Capsicum Rice Recipe or Bell Pepper Rice Pilaf (Easy & One Pot)
If you thought that capsicum or bell pepper could only be used extensively in Chinese or Indo-Chinese cuisines, then here’s an Indian recipe that’s going to change the perception of yours. This is a Capsicum Rice – an easy, quick and delicious one-pot meal made with green bell pepper or capsicum, basmati rice, onions, spices and herbs. Call it Capsicum Pilaf or Bell Pepper Rice, the recipe comes together under 40 minutes, is gluten-free and vegan too.
About Capsicum Rice Recipe
For those who like Capsicum or Bell Pepper, here’s a fragrant and flavorful Capsicum Rice Pilaf or Pulao made with green bell peppers, rice and some typical North Indian spices. It is mildly spiced and light rice dish.
Thus, is a hit with kids or folks who do not prefer spicy food. It can also be packed in the tiffin box with a side of lentils, curry or chutney.
You just require a stovetop pressure cooker to cook this fragrant and flavor-packed Capsicum Rice. Begin by just sautéing the whole spices and onions in oil. Next, add the capsicum and fresh coriander leaves and sauté them too.
Finally, add the soaked rice, water and season it well. Cover and pressure cook to get a yummy Bell Pepper Rice Pilaf in literally no time. I also add some lemon juice which just enhances the flavors in this one-pot rice-based dish.
The whole spices that I add in this recipe of Capsicum Rice are cumin seeds, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, tej patta and mace. These are the usual spices that are available in any Indian home kitchen, at all times.
Like I mentioned earlier, there are not many ingredients used in this Capsicum Rice recipe. So, this rice pairs nicely with a side of vegetable or paneer curry, lentils or even a simple onion raita.
If you like, you can make this Bell Pepper Rice spicy by adding some ginger-garlic paste, green chilies and red chili powder too. Apart from green bell peppers or capsicum, you can also use red or yellow bell peppers or even a mix of all three to make a colorful Bell Pepper rice.
This recipe of Capsicum Rice Pilaf is versatile enough for you to include more vegetables like carrot, green peas, cauliflower or potatoes. More veggies will not only add more flavor but will also increase the nutritional quotient of the dish.
However, keep in mind that by doing so, this dish will be more like a veg pulao and not just a Bell Pepper Rice. But it still will taste good, be nutritious and filling.
How to make Capsicum Rice
Preparation
1. Rinse 1 cup basmati rice very well in water. Then, soak rice in water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later, drain all the water and keep the soaked rice aside.
2. While the the rice is soaking, slice 1 medium onion thinly (about ½ cup thinly sliced onions).
Also, slice 2 medium capsicums or green bell peppers (about ¾ to 1 cup sliced capsicum). Keep aside.
Sauté Aromatics and Capsicum
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2-liter pressure cooker. Keep heat to a low and add the following whole spices:
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 small tej patta (or 1 medium to large tej patta)
- 2 single thin strands of mace
Fry on low heat for some seconds or till the spices crackle and become fragrant.
Note that while I have made the pilaf in a pressure cooker, you can opt to cook it in a pot or pan on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Add water as needed when cooking in a pan or in the stovetop.
4. Add the thinly sliced onions.
5. Mix very well.
6. Sauté on medium-low heat, stirring often, till the onions become golden or caramelize. Take care not to burn them.
Onions take more time to caramelize. To make them cook faster, add a pinch of salt while caramelizing them.
7. Lower the heat and add the sliced capsicum.
8. Add 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
9. Stir and mix to combine with the caramelized onions.
10. Sauté on low to medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Make Capsicum Rice
11. Add the soaked rice and salt as required.
12. Mix the rice grains gently with the rest of the ingredients. Sauté rice for a minute.
13. Pour 1.75 cups water. Also, squeeze in 4 to 5 drops of lemon juice. Stir and mix gently again.
Depending on the quality and age of rice, you can add less or more water. 1.75 cups rice works perfect for me for the aged basmati rice I use.
But some varieties of basmati rice may need less water. Thus, add 1.5 cups to 1.75 cups or 2 cups water as needed.
14. Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook on medium to medium-high heat for 2 to 3 whistles.
When the pressure falls naturally in the cooker, open the lid and gently fluff the Bell Pepper Rice.
I pressure cooked the rice for 3 whistles. Depending on the type of rice, you can add 1.75 to 2 cups water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
You can also make this pilaf in a pan on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot or an electric cooker. Add water accordingly, if making the Capsicum Pulao in a pan or Instant Pot.
When making the pilaf in a pot, you can add about 2 cups of water or as needed.
15. Serve Capsicum Rice garnished with some coriander leaves with a side of Vegetable Curry, Dal (Lentils) or Raita. Here, I served it with Mushroom Masala.
Expert Tips
- Besides green, feel free to add other varieties of bell pepper like red and yellow. You can mix and match the various bell peppers for a colorful Capsicum Rice.
- It is preferable to use good quality and aged basmati rice for this recipe.
- You can easily make this Capsicum Rice in a pan on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot, adding water as required.
- To bring a touch of tang, you can add 1 small-sized tomato.
- To make the dish more spiced or spicy, add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, a few green chilies or some red chili powder.
- This recipe of Bell Pepper Rice can easily be scaled to make more servings.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Capsicum Rice Recipe or Indian Bell Pepper Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice – 200 grams
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 tejpatta small or 1 medium to large tejpatta (Indian bay leaf)
- 2 single thin, strands of mace
- ½ cup onions – thinly sliced or 1 medium-sized onion
- ¾ to 1 cup capsicum – sliced or 2 medium green bell peppers or capsicum – 75 to 80 grams
- 3 tablespoon coriander leaves – chopped (cilantro)
- 4 to 5 drops lemon juice – optional
- 1.75 cups water or add as required
- salt as required
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse basmati rice very well in water for 3 to 4 times.
- Then soak rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain the water and set the rice aside.
- Meanwhile when the rice is soaking, slice the onions thinly. Also slice the capsicum.
Making capsicum rice
- Heat in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Keep heat to a low. Add the whole spices – cumin seeds, green cardamoms, cloves, inch cinnamon, tejpatta, and strands of mace.
- Fry for a few seconds till the spices crackle and become fragrant.
- Next add the sliced onions.
- Mix very well and sauté stirring often on medium-low heat till the onions become golden.
- Lower the heat and add the sliced capsicum and chopped coriander leaves.
- Mix very well and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on low to medium-low heat.
- Add the soaked rice. Gently stir to combine and sauté rice for a minute.
- Pour water and season with salt. Also add 3 to 4 drops of lemon juice. Mix again.
- Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook capsicum rice on a medium to medium-high heat for 2 to 3 whistles.
- When the pressure falls down on its own naturally in the cooker, open the lid and gently fluff the capsicum rice.
- Serve Capsicum Rice or Bell Pepper Rice hot with an Indian curry or a dal (lentil based dish) or raita.
Notes
- You can use a mix of the different varieties of bell pepper to make a colorful rice.
- Instead of basmati rice, you could use any non-sticky variety of long grained rice. Aged basmati rice is always better to make dishes like pilafs.
- Depending on the age, variety and quality of rice, add water as needed.
- The recipe can be made in a pot on the stovetop, adding about 2 cups of water or as needed.
- The recipe can be scaled.
Nutrition
This Capsicum Rice recipe from the blog archives first published in June 2015 has been updated and republished on July 2023.
All your recipes are superb. Always comes out tasty.
thanks a lot jayashree. glad to know. thanks for the rating too.
Hey I have always been reading ur recipes.. I tried this pulao today but I think I used too much water because it turned out like a khichdi. My hubby just love capsicum in any dish so i tried this today but it doesnt look like pulao 🙁 can u tell me the measurement of water for rice . Does water measurement differ for plain rice and pulao/biryani
sush, depending on the quality of rice, you can easily add 1.5 to 2 cups water for 1 cup of rice which has been pre soaked for 30 minutes. while cooking in a pressure cooker also you can add upto 1.5 to 2 cups water for 1 cup of presoaked rice. for an aldente texture in rice, 1.5 cups water is fine, but if you want the rice to be more on the softer side, then add 1.75 cups rice. usually i add 1.75 cups water for 1 cup of organic basmati rice or even regular basmati rice which has been presoaked for 30 minutes. in biryani and pulao, the rice is cooked well but it should remain separate, whereas in usual cooking of rice, it can be cooked more.
U didn’t mention what to use for spicing up the rice ?
shobhana, are you asking for the spicy variation of this pulao?
Very nice recipes from your blog. I love it and the recipes I tried was yummy. Thank you so much for a detailed procedure. I’m so happy
welcome akshathanv. thanks for your positive feedback.
Love your recipes. After making couple of dishes from this website i have stopped looking else where. This is my one stop for tasty veg recipes. Big Thanks to you.
pleased to know this thank you for your kind and motivating words 🙂 always welcome.
All receipes are tasty. Wat ever we search here am able to find it. We found this very useful
pleased to know that preeethika thankyou so much 🙂
Thank you for posting this recipe. It came out great. My husband is a fantastic cook. It felt amazing when he appreciated it. I did a slight variation. Added green chillies and green peas. It was hard to differentiate between green chilly and capsicum after it was cooked. So I think it is better not to add green chilly next time.
You are doing a great job!
welcome archana. glad to know this. thanks for sharing your positive feedback and variation.
Hello,
The recipe was helpful for preparing a quick but tasty lunch. Was great with cucumber and pomegranate raita. Thanks to you.
Welcome Mrs S Kumar
It is my pleasure to write a comment for you because I am a person who have never cooked food before marriage because I never had time but 3 months back I got married so the biggest problem for me was cooking good and variety food which was a dream but because of you it is possible know so you are my guru and whatever cook from your given receipes is a hit. So thank you so much. And love to se more recepies .one more thing I would like to know the receipe of dal batti which is not their in your blog plz post it for me.
thank you very much amrata. glad and pleased to read your comment. i will add the dal bati recipe. i have got some more requests for the same recipe.
It’s really amazing and you know it’s tasty too. I am very Happy today because of you. THANKS A LOT
welcome srishti
Hi Dassana.. I am a great fan of your recipes… I never used to cook south Indian food, but with your simple and easy-to-make recipes, i have started enjoying cooking it.. Thank you so much… 🙂
welcome jessica. nice to know this. thanks for your positive feedback and kind words.
Hi Amit, all your recipes are awesome… can you pls tell me which rice did you use (Brand and Type of rice) ?
thanks heena. i use various organic brands of basmati rice. i also use sona masuri rice.
It was the first time that I’ve cooked rice and it already seems like my best.
Thanks a lot. It’s one bonus for the detailed description 🙂
thanks a lot rashi.
Can u please post spicy version of capsicum rice
yes will add in some time.
Great ! Just one suggestion … Personal experience has been if one adds a spoon or two of coconut powder after sautéing the onion and capsicum and adding the rice … It gives a wonderful fragrance and enhances the taste as well !!
thanks mangala for the suggestions.
I tried this one it came really nice 🙂
thanks harmya
so simple very easy…..My parents also like this..even ready in just 30 minutes which is the plus point for all office going females……
thanks deepika
Awesome…. will surely try and let u know
thanks sunita
Yummy! I am going to try this next!
thanks chanchal
Nice recipe every nicely explain step by step
thanks kalpana
So simple n so easy .vl try tody itself
thanks sharada.
Hi dassana,
Pulao looks mouthwatering can you please give us punjabi mushroom masala recipe too
thanks vidhya. i will add the recipe soon.