Spicy Beef Vindaloo
A non-traditional take on a classic curry from the Goa region of India, made in one pot with tender beef and a spicy, flavor-packed sauce. Perfect topped with some fresh cilantro and served with Basmati rice or naan bread for dipping.
Equipment
Ingredients
Curry Paste/Marinade
- 1 tbsp chili powder (see Note 1)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, or 1 ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ tsp dry mustard
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste (see Note 1)
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced (about 2 tbsp)
- 8-10 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup white vinegar (see Note 2)
- ¼ cup water
Curry
- 1 lb beef, cut of choice, cut into cubes or strips (see Note 3)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or ghee
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cups beef stock or broth
- 1 green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced, optional (see Note 4)
- ½ cup half and half or heavy cream, optional
- Basmati rice, for serving
- Naan bread, for serving
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, to garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a small blender, combine chili powder, paprika, smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns, fenugreek, dry mustard, cayenne, turmeric, cloves, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, vinegar and water and blend until very smooth (see Note 5)
- Taste the curry paste; if it's too spicy, add a little more brown sugar
- Season beef cubes with salt and place in a medium bowl or container
- Pour the marinade over the beef cubes and mix to ensure all pieces are well coated
- Cover and marinate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil
- Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes, then add the bell peppers and stir
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the marinated beef to the pot
- Cook for 1-2 minutes to sear, stirring continuously
- Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 3-4 minutes
- Uncover and add 1 cup beef broth, stirring to combine with curry paste
- Allow to cook, partially covered, for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until beef is very tender, stirring every 15 minutes or so and adding broth as soon as the liquid has mostly reduced (around every 30-40 minutes; the sauce will keep reducing as it cooks)
- Taste and season with additional salt if desired
- Add cream if desired to create a smoother, creamier gravy (vindaloo is traditionally semi-dry and thick, so you can skip the cream and serve it that way)
- Serve with basmati rice and naan and sprinkled with fresh cilantro
Notes
1. If possible, use Kashmiri chili powder as this is the type traditionally used to give vindaloo its signature color and flavor. Before adding, taste it and see how spicy it is. If it’s very spicy, you can either reduce the amount of chili powder or cayenne pepper to taste. If you can’t find Kashmiri chili powder, don’t worry; just use any chili powder you have on hand. The flavors will likely be a little different because a lot of chili powders are a blend that includes cumin and other spices, but the end result will still be delicious.
2. Traditionally, palm vinegar is used in vindaloo recipes but it can be hard to find. White vinegar, red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are all great substitutes.
3. Any cut of beef can be used for this recipe such as chuck or round roast. Just make sure to cut it against the grain. Traditional vindaloo recipes are often made with goat meat, but you can use chicken as a substitute. If you’re using chicken, you can reduce the cooking time to 1 hour.
4. Authentic vindaloo recipes typically do not include vegetables, so you can leave them out if you prefer.
5. If you’re missing one or two of the spices, don’t worry. Just leave it out. The essential spices here are the chili powder and the paprika, so make sure not to skip those. If you don’t have smoked paprika, just use more regular paprika. I’d recommend adding in the fenugreek as well if you can find it because it adds an amazing flavor to curries that is hard to replicate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 604kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 60gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 1783mgPotassium: 1574mgFiber: 8gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 6532IUVitamin C: 86mgCalcium: 242mgIron: 9mg
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