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.
Homemade Vindaloo Curry Powder – Recipe
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Use as needed.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Andrew Sarakinis says
Hi Mike - I made a good portion of Vindaloo spice for chicken breast, potatoes, fresh tomatoes and had a few questions.
I plan on storing the spice in an airtight jar for future use but for dinner with my family wanted to check.
What amount of vinegar, water, tomato paste/sauce should I use per tablespoon of seasoning for 6-8 chicken breasts cut into chunks?
I recently joined and am trying for the first time - located in the Philippines so a bunch of ingredients are easily available from India - dry Kasmiri Pepper as an example?
Mike Hultquist says
Andrew, yes, you can store them in an airtight jar, and I hope you can find all of the ingredients you need. Enjoy!
Maggie says
Hi,
Where can I purchase ghost pepper powder?
Thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Maggie, check out my resources section to find some sellers. There are a number of resources online. Amazon often sells it, too. https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/resources/
Francine Langlois says
Hi, I will try your recipe for sure, but I have a question, after doing the marinade for the beef, do we have to put some of you curry powder recipe for the vandaloo ?? ?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Francine, you can use other curry powder for the marinade, like a store bought vindaloo blend. But once you marinade, you don't need to add any other seasoning, unless you want to.
Kay C Deckman says
My husband and I LOVED this whole recipe! I made the homemade Vindaloo Curry Powder and chose to try your recipe because you were so clear in your instructions and gave me direction in tailoring to my individual tastes. I chose to use less hot pepper and did add some sugar. Your emphasis on the Vinegar and the use of chicken thighs helped me as well. I liked your "conversational" instructions and your history of the dish.
We are serious fans after our first try of your recipes and spreading the word....of just how good your version of this dish is!
We will be ordering your cookbook, subscribing to your Newsletter, and looking forward to many more great evenings in the kitchen and the dinners you inspire!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! Thanks, Kay!! I appreciate it.
Sharon says
Great for roasted cauliflower. Yummm
Lisa Dillman says
This is delicious. When I lived in the UK, Vindaloo at local restaurants was often so hot as to lack notable flavors or have any subtlety. When I was in Goa, I was shocked at how mild it was (until I heard the story of its origins, already mentioned on this site). This recipe, to me, is the perfect in-between. I didn't have ghost pepper so made with some very old cayenne. The rest of my spices were fresh so perhaps fresher cayenne would have made it spicier. (I will replace and try again, since I could have gone for a tad more spice)
At any rate, for anyone interested in a veg way to use it, I blended 2 of the 4T the recipe yields with 2T avocado oil to form a paste, then sautéed onion, added the paste, and then added 1-2T of tomato paste and a little water, added cubed sweet potato, broccoli, Quorn (the fake chicken kind) and kept on a simmer for about 30 min.
Delicious! And I'm sure it would be better still tomorrow, if I were to have any leftovers, which I wont. Also pairs well with Viognier (the one I'm having is Pie de Palo Viognier.
Thanks for the recipe - think I might have to sign up for the newsletter!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Lisa. I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for the comments. Best!
Candace says
Your history of Vindaloo does not mention that this spice came to India from Portugal when Goa and some of the other Portuguese colonies were settled. The original name of the spice and cooking method is Vinha D'Alhos. It's origin is Portugal. The Indian sub-continue simply fell in love with it.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Candace. I discuss this exact thing on my Beef Vindaloo Recipe page. I appreciate the comments! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/beef-vindaloo/
JJ says
This is an amazing spice blend. I made up a whole batch of it and keep it in a Mason jar. My new go-to for all things Vindaloo.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, JJ! I love this seasoning blend. SO good for whipping curries together in no time. Glad you enjoyed it.
Youshi says
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 ...
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Youshi! Glad to hear it! I hope you like my other blends as well. Enjoy.
Diane says
You mention vinegar, but don‘t list it in the ingredients! What kind and how much?!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Diane, there is no vinegar included in this recipe. It's all dry ingredients.
Danny says
You did mention marinating overbite the spices with vinegar. How much vinegar do you need to make your paste
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Mary hewson says
If I use your homemade powder recipe how much of it do I need when I make the vindaloo?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Hofterzielbeek says
This spice blend is wonderful. Sprinkled on baked chicken everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I agree! Thank you!