Longganisa Pasta with Garlic, Tomatoes, and Greens
Recipe Guy
Fil-Am pasta | Longganisa | Weeknight dinner
Longganisa does most of the seasoning work in this pasta. Browned sausage, burst cherry tomatoes, and sliced garlic make a loose sauce with pasta water, while spinach and a squeeze of calamansi or lemon keep the plate from feeling too rich.
Why make it: This original version turns Filipino sausage into a practical pasta sauce without hiding its flavor.
Fresh From the Kitchen
These photos show the colors, textures, and serving style to look for when making Longganisa Pasta with Garlic, Tomatoes, and Greens.
About This Recipe
Removing the casings lets the longganisa break into small pieces that travel through the pasta instead of sitting on top in slices. Give those crumbles time to brown before the tomatoes release their juice; that first stage supplies much of the sauce's character.
Spaghetti carries the sauce in long strands, while rigatoni catches bits of sausage in its openings. Both need a final toss in the skillet. The citrus goes in at the end, and cheese is an optional finish rather than the sauce's foundation.
Cooking Notes
- Scoop out pasta water before draining the noodles. Add it to the skillet in small pours, tossing between additions, until the tomato juices and sausage drippings coat the pasta.
- Keep the spinach for the final stage, after the tomatoes have burst. It only needs to wilt into the sauce, not cook through the entire sausage-browning step.
Ingredient Notes
For longganisa
Sweet or garlicky longganisa both work; remove casings so it crumbles.
For sauce
Pasta water helps the sausage drippings coat the noodles.
Longganisa Pasta with Garlic, Tomatoes, and Greens Recipe
This original version turns Filipino sausage into a practical pasta sauce without hiding its flavor.
Shopping List
- longganisa
- spaghetti or rigatoni
- garlic
- cherry tomatoes
- spinach
- calamansi or lemon
- parmesan optional
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 ounces spaghetti or rigatoni
- Salt for pasta water
Sauce
- 1 pound longganisa, casings removed
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon calamansi or lemon juice
For Serving
- Grated cheese, optional
- Chile flakes, optional
Instructions
- Boil pasta until just shy of al dente.
- Brown longganisa in a skillet, breaking it up.
- Add garlic and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes burst.
- Add spinach and a splash of pasta water.
- Toss in pasta and more pasta water as needed.
- Finish with calamansi or lemon.
- Serve with cheese if desired.
Nutrition Estimate
Approximate values per serving based on the listed ingredients and yield. Actual nutrition will vary by brand, exact portion size, and cooking changes.
Tips For The Best Longganisa Pasta with Garlic, Tomatoes, and Greens
- Save pasta water: It turns drippings into sauce.
- Brown sausage well: Caramelized longganisa flavors the dish.
- Balance sweetness: Citrus helps if sausage is sweet.
- Add greens late: They should stay bright.
How To Serve And Store
Serve hot. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Common Questions
What longganisa should I use?
Use the style you like: sweet, garlicky, or spicy.
Can I use linguine?
Yes. Any medium pasta works.
Can I skip cheese?
Yes. It is optional.
Can I add cream?
A splash works, but keep it light.
Will sweet longganisa work in this pasta?
Yes, but its sweetness will remain noticeable. Let the tomatoes contribute their acidity and keep the calamansi or lemon finish. The recipe does not need added sugar, even when you choose a more garlicky sausage.
Why is the pasta boiled short of al dente?
It finishes cooking as you toss it with the hot sauce and reserved pasta water. Fully softened noodles have less room for that final skillet stage and can become limp before the sauce coats them.
Would you make longganisa pasta sweet, spicy, or extra garlicky? Share your family version or testing notes in the comments.
Recipe inspiration and technique reference: original Filipino-American riff development informed by Love, Filipino Food, Kitchen Confidante, The Dusky Kitchen, and the site roadmap.
