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Francesinha, the Portuguese “sandwich”

Francesinha, the Portuguese croque-monsieur

Main dishes

The Francesinha: A hearty sandwich filled with pork, sausage, and ham, topped with melted cheese and a rich sauce made with beer and tomatoes.

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At a glance: serves 2 people, 1 hr 10 min total (30 min prep and 40 min cook time), difficulty: medium, about $4.59 per person.

Recipe from Xabier Cañas, Gaztarrotz, adapted by Recette de cuisine · · updated on

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Francesinha is a Porto specialty: a layered sandwich filled with pork, sausage, and ham, topped with melted cheese and a sauce made with beer, tomatoes, and Tabasco. It’s best eaten immediately, with a hearty appetite.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time30 min
  • Cook time40 min
  • Total1 hr 10 min
  • DifficultyMedium
  • CostModerate
  • Cooking methodGratin
  • Estimated cost$9.18 $4.59 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 16, 2026.

Ingredients

2 people

Sauce

  • $0.14
  • $0.09
  • $1.01
  • $0.85
  • $0.17
  • $0.28
  • $0.05
  • $0.73
  • $0.04

Sandwich

  • $0.44
  • $0.35
  • $5.03

Prices from US supermarkets for 8 of 12 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. First, start with the sauce, as it takes the longest to prepare and needs to be ready before assembling the sandwich. ≈ 3 min
  2. Peel and chop the garlic and onion. ≈ 8 min
  3. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the chopped garlic and onion. Stir to combine.
  4. When the onion is softened and starting to brown, after about 6-7 minutes, add the crushed tomatoes, beer, Tabasco sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
  5. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes.
  6. Add the vegetable stock, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat.
  7. Take a small amount of sauce, add the cornstarch, and stir to dissolve. ≈ 4 min
  8. Stir the mixture back into the saucepan. ≈ 3 min
  9. Blend the sauce using an immersion blender or a food processor. If you want a very smooth sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or colander. ≈ 4 min
  10. Return the sauce to the saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens without forming lumps.
  11. After three or four minutes, it will thicken: remove it from the heat and keep it warm while you prepare it.
  12. Cook the pork chops and sausages in a frying pan over medium heat.
  13. Cut the sausages in half lengthwise so they cook faster and sit better on the bread. ≈ 8 min
  14. Grill the slices of bread.
  15. Preheat the oven to the grill setting, at 200 °C.
  16. Place a slice of bread on a plate, followed by two slices of pork and a slice of cheese. ≈ 3 min
  17. Place another slice of toasted bread on top, then add the sausages and a slice of cheese.
  18. Cover with the last slice of bread, followed by the cooked ham slice. ≈ 3 min
  19. Place four slices of cheese, each covering one side and part of the top. ≈ 3 min
  20. Cover with the last slice of cheese and bake the dish for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
  21. Carefully remove the plate, making sure not to burn yourself, and then pour hot sauce over the top and sides to cover them. ≈ 3 min
  22. Serve immediately. ≈ 2 min

The bill

Francesinha, the Portuguese croque-monsieur

  • Half an onion$0.14
  • 1 clove of garlic$0.09
  • 1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce$1.01
  • 330 ml of blonde beer$0.85
  • 100 g of canned crushed tomatoes$0.17
  • 30 g of butter$0.28
  • 15 ml of Worcestershire sauce$0.05
  • 200 ml of vegetable stock$0.73
  • 10 g of fine cornstarch$0.04
  • 3 slices of white bread$0.44
  • One slice of cooked ham$0.35
  • Two or three sausages$5.03

Total$9.18

that's $4.59 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Equipment

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Before you start

Ingredients

  • Half an onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce
  • 330 ml of blonde beer
  • 100 g of canned crushed tomatoes
  • 30 g of butter
  • 15 ml of Worcestershire sauce
  • 200 ml of vegetable stock
  • 10 g of fine cornstarch
  • 3 slices of white bread
  • 2 pork loin steaks
  • One slice of cooked ham
  • Two or three sausages
  • 8 slices of cheese for sandwiches (meltable)

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