Skinless Longganisa, a Filipino sausage, is known for its sweet and garlicky profile. Shaped like logs, it's simple to prepare without the need for hog casings or specialized equipment.
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What is longganisa?
Longganisa comes from the Spanish word "longaniza," a sausage that can be fresh, cured, or smoked. In the Philippines, there are several varieties specific to different regions. They are made with a generous amount of garlic and can either be savory (de recado) or sweet (hamonado).
Longsilog is a beloved Filipino breakfast with longganisa, Sinangag (Garlic Fried Rice), and itlog (fried egg), served with Achara (Pickled Green Papaya) and a spiced vinegar dipping sauce.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Ground meat: You can use ground pork or chicken. An 80/20 lean meat-to-fat ratio keeps them moist and flavorful.
- Paprika: It adds color without making it spicy. You can use regular or sweet paprika with a very mild flavor. Smoked paprika is okay, but make sure it isn't the hot variety.
- Brown sugar: Feel free to reduce the amount if you don't like them sweet.
How to make this recipe
Prepare 24 squares (4 x 4 inches) of wax or parchment paper. You can also use cling wrap.
Step 1: Mince 2 heads of garlic (less if you like it less garlicky) and place them in a resealable bag or in between sheets of parchment paper. Add a pinch of coarse salt (to use as an abrasive) and mash them using a hard object to make garlic paste.
PRO TIP: Take your time to mash the garlic into a paste to evenly distribute the flavor, leaving no raw garlic bits in your longganisa.
Step 2: Combine 2 pounds of ground meat, garlic paste, 1 tablespoon kosher salt (use half for table salt), ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, ½ cup brown sugar, and ¼ cup pineapple juice in a bowl.
Step 3: Using your hands, thoroughly mix them.
Step 4: Place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture on parchment paper.
Step 5: Shape it into a log, spreading it evenly.
Step 6: Use the back of a spoon to press the sides or twist the ends if using cling wrap.
Step 7: Tightly roll the log.
(8)Repeat the process to form equal-sized logs with the remaining mixture. Refrigerate them for a few hours to firm up slightly.
(9)Heat a bit of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the sausages until browned and fully cooked.
Recipe FAQs
Longganisa can be sweet or savory with plenty of garlic. My recipe for skinless longganisa is a sweet-style Pampanga longganisa. It is best served with Achara(Pickled Green Papaya) or a spiced vinegar dipping sauce.
Raw sausages will last up to a week in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Once cooked, they will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. It is also important to consider how it was handled, the ingredients used, and how long it sat out.
Try other silog-breakfast options
A silog-type of breakfast that combines sinangag (garlic rice), itlog (fried egg), and a choice of protein. Here are some popular options:
- Tapsilog: Beef Tapa with marinated beef slices in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic.
- Tocilog: Pork Tocino or sweet cured pork, typically made with pork belly or shoulder marinated in soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and annatto powder.
- Chicken Tocilog: Chicken Tocino or sweet cured chicken, a variation of the traditional tocino.
- Sisigsilog: Sizzling chopped pig parts cooked with onions and chilies.
- Bangsilog: Marinated and fried bangus (milkfish) served with spiced vinegar.
- Bacsilog: Crunchy bacon slices, a universal breakfast favorite.
Other pork recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Skinless Longganisa Recipe
Equipment
- Frying pan or skillet
- Wax paper, parchment paper, or cling wrap
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground pork or chicken (see note)
- 2 heads garlic mashed into a paste
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt use half for table salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika (see note)
- ½ cup brown sugar (see note)
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
Instructions
- Prepare 24 squares (4 x 4 inches) of wax or parchment paper. You can also use cling wrap.
- Mince the garlic cloves and place them in a resealable bag or in between sheets of parchment paper. Add a pinch of coarse salt (to use as an abrasive) and mash them using a hard object to make garlic paste.
- Combine ground meat, garlic paste, salt, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, sugar, and pineapple juice in a mixing bowl.
- Using your hands, thoroughly mix them.
- Place about 2 tablespoons of the pork mixture on parchment paper. Spread it out to form a log.
- Press the sides with the back of a spoon or twist the ends if you're using cling wrap. Roll it tightly.
- Form the rest of the mixture into equal-sized logs. Keep them in the fridge for at least a few hours to slightly firm up.
- Heat a bit of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the sausages until browned and fully cooked.
Notes
- Ground meat: You can use ground chicken or pork. An 80/20 lean meat-to-fat ratio keeps them moist and flavorful.
- Paprika: It adds color without making it spicy. You can use regular or sweet paprika with a very mild flavor. Smoked paprika is okay, but make sure it isn't the hot variety.
- Brown sugar: Feel free to reduce the amount if you don't like them sweet.
Cat says
Hi! Do i fry the parchment paper?
Nora Rey says
Hi Cat, sorry for the late response. No, the parchment paper is simply used to shape the longganisa and should not be cooked with. You can also use cling wrap for the same purpose. Once they cool in the fridge for a while, they will maintain their shape, and you can easily remove the parchment paper (or cling wrap) before frying them. I hope this helps. Thanks!!
Louie says
I made this! Thank you! It was delicious.
Nora Rey says
Happy to hear that. Thanks, Louie!
Karina Montemayor says
I love that this recipe is so simple with not too many ingredients. I like how garlicky it is just like what i had when I visited the Philippines. I’m making another batch with less garlic for my kids.
Nora Rey says
Hi Karina! I actually make it the same way for my kids! or I make sure I really mash them to a paste to they get lost in the mixture. Thanks for your message!