Vegan Longganisa (Filipino Sausages)

Longganisa is a type of Filipino sausage distinct for its sweet and garlicky flavors. It’s a very popular breakfast food in the Philippines, but can be enjoy any time of the day. 

I grew up eating what we'd call 'Longsilong' which was basically Longganisa (for the 'long'), garlic fried rice or 'sinangag' (for 'si'), and an egg (itlog, for 'log'). It's very popular and is easily one of my favorite comfort foods. 

LONGGANISA OR FILIPINO SAUSAGES

Longganisa is usually made of pork and seasoned with different spices. Different regions in the Philippines have different takes on longganisa and can vary from region to region.

This vegan version of longganisa uses a mix of extra firm tofu or tokwa and minced mushrooms that I seasoned and shaped into small links before pan-frying to create a plant-based version of a Filipino classic. My version has sweet notes from the use of sugar, which is also a personal preference.

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED

You'll find the full detailed recipe in the card below!

LONGGANISA

• 10 oz extra firm tofu or tokwa
• 1/2 lb mushrooms minced (see recipe notes in the card below)
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3-4 tbsp soy sauce adjust to taste
• 1 tsp liquid seasoning I used Knorr
• 1 tbsp white distilled vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp corn starch
• 1 cup panko or Japanese bread crumbs (73g - see recipe notes below)

FOR COOKING

• Neutral oil for frying

TOFU SCRAMBLE

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 9 oz extra firm tofu tokwa pressed and drained
• 1 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast, optional
• 1/2 tsp black salt or sub for regular adjust to taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder for color
• Ground black pepper
• Sprinkle of liquid aminos or soy sauce to taste

VINEGAR, FOR DIPPING

• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 small red onion diced
• 1-2 tsp sugar adjust to taste
• 1 red chili sliced optional

TO SERVE

• Sweet chili vinegar
• Fried garlic rice or sinangag
• Tofu scramble

PREPARE THE MUSHROOMS

• Drain excess liquid from the tofu. I usually do this by wrapping the block in some paper towels before placing a plate or flat surface on top so the water seeps out and is absorbed by the towel.
• If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak these in hot water for 30 minutes until rehydrated. You can also leave this to soak overnight. Squeeze out the water from the mushrooms.
• For all the mushrooms, you can finely mince these or process them.
• Heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until cooked. Turn off the heat. Set aside to cool. Cooking the mushrooms will help draw out extra moisture.

LONGGANISA MIXTURE

• In a bowl, crumble the tofu with your hands. Add in the mushrooms and the rest of the ingredients. Mix throughly until well incorporated.
• You can taste some of the mixture and season more if needed.
• Shape 1.5 tbsp of the mixture into a small cocktail sausage-like shape. The longganisa or Filipino sausage mixture should hold up well. If it easily crumbles or falls apart, you can add 1-2 tbsp more of bread crumbs to help absorb the excess moisture.
• You can also shape the sausages however way you like.

COOKING THE LONGGANISA

• In a frying pan, add enough oil to submerge half of the sausages.
• To test out the heat of the oil, you can add a small piece of the longganisa. It should immediately sizzle in the oil.
• Add the longganisa in the oil. Cook the longganisa for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Flip over and cook the remaining side.
• Drain the longganisa from the oil.

VINEGAR FOR DIPPING

• For the vinegar, mix the onions and vinegar together. Mix in some sugar to counter the acidity. Add red chili, if using. Allow to soak for 10-15 minutes. The vinegar will turn pink from the onions.
• This is best prepared in advance and can be stored for days.

TOFU SCRAMBLE & GARLIC RICE

• You can cook the garlic rice and tofu scramble the same pan as the longganisa. I like to cook the garlic rice, then the tofu scramble, before the longganisa.
• Heat a large wok or pan over medium. Once hot, add in the tofu and crumble using a fork. Mix in the spices and coat the tofu. Season with some liquid aminos or soy sauce. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until cooked. Set aside so you can use the same pan for the longganisa.

SERVE AND ENJOY

Serve with the tofu scramble, garlic rice or sinangag, and vinegar for dipping. Enjoy!

Looking for more Vegan Asian recipes?

You can get a copy of my cookbook, Vegan Asian!

If you crave vegan-friendly versions of classic Asian dishes, this cookbook is packed with Southeast and East Asian dishes inspired by those I grew up enjoying at home and those I’ve tried from my travels. From iconic Thai dishes to piping-hot Japanese fare and everything in between, the recipes in this will take your palate on a delicious food trip across Asia, and hopefully keep you coming back for more!

MORE RECIPES YOU'LL ENJOY

• Adobo
• Tofu Sisig
• Tokwa't Baboy
• Filipino Kaldereta or 'Meat' Stew
• Mushroom Tocino
• Fried Garlic Rice
• Lumpiang Gulay or Fried Vegetable Spring Rolls
• Filipino "Pork" Barbecue
• Tofu and Mushroom Salpicao
• Bola-Bola (Filipino Meatballs)
• Lumpiang Shanghai
• Ensaladang Talong (Filipino Style Eggplant Salad)
• Filipino Spaghetti
• Burger Steaks and Gravy
• Filipino Tofu Tapa

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