What Sobrasada Should You Buy When Visiting Menorca? A Foodie Guide

If you travel with your taste buds leading the way, Menorca offers an essential product to take home: Menorcan sobrasada. Recently included in the Traditional Food Catalogue of the Balearic Islands (2025), this delicacy has its own identity and is clearly different from the Mallorcan or Ibizan versions.

Menorcan sobrasada stands out because it contains more lean meat and is therefore less fatty, with a balanced texture and a rich yet refined flavour. A true gem for lovers of artisan cured meats.

The oldest surprise: white sobrasada

For curious foodies, there is a rare treasure: white sobrasada. Even today, in the centre of the island, a few producers still make this ancestral recipe, just as it was originally prepared, when paprika was not yet used.

It is milder, more delicate, and very hard to find outside traditional Menorcan butcher shops.

Types of Menorcan sobrasada: which one to choose?

In Menorca, as in Mallorca, sobrasada is classified according to the casing used, but also by its curing stage (young or aged) and its spiciness (sweet or hot). Here is a practical guide:

Llonganissa: the softest and quickest to enjoy

Stuffed into thin casings, it cures very fast and is the first to be eaten. Perfect spread on bread. Locally known as tender or “voltada” sobrasada.

Semi-arrissada: medium-sized and versatile

Made in the thinner parts of the large intestine, offering a balance between tenderness and curing.

Arrissada: for those who love larger pieces

Stuffed into thicker sections, resulting in a bigger sobrasada, ideal for slicing and sharing.

Cular: curved shape and distinctive character

Prepared in the final section of the large intestine, appreciated for its slow curing process.

Poltrú: traditional and hearty

Stuffed into the first part of the large intestine (the caecum), one of the most authentic varieties.

Bufeta: intense flavour and special texture

As the name suggests, it is stuffed into the pig’s bladder, giving it a unique curing style.

Bisbe: the festive sobrasada

The largest of all, stuffed into the pig’s stomach. Traditionally enjoyed at celebrations: the outer layers are well cured while the centre remains creamy and rich.

Sobrasada paste: the secret of Menorcan baking

Besides the traditional pieces, butcher shops also sell sobrasada paste, without casing, widely used in local recipes:

• savoury cocas

• stuffed bread rolls

• sobrasada-filled pastries

• Easter formatjades

A perfect option for cooking at home with authentic Menorcan flavour.

Final tip for travelling foodies

When visiting Menorca, don’t just buy “sobrasada” in general. Step into a traditional butcher shop, ask about the different types, and let them guide you—each one offers a unique experience.

And if you’re lucky, don’t leave without tasting white sobrasada, a true gastronomic relic of the island.