This Indian bell pepper spinach stir fry combines red, yellow, and green bell peppers, spinach, onion, and a few basic spices in one pan.
I make this recipe on busy weekdays because the vegetables cook quickly and need very little preparation. Serve it with rice, roti, or dal. You can also use the leftovers as a filling for a chapati wrap.
Why I Add Cashew Powder
Spinach releases moisture as it cooks. I add cashew powder near the end, after most of that moisture has evaporated. It absorbs the remaining liquid and helps the vegetables come together as a dry curry.
The cashews also add a mild nutty flavor without needing cream or coconut milk. I cook the mixture uncovered for another minute or two after adding the powder so the curry does not stay wet.
When I want a creamy version, I use cashew cream instead. Cashew powder works better for this dry curry, while cashew cream gives it a softer, sauce-like consistency.
I usually serve dry curries like this as a vegetable side. To make it more filling, I sometimes add cooked chickpeas or Indian spiced roasted chickpeas. You can also browse my high-fiber Indian recipes collection for more ideas using beans, lentils, millets, and vegetables.
Happy Cooking!
-Sravanthi
How to make bell pepper stir fry
Step 1: Chop the bell peppers and onions finely and keep them aside.
Step 2:Heat a pan and once it is hot, add oil and bay leaves to it.
Step 3: Now add chopped onions. Let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn soft.
Step 4:Add the chopped bell peppers and stir fry them on medium to high flame for 3 to 4 minutes. We are using high flame here to retain the crunch of bell peppers.
Step 5: Finely chop the spinach and add it now along with the salt. Mix it well, and spinach will start releasing water.
Step 6: Now add all spice powders one by one. Mix everything well and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 7: To this bell peppers mixture, now add cashew powder and mix everything well.
Step 8: Let this cook further for 3 to 4 minutes on low flame. Cashew powder will absorb all the water from the stir fry and makes it dry.
Step 9: Switch off the flame, and bell pepper spinach curry is ready to serve!
Serving Tips
This bell pepper stir fry works well as a vegetable side. I pair it with a few simple dishes to make a filling meal.
- With rice and dal: I usually start the rice and dal first using the Instant Pot pot-in-pot method. While they cook, I prepare this stir fry, and the complete meal is ready in under an hour. It also pairs well with Indian lemon rice or creamy yogurt rice.
- With flatbread: Serve it with whole wheat chapati or soft avocado paratha.
- With salad: Add quick kachumber salad or tomato onion salad for a fresh and crunchy side.
- As a wrap filling: Use the leftovers in a chapati wrap with green chutney and sliced cucumber. For a gluten-free version, use red lentil wraps.
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Recipe
Indian Bell Pepper Spinach Stir Fry (Easy Dry Curry)
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Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup spinach leaves chopped
- ½ cup onions chopped
- ⅓ cup cashew powder
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon curry powder You can use garam masala powder or allspice powder also
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon raw mango powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Salt Adjust as per your taste
Instructions
- Chop the bell peppers and onions finely and keep them aside.
- Heat a pan and once it is hot, add oil and bay leaves to it.1 tbsp oil, 2 bay leaves
- Now add chopped onions. Let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn soft.½ cup onions
- Add the chopped bell peppers and stir fry them on medium to high flame for 3 to 4 minutes. We are using high flame here to retain the crunch of bell peppers.1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper
- Finely chop the spinach and add it now along with the salt. Mix it well, and spinach will start releasing water.1 cup spinach leaves, 1 tsp Salt
- Now add all spice powders one by one - red chili powder, turmeric powder, raw mango powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Mix everything well and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp curry powder, ½ tsp red chili powder, ¼ tsp raw mango powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- To this bell peppers mixture, now add cashew powder and mix everything well.⅓ cup cashew powder
- Let this cook further for 3 to 4 minutes on low flame. Cashew powder will absorb all the water from the stir fry and makes it dry.
- Switch off the flame, and bell pepper spinach curry is ready to serve! Serve it hot with any Indian flatbread like naan, roti, or flavored rice.
Notes
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Tested Tips from My Kitchen
- Add sweet corn or green peas when they are in season. Both work well with the bell peppers and add a little sweetness.
- To make the curry more filling, add crumbled paneer, tofu, or cooked chickpeas. Add them after the bell peppers have partly cooked so they can absorb the spices without becoming too soft.
- Almond meal or finely ground almonds are the best replacement for cashew powder. I use whichever one I have available.
- Cashew butter or almond butter can also work in place of the powder. Start with the same quantity and add more only if needed. The finished curry will be softer and slightly creamier rather than completely dry.
- You can make this stir fry without spinach. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water while cooking so the spices and nut powder coat the bell peppers evenly.
- Kale or collard greens can replace spinach. Chop them finely and cook them for a few extra minutes because they take longer to soften.
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Nutrition
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This Indian bell pepper spinach stir fry is a simple vegetable side that works well for everyday meals. If you try it, let me know how it turns out in the comments. For more easy vegetable dishes, try my bell pepper chickpea stir fry or zucchini carrot stir fry, or browse my collection of Indian vegetable curry recipes.
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Veronica Huque says
Hi, I love your recipes the only thing I wish is that you could say exactly the quantity of the veg used in in lbs and ounces or kg as when you write about half a cup of tomatoes or half a cup of onions for Instance it's difficult to judge if it's the right quantity for the amount of spices I would use. That's the only criticism I have.