Vigorón
Tender cassava, crisp pork cracklings and a bright cabbage salad meet on one plate.
Nicaragua · Street Food · 45 min
DeSabor Kitchen · Published · Updated · 15 / 30 / 45 min · 4 · Nicaragua
Jump to RecipeThe contrasts matter: fully cooked cassava should split easily, the pork cracklings remain crisp, and the cabbage salad supplies acidity. Drain the salad before plating so it does not immediately soften the chicharrón.
The Story Behind the Dish
Vigorón is particularly associated with Granada in Nicaragua. Its appeal is the contrast between soft cassava, crunchy pork and tangy cabbage.
Ingredients
- 800 g peeled cassava, fresh or frozen, cut into chunks
- 250 g ready-cooked pork cracklings
- 300 g cabbage, finely shredded
- 2 tomatoes, diced; 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar; 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp salt, divided
Instructions
- Boil cassava in plenty of fresh water with half the salt for 20–30 minutes until very tender. Drain and discard all cooking water; remove the woody center.
- Toss cabbage, tomato and onion with vinegar, lime and remaining salt; let stand 10 minutes.
- Arrange warm cassava on plates, add cracklings and top with drained cabbage salad. Serve promptly to keep the pork crisp.
Cook's Tips
- Cassava must be fully peeled and thoroughly cooked; never eat it raw or reuse its boiling water.
Home-style recipe; not independently kitchen-tested. Check all ingredients and substitutions for allergens. Times are estimates; use the texture and temperature checks in the method. Serving accompaniments are separate unless listed. In temperatures above 32°C, refrigerate perishables within 1 hour rather than 2.
How to Serve It
Arrange warm cassava under the chicharrón and top with drained cabbage salad just before eating. A clean food-safe banana leaf can line the plate, but is not needed to cook the recipe.
Variations & Substitutions
Salad seasonings vary, and some versions use different souring ingredients. The vinegar-lime salad here is a home adaptation, not a shelf-stable pickle.
Use fully peeled food-grade sweet cassava, fresh or frozen. Potato does not reproduce its texture. Purchased cooked chicharrón is required for the stated method; raw pork skin needs a separate preparation.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate cooked cassava and salad separately within 2 hours at 4°C or below; use within 2 days. Store packaged cracklings as directed and keep them dry.
Steam or microwave cassava with a little fresh water until 74°C; discard the original boiling water. Refresh cracklings as directed on the package, then add the cold salad.
The DeSabor Table
- Vigorón — Snack