Porto, it is best attacked with knife and fork, the sauce mopped up with fries. The secret is the sauce — sweet, fiery and complex — which every café guards jealously. Come hungry: this is a full project of a meal.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Simmer the tomato purée, beer, port, piri-piri, bouillon, onion and garlic for 15 minutes, blend smooth, and keep warm.
    2. Pan-fry the steak in butter, rest it briefly, and fry the chouriço slices in the same pan.
    3. Toast the bread and build the sandwich: bread, ham, steak, chouriço, bread, ham, top bread; press gently.
    4. Lay the cheese slices over the top and broil until melted and bubbling.
    5. Set the sandwich in a shallow bowl, pour the hot sauce over and around it, crown with a fried egg, and serve with fries.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    The sauce is everything — make it a day ahead if you can. Eat with knife and fork, and don't skip the fried egg.

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    Recipe details

    Prep30 min
    Cook30 min
    Servings2
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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