Capsicum rice recipe or bell pepper rice with stovetop & instant pot instructions – A spicy capsicum pulao that can be made just under 30 minutes. It goes good in lunch box or for a quick dinner and is kids’ friendly. Capsicum rice tastes very flavorful and delicious so does not need any side. But to make a complete meal, it can be served with plain curd or yogurt or with a simple raita and papad.
To make this easy dish, I precook the rice in a cooker or Instant pot. While the rice cooks, I make the capsicum masala in a pan. Once the rice is done, I cool it slightly and then mix it with the prepared capsicum masala. A dash of lemon juice enhances the taste.
I have updated this recipe with the Instant pot instructions. The same method can be followed to make it in the traditional Indian cooker or pot.
You can always skip the whole spices in the recipe if you do not prefer them. Capsicum rice still tastes great even without the whole spices.
I have used green peas, you can substitute with potato and can be garnished with cashew nuts.
If making for kids reduce the amount of masala and red chilli powder. I usually set aside a small quantity of cooked white rice. Then towards the end add it to the kids’ portion of rice to make it less spicy, add a bit more of salt if needed.
If making capsicum rice in less quantity than what is mentioned below, reduce the amount of spices proportionately.
Step-by-step photos
Preparation
1. Wash and soak rice for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cook to grainy but cooked completely. Soaking helps to keep the rice soft for long hours.
How to make
2. While the rice cooks, add oil to a pan. Saute jeera and then the curry leaves or bay leaf until crisp. If using optional dry spices then add 4 cardamom, 4 cloves, 2 inch cinnamon, 1 star anise and 1 strand mace. Saute till they sizzle.
3. Transfer onions, chili and fry until the onions turn transparent. For kids skip green chilli.
4. Add ginger garlic paste.
5. Fry until the raw smell is gone.
6. Add capsicum, peas or potato. If using potatoes, chop them small else they don’t cook quickly. Fry for about 3 minutes.
7. Sprinkle salt, turmeric, chili powder, masala powder, chopped pudina and coriander.
8. Stir and fry for about 2 minutes.
9. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. Water and cook on a low flame for the aroma of capsicum and masala to come out. Evaporate the water completely but do not dry up otherwise the pulao will be very dry. The mixture must be moist. If using potatoes you may need to add more water to cook.
10. Add rice and sprinkle salt. Do not add very hot rice, if it is slightly hot its fine.
11. Mix well and add lemon juice.
After 45 minutes to 1 hour, the rice gets a deeper color due to the spice powders, lemon juice and red pepper. Serve capsicum rice with papad or curd.
You may like to check this collection of capsicum recipes
capsicum masala curry
Simple capsicum fry
capsicum chutney
For more Rice recipes, check
Veg tehri
Kuska rice
Veg pulao
Ghee rice
Recipe
Easy capsicum rice recipe
Capsicum rice
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups rice uncooked
- 2 tablespoons oil or as needed
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 green chili slit (optional)
- ¾ to 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or chopped)
- ½ cup green peas (optional)
- 1½ to 2 cups capsicums or bell pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped
- ¼ cup mint leaves (pudina) chopped
- 1½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or as needed (optional)
Spices for capsicum rice
- 1 sprig curry leaves or biryani leaf or bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon cumin or jeera or shahi jeera
- 1½ teaspoons garam masala or bisi bele bath or biryani masala (adjust as needed)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder (skip if included in masala)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric or haldi
Instructions
- Wash rice and cook to slightly grainy. Do not make the rice mushy.
- I cooked 2 cups basmati rice with 3½ cups water in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle on a medium high flame.
- Released the pressure manually using a spoon. Fluff up with a fork and cool completely. While the rice cooks, make the capsicum masala ready.
- Heat oil in a pan. Fry cumin & bay leaf or curry leaves till it turns aromatic.
- Add onions and chili fry until the onions turn slightly pink.
- Then add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes away. Transfer capsicum and green peas. Fry for 3 minutes.
- Add mint, coriander, chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Fry for about 2 minutes till the mixture turns aromatic.
- Add the 2 tbsp water and cook on a low flame till the water evaporates.
- Then add cooled rice to the capsicum mixture along with lemon and salt. Mix well. Serve capsicum rice warm with a raita.
Instant pot capsicum rice
- Press SAUTE button on the Instant pot and pour oil to the inner steel insert.
- Add cumin. When the seeds splutter, add curry leaves, green chilli and onions. Saute until the onions turn golden.
- Next add ginger garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Then add in the capsicum and peas.
- Saute for 2 to 3 mins until the capsicum is done to your liking. Then add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala and mint leaves.
- Give a good stir and pour 2 tbsps of water. Press CANCEL button.
- Deglaze the pot and mix everything well. The heat in the pot will cook the masala and evaporate the water completely.
- Remove this to a plate and set aside.
- Add soaked rice and pour water. For 2 cups basmati rice, you will need 2.5 cups water. For 2 cups sona masuri rice, you will need 4 cups water.
- Give a good stir to ensure there are no food particles stuck at the bottom. Secure the Instant pot with the lid and position the steam release handle to sealing.
- Press PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer to 5 mins for basmati rice or 10 mins for sona masuri rice.
- For basmati rice, release the pressure manually after 5 mins. Remove the pot and cool the rice a bit.
- Then add the coriander leaves, capsicum masala and lemon juice to the pot. Give a good mix. Adjust salt if needed.Serve capsicum rice with yogurt or curd.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hetal says
Whenever I prepared this beautiful n delicious rice it turned out simply tasty.
swasthi says
Thanks Hetal
Glad to know
Lakshmi says
Hi Swasthi,
This recipe turned out very yummy – it had the right amounts of tanginess, spice and crunch of the veggies. My hubby loved it too !!!!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
swasthi says
Hi Lakshmi,
You are welcome. Glad it turned out good! Thank you!
Kavita says
How are you Swasthi? I made your capsicum rice today with tri color peppers and guess what? It came out yummy like always.
swasthi says
Hey Kavitha,
I am doing good. Hope the same from you too!. Thank you. Glad you liked the capsicum rice.
🙂
Shanthi Sankaran says
Can we add tomatoes to the capsicum rice?
swasthi says
Hi Shanti,
Yes a small to medium sized tomato should be fine. Just add the tomatoes after frying the onions and ginger garlic paste. Sprinkle salt and fry the tomatoes very well until it turns soft and mushy. The raw smell of tomatoes should go away. If you add tomato it will add up another 8 mins to the cook time of the recipe. So I simply sprinkle some lemon juice towards the end. Hope this helps.
Shanthi Sankaran says
Good recipe explained step by step with photos. Thank you Swasthi.
swasthi says
Welcome Shanthi. Thanks for rating the recipe
Seema says
Super recipe thank you 😊
swasthi says
Welcome Seema
Lakshmi Babu Rao says
mam ur recipes are soooo sooo ammazzzzinggghh nd i m just loving it…… nd i am beginner nd m finding easy nd interesting aftr going recipes.. aftr going through ur recipes i got my confidence dat i can cook…. thank you so much ma’m
swasthi says
Hi Lakshmi
You are welcome.
Thanks a lot for reading the recipes. Do try more recipes and enjoy the food.
🙂
Himani says
This recipe sounds good n looks delicious 🙂 but i have one doubt you said use masala powder so it means garam masala powder?? If it is garam masala powder so which garam masala you recommended me to use..or can i use maggy garam masala ??please suggest me
swasthi says
Hi Himani
I use this garam masala powder. You can use any garam masala you have. I do not know what maggy garam masala is. Any good garam masala is fine
Himani says
Maggy massa is a Maggi masala- a-magic..
swasthi says
Haha!
Himani! maggi masala is very unhealthy. Instead use homemade garam masala. This is turn out very good.
Lakshmi Babu Rao says
mam ur recipes are soooo sooo ammazzzzinggghh nd i m just loving it…… nd i am beginner nd m finding easy nd interesting aftr going recipes.. aftr going through ur recipes i got my confidence dat i can cook…. thank you so much ma’m
SUBAL BISWAS says
this recipe is so so so so so so delicious.
my daughter cooked this so well .
.But some credit goes to u too
.. thanks for this
swasthi says
Welcome Subal
Thanks for trying and the comment
Padma says
Thank you for the recipe.
The rice came out very well .
swasthi says
Welcome Padma
Sheetal Sarang says
This recipe is super fantastic…. There is so much scope for manipulation.
Next time I would definitely add some fried potatoes.. I am sure it will enhance the biryani. This is my first time at making biryani and boy I am so excited!!!!
Thank you so much..
swasthi says
Welcome Sheetal
Glad to know you liked the recipe
🙂
Hetal says
Swasthi
Once again I am here to thank you.
It’ turned out very delicious,,
I am from Gujarat and so I want to praise you in Gujarati language…”Aa to super hit chhe.”?
swasthi says
Hi Hetal
You are welcome
Thanks a lot for trying and sharing with me. So glad to know it came out well.
🙂
Rajeshwari says
Is it necessary to use green peas and potato or can be kept optional?
swasthi says
I have mentioned peas and potato in the recipe card as optional.
PriyaGowtham says
Thnq so much….
Really I loved ur site….its comes awesome recipes…really my hubby likes my cook on ur way…
Thank you….
swasthi says
Hi Priya
Welcome and thanks for the comment. Happy to know the recipes turn out good
Balaji says
Excellent!! Thanks for the wonderful website you have created, tried the capsicum rice and came out well.
Waiting for the missus to pass the judgement??
swasthi says
Welcome Balaji,
Glad to know capsicum rice turned out well. Hope your wife liked it. Thanks for the feedback and the lovely comment
supriya reddy says
I tried the recipe it it was so yummy .I just loved it .one change instead of peas I added double beans it came well .tx for the tasty recipe.
looking forward for more recipes ……
swasthi says
Welcome Supriya
Happy to know it turned out good. Double bean is a good addition. Will try it. Thank you
Nivedita says
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. Kids too loved this I reduced chilli powder. Perfect for school box. Yummy
swasthi says
Welcome Nivedita,
I am so glad your kids loved it. Thanks for the feedback
sudha says
Hi ur recipes is good pls post first ingredient’s and also next methods
swasthi says
Hi Sudha,
Thanks for the feed back. Will surely try the way you mentioned.
nitu says
it is looking so yum I will definitely try this
swasthi says
Thanks Nitu
Sandy says
That looks amazing – just what I need for this weekend’s family get-together dinner! Thank you! 🙂
swasthi says
Welcome Sandy,
I Would love to hear how it turned out. Thank you
ramya says
yummy yummy rice and this is my quick fix when i craving for biryani
swasthi says
Thanks Ramya