Beef vindaloo. Beef marinated with vindaloo paste is cooked in deliciously rich sauce. An easy side dish that’s guaranteed to impress everyone in the family!
Certain dishes are synonymous with restaurants and takeaways. Think butter chicken, tikka masala, tandoori etc. These dishes became restaurant favorites for a reason. They are classics that define a cuisine, the vibrant sauces are eye catching, and above all else, they are incredibly delicious. So, how about recreating a restaurant favorite, and yes, in the comfort of your own home right in your kitchen?
And today, we’re going to recreate a much-loved classic Indian curry recipe - beef vindaloo. Tender beef in spicy tangy vindaloo sauce. It’s truly the easiest and my most favorite way to cook beef. So delicious!
Vindaloo spice paste
Homemade or store bought - the choice is up to you. I prefer to go with my fail-proof vindaloo spice paste recipe that always deliver the best vindaloo curry. In fact, this spice paste is so versatile you can use it marinate any meat or chicken, and grill, roast or fry them to make delicious meals for your family. And the best part? This paste is freezer-friendly.
First step - marinate beef
Toss beef pieces in the vibrant masala, and let it absorb all the incredible flavors. Cover and place it in the refrigerator. Ideally, you must allow at least 30 minutes for the flavors to develop. If you have time, leave it in the refrigerator overnight for maximum flavor.
Make authentic beef vindaloo
To begin with, sauté onions and garlic in a little oil followed by stir frying dried spices like turmeric and chili powder. Red chilies are one of the base ingredients of vindaloo paste, so make sure you add in more or less chili powder depending on your preference. Next up, the vibrant ingredients that add the color to the sauce - tomato paste and tomatoes.
A touch of tangy flavor is a must for vindaloo dishes, so a dash of vinegar is absolutely necessary. Now marinated beef goes into the pan. You’ll also need to add a little sugar for a nice contrasting flavor. Pour in a little water, cover with lid, and cook.
Mouthwatering beef vindaloo curry to tantalize your tastebuds!
More beef recipes:
- Indian Beef Curry
- Beef Korma
- Beef Stroganoff
- Kerala Beef Fry | Beef Ularthiyathu
- Beef Biryani
- Chilli Beef
- Basic Beef Burger Patty Two Ways
- Indian Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Beef Curry
- Beef Coconut Curry
- Beef Masala
Beef Vindaloo
Ingredients
Vindaloo paste:
Beef vindaloo:
- 1 kg gravy or chuck steak or braising steak cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 tomatoes medium, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste purée
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar see notes
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 cup water
- Salt to taste
- Coriander cilantro leaves, chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- Vindaloo paste:
Prepare vindaloo paste according to the recipe instructions. Set aside. (Get the recipe here)
Beef vindaloo:
- Place beef in a large bowl. Add vindaloo paste. Toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight if possible.
- Meanwhile heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add chopped garlic, and sauté, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add ground turmeric, red chili powder, tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes break down and mushy.
- Add beef and sugar. Season with salt. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
- Pour in water. Stir.
- Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for about an hour or until beef is cooked through and the sauce is thick.
- (Alternatively, you can cook this in a pressure cooker. After step 6, transfer the curry to the cooker. Cover with the lid. Place the whistle on top and cook for about 7-8 whistles)Make this in instant pot: Turn on instant pot. In sauté mode, heat oil, and sauté onion. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add ground turmeric, chili powder, tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until tomatoes turn mushy. Add marinated beef and sugar. Add water. Season with salt. Stir to combine. Put the lid on the instant pot. Select manual mode. Set the timer for 20 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Remove lid. If there’s too much sauce in the curry, you can turn on the saute mode, and cook a little longer to thicken it.Make this in slow cooker:After step 5, transfer the curry to slow cooker. Cover with lid. Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Notes
Nutrition
More Vindaloo Recipes
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Steve Hopper says
The Beef Vindaloo is absolutely delicious, I followed the recipe but cooked it slightly differently. I made the vindaloo paste and marinaded the beef overnight but I then vac sealed the beef and cooked in my sous vide (58 degrees for 4 hours) and then cooked to the recipe. Unbelievable flavours and the beef was so tender
John says
Hi Nish, I made your beef vindaloo over the weekend. My goodness it was amazing. The colours were so vibrant. I made 2 kg and packed the remainder in the freezer. Thanks very much
Marty says
Hi Nish - Maybe I missed it but how much Vindaloo paste should I use for 1Kg of beef? I've made the paste but I'm not sure how much to use. Thank you so much.
Rose Mary George says
Hi Marty,
The vindaloo paste recipe is for 1kg beef. Hope that helps!
Cath says
Hi
I’m making a triple lot so 3 kgs of beef
Do I need to triple all ingredients including paste or do you think it would be too overpowering with heat?
Rose Mary George says
That would be too much masala and heat. double the ingredients and add more spices / vindaloo paste sautéed in a little oil if needed.
Chrissy says
Hi Nish, my dad is from Seraulim, Goa. He really liked your recipe when I made it last time. He requested it again for his 80th birthday. Thanks for the recipe!!
Larissa says
This was so excellent, and the paste was really easy to make! I did everything as per the instructions until Step 5 and then put it in the slow cooker for the rest of the time. So good! I'll be making this again for sure. Thank you!
Jon says
I wanted to try this but you havn't said how much paste to add to the 1kg beef.
So i have no idea. 🤷🏻♂️
Did you all just wing it? 🤔
Rose Mary George says
You will need the entire paste. 🙂
Lorie says
I’m using a paste I’ve ordered from Amazon - about how much do you advise approximately to use?
Rose Mary George says
Depending on the brand, the amount of paste you will need may vary. Start with 1-2 tablespoons and add mire if needed. 🙂
Rose Mary George says
more*
Lu says
Thank you for this recipe, I am making a much bigger batch this time!
Brittaney says
This was delicious. My family loved it. I served it with homemade naan, basmati and raita.
Kira says