Francesinha

Francesinha
The francesinha on a saucy dish
TypeSandwich
Courseside dish
Place of originPorto, Portugal
Created byDaniel David de Silva
Main ingredientsbread, ham, linguiça, fresh sausage (chipolata), steak or roast meat, cheese, spiced tomato-and-beer sauce
VariationsEgg atop, different meats or vegetarian substitutes inside, fried potato chips aside

Francesinha (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɾɐ̃sɨˈziɲɐ], meaning little Frenchie or little French sandwich) is a Portuguese sandwich, originally from Porto, made with layers of toasted bread and assorted hot meats such as roast, steak, wet-cured ham, linguiça, or chipolata, over which sliced cheese is melted by the ladling of a near-boiling tomato-and-beer sauce called molho de francesinha. It is typically served with fried potato chips.

History

Francesinha with fried potato chips

The francesinha is a 20th-century creation attributed to Daniel David de Silva who, upon returning to Portugal from time spent in France and Belgium, tried to adapt the croque monsieur to Portuguese tastes. In 1953, he introduced a sandwich with local meats and a custom beer-and-tomato sauce at A Regaleira, a restaurant in Rua do Bonjardim in Porto. The francesinha quickly became a popular dish, and although it remains associated with the city, it can now be found throughout Portugal.

Variations

Francesinha in Porto, Portugal
Francesinha in Porto with a fried egg

There is no standard recipe for the francesinha. Variations of the original include fillings such as pork, chicken, pastrami, tuna, cod, and vegetarian options.

Common varieties include:

Different restaurants in Portugal have special variations, such as:

Regional variants include:

Sauce

Francesinha sauce varies, with each establishment having its variation. The only common ingredient is beer. Most, though not all, sauces are tomato-based and vary in their degree of spiciness. The colour is usually red or orange.

Reception

The Daily Meal included the francesinha in their article "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of".

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Francesinha: Portuguese Sandwich Recipe". We Travel Portugal. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "Francesinha, a sandwich that will welcome you to Porto". Food’n Road. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  3. ↑ ""Porque não chamar-lhe francesinha?" A história de como foi batizada a famosa iguaria portuense". observador.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "The Best Francesinhas in Porto". Happy Cultura. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  5. ↑ Controlinveste. "As francesinhas à moda da Póvoa - dn - DN". dn.sapo.pt (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 11 August 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
  6. ↑ Dan Myers (27 February 2015). "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of". The Daily Meal. Retrieved 3 March 2015.

Further reading