Homemade Nandos Spicy Rice

If you have been staying home but craving a cheeky Nandos at home, never fear! This easy homemade Nandos-style spicy rice is for you. Ready in about half an hour in just one pan, you can make this as hot or as mild as you like. Delicious served with homemade peri peri chicken.

Homemade Nandos Rice 

What do you do when you crave the hit of your favourite takeaway but you don’t want to go out (or you are watching your spending, or the restaurant is closed)? You make your own, of course!

This Portuguese style spicy rice is delicious and easy to make at home in half an hour (with about five minutes hands-on time!). So if you are craving that cheeky peri peri hit, try this Nandos spicy rice.  

This one-pot rice dish is very simple to make, with everyday store cupboard ingredients. You just need rice, a few spices (chilli, turmeric & paprika), some onion, red pepper and frozen peas. This recipe makes a triple batch, so we freeze some for another day, or eat it the next day for lunch. 

I have cooked rice every possible way in the past – baked, boiled on the stove, steamed, microwaved, and in the Instant Pot. I come back again and again to the simple, foolproof absorption method. Once you master cooking rice at home you will never order rice with your takeaway again. 

Why You Will Love This Nandos Rice Recipe

• It is quick and easy, needing less than 5 minutes’ hands-on time.
• You will have perfect rice every time using the absorption method of cooking.  
• It is like having Nandos at home, for a fraction of the price!  
• It makes a triple batch! Cook once, each thrice! 

Cooking Rice by the Absorption Method 

Once you have mastered the absorption method, I promise you will never want to cook rice any other way again. (OK, there’s risotto and paella and rice pudding, but you know what I mean!)

You need a heavy pot with a lid that fits. I use a shallow cast-iron casserole dish that is perfect for rice to serve four to six.   

Gently fry the rice in a little oil. Then add a sprinkle of salt. Add twice the volume of liquid (water or stock) to the rice. Then bring it to a gentle simmer, put the lid on, turn the heat down low and leave the rice alone for 18 minutes.

DON’T be tempted to lift the lid while it is cooking. If you do, the steam that escapes will change the rice to liquid ratio. 

When the rice is done, turn the heat off. Fluff up the rice with a fork and leave it for up to a quarter of an hour before serving. The pot will keep it warm.  

How to Make Nandos Spicy Rice

This is such a simple recipe – just fry the onion & pepper with the spices, add the rice  and water (twice the volume of liquid to rice), cover, cook, then add the peas!  

Step One – Find your ingredients and check you have everything you need before you start! It sounds obvious but it is maddening to find that something is missing halfway through. 

Step Two – Peel and chop the onion, garlic and red pepper. 

Step Three – Put the oil in a pan (I like to use a shallow casserole dish). Add the onion, garlic and pepper and saute them over a low heat. You want them to soften with the onion just starting to turn golden. 

Step Four – Add the chilli flakes, turmeric and smoked paprika. Fry for another minute.   

Step Five – Add the rice. Stir and cook for a minute so that the rice becomes coated with the oil and spice.  

Step Six – Pour the stock over the rice and stir through. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Then put the lid on the pan securely. Cook on the lowest heat for 18 minutes.  

I recommend using a heat diffuser if you have trouble getting the heat low enough.   

Step Seven – Pour the peas into a bowl and cover with boiling water to defrost and cook them.

Step Eight – After 18 minutes, take the pan off the stove top. The rice will have absorbed all the liquid. Drain the peas and add to the pan. Put the lid back on immediately and leave for another 5 minutes. 

Then fluff the rice with a fork and it is ready to serve. Serve your homemade Nandos spicy rice as a simple supper or with delicious homemade peri peri chicken and barbecue dishes. 

Which Rice to Use?

Any white long grain rice works with this recipe. Just don’t use a quick-cook, easy-cook or minute rice, as you’ll end up with a mushy, sticky mess.

You’ll get a better result if you use basmati rice, which is more flavoursome and fragrant than ordinary long grain rice. Brown rice will take longer to cook, and will also need more liquid.  

Homemade Nandos Rice –Tips and Tricks

• I cook rice in a heavy cast-iron casserole dish or Dutch oven. Any heavy sauce pan will do.  
• Use a pan with a lid that fits. If the lid doesn’t fit properly, some of the steam will escape and you could end up with dry rice. If the lid isn’t tight, add an extra spoonful of water.
• Cook on the lowest heat and if needed use a stove top heat diffuser or simmer ring. These cost a few pounds (or dollars) and will last a lifetime.
• Don’t peek while the rice is cooking. Let it do its thing. If you lift the lid, steam will escape and alter the rice to water ratio.  
• To make this dish even faster chop up a double batch of onion, garlic and red pepper, pop in a plastic tub, and freeze. You can then cook the veg from frozen the next time you make it.  
• Add more vegetables. I am a huge fan of adding as much Extra Veg as you can to a meal. You can easily add double the quantity of bell pepper and peas here, or add a handful of frozen sweetcorn along with the peas.  

Can I Make Nandos Rice Ahead?

There’s no real need to make such an easy recipe ahead of time, but you can. You can also keep any leftovers to reheat in the microwave. We have found that the quantities given here are perfect for two easy after-work suppers for two.

If you do make your rice ahead of time, make sure that it cools quickly. Put it in an airtight pot in the fridge as soon as possible. Keep it for no more than 48 hours and make sure that you reheat it thoroughly before serving.  

Can I Freeze Nandos Rice?

I’m a great believer in cook once and eat twice, especially when you are cooking for two (or one).  I usually bake a double batch of rice, but because of all the lovely veggies this recipe makes enough for 6, and will perfectly fill 3 standard takeaway trays.   

Pack leftovers into a takeout tray or other lidded freezer proof box. Allow to cool and then freeze as soon as possible. Then grab a tub from the freezer and defrost in the fridge, or microwave from frozen. 

More rice? 

We love rice as a side or in a one pot and probably eat more rice than pasta and potatoes put together.  Why not try 

• Spicy rice
• Mushroom rice
• Pilau rice
• Pressure cooker Chinese rice
• Moroccan chicken and rice 
• Spanish chicken and rice
• Greek chicken and rice
• Other easy rice recipes

Sauces to serve with the rice? 

Make this Nandos rice hotter or ring the changes by drizzling with some sauce

• Nandos Peri Peri Sauce
• Chilli Sauce
• Curry Sauce
• Garlic Sauce
• Burger Sauce
• Other sauce recipes

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5 from 10 votes

Homemade Nandos Rice

If you want to make Nandos style peri peri at home then this recipe for Nando's style Portuguese rice is what you need. Perfectly cooked rice flavoured with warming cumin, chilli and turmeric can be on the table in less than half an hour. Ideal with chicken and other peri peri dishes.

Servings: 6

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 red bell pepper (medium size)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes or powder (more if you like it spicy )
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked if you have it )
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional)
• 1 cup basmati rice (200g)
• 2 cups vegetable stock or broth (just under 500ml)
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

Metric - USA Cups

Instructions

• Halve the chilli peppers. Cut into cubes. Discard the seeds and membrane for less heat, or include them if you prefer a spicier dish.
• Pour the oil into the bottom of a heavy saucepan, or casserole dish (Dutch oven) and heat over a low flame. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for a few minutes until starting to soften.
• Add the rice and stir until it is coated with the spice and oil mixture.
• Pour over the stock, Add a little salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Then put the lid on the pan and leave on the lowest heat for 18 minutes.
• After 18 minutes, turn the heat off and allow to stand for 5 minutes. The rice will have absorbed all the liquid. Fluff the rice with a fork, replace the lid and allow to stand for up to 15 minutes.

Notes

Homemade Nandos Spicy Rice – Tips and Tricks

• You can, of course, vary the spices.
• There is no need to rinse the rice. However, if you prefer to wash it, reduce the amount of stock by 2 tablespoons.
• I make my easy Nandos spicy rice in a heavy cast-iron casserole dish or Dutch oven. Use the heaviest pan you have. A sturdy pan heats evenly and will prevent hot spots and burning.
• Use a pan with a lid that fits. If the lid doesn't fit properly, some of the steam will escape and you may end up with dry rice. If the lid isn't tight, add an extra spoonful of water.
• Cook on the lowest heat and if needed use a stove top heat diffuser or simmer ring. These cost a few pounds (or dollars) and will last a lifetime.
• Pack leftovers into airtight tubs and store in the fridge as soon as they are cold. Eat within 48 hours, ensuring the rice is piping hot.   Alternatively freeze, and allow to defrost in the fridge, or microwave from frozen. 

Nutritional Information:

• This recipe is 9 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Nandos Rice

Amount Per Serving

Calories 269 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 485mg21%

Potassium 156mg4%

Carbohydrates 52g17%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 470IU9%

Vitamin C 33mg40%

Calcium 29mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Fakeaway, Portuguese, Takeaway

Keyword: Nandos Rice, Nandos Spicy Rice

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