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Goan · Indian

Pork vindaloo

Non-vegetarian

Pork marinated in a paste of dried red chillies, garlic, vinegar and spices, then braised until tender. Goa's punchy, sour-hot signature dish.

Pork vindaloo is a Goan curry from India, ready in about 2 hours and made with pork shoulder, dried whole chillies and apple cider vinegar. It serves 5 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
A serving of Vindaloo
Representative photo. Alpha from Melbourne, Australia / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-2.0
Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h 40 min
Total
2 h
Serves
5
Level
Intermediate
Calories
558

Plus 6–24 hours marinating in the fridge.

Ingredients

5 servings

For the paste

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Soak the chillies in the vinegar for 20 minutes, then blend with all the other paste ingredients to a smooth, thick paste.

  2. Step 2

    Coat the pork thoroughly in the paste, cover and refrigerate for 6–24 hours.

    • 5 min

    Food safety: Marinate raw pork in the fridge in a non-reactive container; wash hands and boards afterwards.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oil in a heavy pot and fry the onions (opens in a new tab) until golden brown. Add the pork and all its marinade and fry on medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes until the paste darkens.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Add the water, cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender and the sauce is thick and glossy.

    • 75 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Pork should be tender and cooked through (at least 71 °C).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Taste and adjust the salt, sugar (opens in a new tab) or vinegar for a sharp, hot and slightly sweet balance.

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Goa, India · Well documentedDeveloped in Goa from the Portuguese garlic-and-wine marinade 'carne de vinha d'alhos', with vinegar and local chillies.Also popular in United KingdomMore food from India
Dish
Dinner · Curries · Stews & braises · Main courses
Cooking method
Marinated / cured, Braised
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), sour, garlicky, rich
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Pork shoulder · Dried whole chillies · Apple cider vinegar · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Cumin
Techniques
Simmering · Braising · Marinating · Curing

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

558 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 334 g · recipe makes 5

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 24%
  • Carbohydrate 9%
  • Fat 67%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy558 kcal167 kcal
Protein32.8 g9.8 g
Carbohydrate12.4 g3.7 g
Net carbohydrate9.7 g2.9 g
Sugars3 g0.9 g
Added sugars0.8 g0.3 g
Fibre2.7 g0.8 g
Fat41.3 g12.4 g
Saturated fat11.9 g3.6 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol128 mg38 mg
Sodium826 mg247 mg
Salt equivalent2.1 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
819 mg
Calcium
80 mg
Iron
3.6 mg
Magnesium
53 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
53 µg
Vitamin C
7 mg
Vitamin D
3.1 µg
Vitamin B12
1.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
22 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Vindaloo is traditionally made a day or two ahead — the flavour deepens and the fat can be skimmed.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing it with potato curry — 'aloo' in the name comes from the Portuguese 'alhos' (garlic), not potato.

Serve with

  • Serve with steamed rice or Goan pão bread.

Storage

  • Keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.

Reheating

  • Reheat until piping hot throughout.

History

Vindaloo descends from a Portuguese dish of meat preserved in wine and garlic, adapted in Goa with vinegar, chillies and spices.

Confidence: Commonly attributed

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 2

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

  • Wet masala

    Goan vindaloo paste

    This recipe makes it as part of the method (200 g for 5 servings). The full masala recipe explains each step in detail.

    Make Goan vindaloo paste

Reviews & corrections

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