Vindaloo Curry Powder
Make your own homemade vindaloo curry powder blend at home with this recipe, including cayenne, garlic, paprika, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and more.
It’s time to get cooking with Vindaloo spice, my friends, especially if you’re a spicy food lover like I am. Vindaloo is a staple dish of authentic Indian Cuisine, though it has spread widely (lucky for us!) through Europe, The Middle East, Australia and The United States, where it has become quite popular.
For a cook like me who loves and CRAVES bold flavors with a good level of spice, Vindaloo is a must in the seasoning cabinet because with it, you can whip up spicy curry dishes with ease.
Easy is good, right? And so is SPICY.
A Brief History of Vindaloo
“Vindaloo” originally was a meal of meat marinaded in wine and garlic. It comes from the Portuguese dish, “carne de vinha d’alhos, which translates to “meat in garlic wine marinade”. Portuguese sailors brought it to India, where the locals adopted it and transformed it with local ingredients, including the addition of dried chili peppers and other spices.
As Vindaloo spread to other regions, it continued to change as locals adopted new spices.
Even though it has transformed in its travels around the world, most styles still offer that spice level and flavor we all crave.
Let’s talk about how we make our own Vindaloo spice, shall we?
How to Make Homemade Vindaloo Curry Powder – the Recipe Method
First, gather up your ingredients, which includes the following:
1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon mustard powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. If you’d like a VERY SPICY version of Vindaloo curry powder, add in a pinch or more of ghost pepper powder.
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and use as desired. Store in an airtight container.
Vindaloo curry powder is best if used within 3 months, though it can last years. After 3 months, the ingredients start to lose their potency, so it is best to make small batches of it for using.
Just whip up a new batch whenever you’d like.
Vindaloo Curry Powder Variations
As with any seasoning blend, you will find variations and different ingredients added in or removed. Ratios are easy to play with. If you love garlic, include extra garlic powder. Not a fan of cumin? Just omit it.
Looking for a spicier version? Add in some ghost powder or simply up the cayenne powder component. It is very easy to adapt.
Other popular ingredients to include are sugar (white or brown), ground cloves, ground black pepper, and other ground dried chili peppers. It is best if you can use peppers local to India, though those may be hard to find.
That’s it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your spicy Vindaloo curry powder blend!
Try Some of My Popular Curry Dish Recipes
- Chicken Vindaloo
- Lamb Vindaloo
- Spicy Beef Vindaloo
- Ghost Pepper Chicken Curry
- Spicy Thai Curry Chicken Soup
- Khao Soi – Northern Thai Coconut Curry Soup
- Sweet and Spicy Cashew Chicken
- Easy Chickpea Curry
Try Some of My Other Homemade Seasoning Blends
- Homemade Spicy Chili Powder
- Homemade Cajun Seasonings
- Homemade Spicy Salt Blends
- Homemade Curry Powder
- Spice Blends Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Here is my preferred version of Vindaloo Curry Powder.
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne powder Or use ghost pepper powder for a REALLY SPICY version, or use just a pinch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Use as needed.
Makes a quarter cup.
Heat Factor: Hot, though you can make much hotter versions with ghost pepper powder.
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The best vindaloo spice mix i’ve ever made! We all loved it at home. Thanks for sharing! We are going to try your other spice mix soon …
Excellent, Youshi! Glad to hear it! I hope you like my other blends as well. Enjoy.
You mention vinegar, but don‘t list it in the ingredients! What kind and how much?!
Diane, there is no vinegar included in this recipe. It’s all dry ingredients.
You did mention marinating overbite the spices with vinegar. How much vinegar do you need to make your paste
Danny, just a few teaspoons to start, then add in more as you mix until you get a thick paste-like consistency. Let me know how it goes for you.
If I use your homemade powder recipe how much of it do I need when I make the vindaloo?
Mary, I would use 2 tablespoons, though you can use 3 if you’d like more pronounced heat and flavor. Let me know how it goes.
This spice blend is wonderful. Sprinkled on baked chicken everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I agree! Thank you!