Nicaraguan Cassava and Crispy Pork Salad

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Vigorón is Granada's most iconic street food, stacking golden crackling pork over tender boiled yuca with a bright cabbage-tomato slaw on a banana leaf. Eaten with the hands, this humble plate balances rich, crunchy pork against starchy cassava and acidic salad in every bite.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 780 kcalCalories
• 52 gFat
• 18 gSaturated Fat
• 48 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 920 mgSodium
• 680 mgPotassium
• 90 mgCalcium
• 3 mgIron
• 45 mgVitamin C
• 180 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Crispy Pork (Chicharrones)

• 1.5 lbs pork belly with skin, scored in a crosshatch
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 lime, halved
• 1/4 cup water

For the Boiled Yuca

• 2 lbs fresh yuca (cassava), peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 garlic clove, smashed

For the Cabbage Salad

• 4 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 small chili pepper, minced (optional)

Directions

1. Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels, rub the scored skin with salt, and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare the yuca.
2. Place the pork skin-side down in a large heavy skillet, add the water, cover, and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes until the water evaporates and the fat has rendered. Uncover, raise heat to medium-high, press the pork flat, and crisp the skin for 10-12 minutes until deeply golden and crackling. Flip and brown the meat side for 4-5 minutes, then squeeze lime juice over the top.
3. Meanwhile, place yuca in a large pot, cover with water, add salt and garlic, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes until the yuca is fork-tender. Drain, pull out and discard the tough fibrous core from each piece, cut into 2-inch chunks, and keep warm.
4. In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, tomatoes, and red onion. Whisk the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and minced chili in a small bowl, pour over the vegetables, and toss well. Let the salad rest 5 minutes to soften slightly.
5. When the pork is cool enough to handle, roughly chop it into bite-sized pieces, keeping the crackling skin attached to the meat.
6. To assemble, line a platter or banana leaf with the warm yuca chunks, pile the chopped chicharrones generously on top, and spoon the cabbage salad alongside or over everything.
7. Serve immediately while the pork is still crackling, with extra lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• Eat vigorón right after assembly – the chicharrones lose their signature crunch within just a few minutes of hitting the warm yuca.
• If fresh yuca is hard to find, thawed frozen cassava works perfectly; just reduce boiling time by about 5 minutes.
• Score the pork skin deeply and pat it completely dry before cooking for maximum crackling.
• Sour orange juice (naranja agria) is the most traditional seasoning for the pork and can replace the lime for a more authentic flavor.
• Serving on a banana leaf adds subtle aroma and keeps the yuca warm longer, but any large platter works fine.

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