Easy one-pan homemade Nando’s style spicy rice that you can make in under 30 minutes in your kitchen. Check this simple and delicious spicy rice recipe that you can add to your weekly meal plan.
This recipe can get you handy when you want to take your favorite takeaway from the Nando’s Restaurant, but because of the lockdown, you can’t go out.
If you have all the needed ingredients, why not cook it yourself?
Just follow this easy recipe, and you will be bringing Nando’s spicy rice to your home.
It is very easy to make, cheap on ingredients and it will take you less than 30 minutes. All you will need are some simple ingredients like long-grain rice, onions, bell pepper, green peas, and some spices.
The best thing about Nando’s Spicy Rice, is that you can serve it as a low-fat side dish or as a part of salad, wraps, casserole, you name it! Also, if you like rice, check our simple pumpkin risotto.
What I also love about this recipe, it’s so easy to make and it’s not time-consuming at all. You can actually save a lot of time throughout the week. Make a huge pan of rice at once, and then use it with anything you can find in your fridge during the week. It will go with just about anything!
You should remember, though, Nando’s Spicy Rice will definitely burn your tastebuds. I personally love that, but I wouldn’t necessarily serve it to the guests if I wasn’t sure they can handle it.
But on the better side, you can actually regulate the spice to your preference. That makes the dish more personalized, isn’t it great?
I hope you’re as excited as I am, so get your ingredients out and let’s get started!
Why you will love this Nando’s Spicy Rice?
- It’s very easy to make.
- It will take you less than 30 minutes.
- It’s a one-pot dish. You don’t need to clean a mountain of dirty dishes after.
- You can adjust the recipe as your family prefers. Add your favorite spices.
- It will save you time & money.
What Ingredients do you need for Homemade Nando’s Spicy Rice:
- 2 cups of long-grain rice.
- 4 cups of water.
- 1 Bell Pepper.
- 1 Onion.
- 2 Garlic Cloves.
- 1 ⅕ cups of Frozen Green Peas.
- 2 teaspoons of Garlic Powder.
- 2 teaspoons of Paprika.
- ½ teaspoon of Diced Red Pepper.
- 2 teaspoons of Turmeric
- 2 teaspoons of Olive oil.
- Salt to taste.
👩🍳 Step-by-step Directions
Pour a little bit of oil into the pan and warm it up. (The spices need to sizzle when you will put them into the pan.) After you warmed up the oil, add all the spices to the pan.
Quick Note: It’s important to start with spices that are coarsely crushed, and step-by-step to gradually add the spices that are crushed finner and finner. In that way, you will avoid burning the spices.
When you will start to smell the spices, add the onion and chopped garlic into the pan.
Cook the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes.
After that, add the bell pepper to the pan, and cook it for another 2 minutes.
Now, it’s time to add the rice to the pan.
Quick Note: It is important to wash the rice well in 4-5 waters until the water in which you wash it will be transparent. This will prevent the rice from sticking during cooking because we have washed off all the excess starch.
Now, we need to add green peas. If it is the season, use fresh peas. If not – you can use the frozen peas.
Now it’s time for the salt. For now, add only 2 teaspoons of salt. At the end, you will adjust the salt to your taste.
Add 4 cups of water or if you prefer a more intense taste, you can replace the water with vegetable broth.
When the rice starts to boil, cover it with a lid and simmer the rice for 15 minutes.
After that, turn off the heat and leave the rice under the lid for about 5 minutes.
Quick Note: Don’t remove the lid all this time because you will lose all the steam and the rice will not be prepared as we needed.
After that, take a fork and mix well the rice. Our Spicy rice in the Nando’s style is ready to be served.
Answering Your Questions:
Can I use a different type of rice for this recipe?
Yes, you can use different types of rice, such as basmati, jasmine, or brown rice. However, keep in mind that the cooking time and liquid ratio may vary depending on the type of rice you choose. Be sure to follow the specific cooking instructions for the rice variety you select.
Can I add protein to this dish?
Absolutely! You can add protein sources like cooked chicken, shrimp, tofu, or chickpeas to make this dish more filling and nutritious. Add the cooked protein towards the end of the cooking process to ensure it doesn’t overcook or become dry.
Can I make this dish spicier or milder?
You can adjust the spiciness of the dish to suit your preferences by increasing or decreasing the amount of red pepper used in the recipe. To make the dish milder, reduce the red pepper or eliminate it entirely. For a spicier dish, increase the red pepper or add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce.
Can I add other vegetables to the rice?
Yes, you can customize this dish by adding other vegetables such as diced carrots, zucchini, corn, or even spinach. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time and liquid ratio accordingly, and add the vegetables at the appropriate stage of cooking to ensure they are cooked through.
Recipe Card:
One-Pot Homemade Nando’s Spicy Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rice long-grain
- 4 cups Water
- 1 Bell pepper
- 1 Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 ⅕ cups Green peas frozen
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Chili Pepper Flakes
- 2 teaspoons Turmeric
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Warm the oil and add the spices to the pan.
- When you will start to smell the spices, add the onion and chopped garlic to the pan. Cook them for about 2 minutes.
- After that, add the bell pepper to the pan and cook it for another 2 minutes.
- Wash well the rice 4-5 times and add it to the pan.
- Add the green peas. If it is the season, use fresh peas. If not – you can use frozen peas.
- Add only 2 teaspoons of salt for now. In the end, you will adjust the salt to your taste.
- Add 4 cups of water or if you prefer a more intense taste, you can replace the water with vegetable or meat broth.
- When the rice starts to boil, cover with a lid and simmer the rice for 15 minutes.
- After that, turn off the heat and leave the rice under the lid for about 5 minutes.
- After that, take a fork and mix well the rice. Our Spicy rice in the Nando's style is ready to be served.
Quick Note
I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find more tips and notes about this recipe. Read Full Recipe ⇑
Notes
- When you will add the spices in the beginning, it’s important to start with spices that are coarsely crushed, and step-by-step to gradually add the spices that are crushed finner and finner. In that way, you will avoid burning the spices.
- It is important to wash the rice well in 4-5 waters until the water in which you wash it will be transparent. This will prevent the rice from sticking during cooking because we have washed off all the excess starch.
- In the end, after you will turn off the heat, don’t remove the lid all this time because you will lose all the steam and the rice will not be prepared as needed.
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