Ah, longganisa! 🍖 This is the iconic Filipino sweet-savory sausage that comes in many regional varieties, often served with garlic rice and eggs for breakfast. Here’s a classic sweet Filipino longganisa recipe you can make at home:
Homemade Sweet Filipino Longganisa
Ingredients (makes ~20 sausages)
- 2 lbs (900 g) ground pork (fatty, 20–30% fat is best)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup vinegar (preferably cane or white vinegar)
- 1 head garlic, minced (about 6–8 cloves)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika (optional, for color)
- Sausage casings (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the Meat:
In a large bowl, combine ground pork, minced garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix thoroughly until everything is evenly incorporated. - Marinate:
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours, or preferably overnight. This helps the flavors develop. - Stuff the Casings (Optional):
If using casings, soak them in water and rinse well. Using a sausage stuffer or a piping bag, fill the casings with the meat mixture, twisting into 4–5 inch links. - Cook:
- Pan-fry: Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat. Add longganisa and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through (~15–20 min). Cover with a lid and a little water for the first 5–10 minutes to steam and render fat, then uncover to brown.
- Grill: Preheat grill and cook until browned and cooked through.
- Serve:
Traditionally served with garlic fried rice (sinangag) and fried eggs for a classic “longganisa breakfast.”
đź’ˇ Tips:
- For a garlicky kick, increase garlic to 10 cloves.
- For spicy longganisa, add 1–2 tsp chili flakes.
- Don’t overmix, or the texture can get too dense.
If you want, I can also give a quick “skinless longganisa” version that doesn’t need casings and cooks even faster—perfect for weeknight breakfasts. Do you want me to do that?
