Alheira: how to put it on the menu
Alheira is a smoked sausage made of poultry (chicken, turkey, partridge) and pork, shredded and mixed with bread, garlic, olive oil and paprika. It is soft, garlicky, and served fried or grilled.
Updated October 2026
How it reads on the menu, in each language
| Language | Name | Line for the guest |
|---|---|---|
| Portuguese | Alheira de Mirandela | Enchido de carnes de aves e porco com pão e alho, frito ou grelhado; servido com ovo estrelado, batata frita e grelos. |
| English | Alheira | Smoked sausage of poultry and pork with bread and garlic, fried or grilled. Served with a fried egg, chips and turnip greens. |
| Spanish | Alheira | Embutido ahumado de aves y cerdo con pan y ajo, frito o a la plancha. Con huevo frito, patatas fritas y grelos. |
| French | Alheira | Saucisse fumée de volaille et de porc au pain et à l’ail, frite ou grillée. Servie avec un œuf au plat, des frites et des feuilles de navet. |
Usual allergens to check
- Gluten
- Eggs
A guide based on the traditional recipe. Only your recipe and your suppliers tell you what the dish contains. How to list allergens
What Alheira is
It is said to have been invented by the Jews of Trás-os-Montes, so they would appear to eat pork sausages without doing so. Alheira de Mirandela is the best known and has Protected Geographical Indication status.
How to write it for visitors
Many visitors expect a pork sausage and find a bready texture — say it contains bread and poultry. List the full side, because that is where the egg is.
Where and when it is eaten
In Trás-os-Montes and across the North, from Mirandela to Braga, and in tascas all over Portugal.
Frequently asked questions
Which allergens does alheira contain?
Gluten (bread in the sausage) and egg when served with a fried egg. Check the producer’s spec sheet.
Is alheira made of pork?
Traditionally poultry and pork; there are poultry-only, game and even vegetarian versions. Say which one you serve.