Add Preferred SourceExperience the flavors of aromatic spices and perfectly cooked rice and vegetables with this delightful vegetable biryani recipe. Prepared in the
By layering vegetables and rice directly in the
Why you will love this recipe?
- This vegetable biryani recipe is made in the
Instant Pot electric pressure cooker, which simplifies the traditional biryani-making process. - With this recipe, you can prepare the entire vegetable biryani in a single pot. The layering of rice and vegetables is done directly in the
Instant Pot , minimizing the need for additional pans or dishes. - This easy veg biryani recipe retains the authentic flavors and textures of traditional biryani.
- Instant Pot vegetable biryani recipe yields generous portions, making it a great option for meal prep or leftovers that can be enjoyed for subsequent meals.
Ingredients
Vegetables: I have used potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and peas.
Rice: Use Basmati rice to make biryani.
Spices: There are a variety of aromatic whole spices used - black cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, star anise, and black cardamom. These spices are easily available in Indian grocery stores.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-step instructions
Expert Tips
Use long grain Basmati rice. It has a great aroma and long grains that when cooked correctly, are separate, non-lumpy, and do not stick to each other. Before using the rice, rinse it well under running water to remove excess starch. This will help prevent the rice from becoming sticky when cooked.
For an authentic tasting biryani, use all the spices I used in this recipe. But if you do not have access to any of the spices, you may skip them. You can also sprinkle garam masala or biryani masala when layering the vegetables for added flavor.
When layering the rice and vegetables in the
What to serve with vegetable biryani?
Instant Pot vegetable biryani is often served with a variety of accompaniments that complement its flavors. Here are some popular options:
Raita: Raita is a yogurt-based side dish that helps balance the spiciness of this
Salan: Salan is a spicy curry often served alongside vegetable biryani. It is made with a variety of vegetables or meat, such as mirchi ka salan (made with chili peppers), bagara baingan (made with eggplant), or chicken salan.
Serve this delicious biryani with Instant Pot chicken leg quarters for a protein-balanced meal.
Recipe FAQs
While fragrant Basmati rice is commonly used for biryani due to its long-grain and aromatic nature, you can use other types of long-grain rice as well. Just keep in mind that the cooking time and water ratios may vary slightly depending on the rice variety.
Potato, carrots, green beans, green peas, and cauliflower florets are some of the common vegetables used. You can also add mushrooms, corn, bell pepper, zucchini, etc. too. Regardless of the vegetables used, make sure not to skip potatoes.
Yes, you can use frozen vegetables in the
Yes, biryani can be made ahead of time. You can prepare it a few hours in advance and reheat it before serving. The flavors often deepen and meld together when the biryani is allowed to sit for some time, making it even more delicious.
More Instant Pot Rice dishes
If you tried this Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ? star rating and let me know how it went in the ? comments below.
Recipe card
Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup basmati rice
- 3 tablespoon ghee (use store-bought or homemade ghee)
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic grated or ½ tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 inch ginger grated or 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ cup yogurt whisked
- 2 tablespoon cashew optional
- 1 tablespoon almonds optional
- 1-1½ teaspoon salt adjust as per taste
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves chopped
- 2-3 tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon saffron
Vegetables:
- 1 small potato chopped
- 1 small carrot chopped
- 6-8 green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ cup peas
- 8-10 florets cauliflower
Spices:
- 1 teaspoon black cumin shah jeera
- 6 green cardamom
- 2 small pieces cinnamon
- 6 cloves
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 star anise
- 1 black cardamom optional
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder or as per taste
Instructions
- Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in sufficient water for 30 minutes.
- Soak the saffron strands in warm milk. Set aside.
- Set Instant Pot in saute mode and add ghee.
- Add whole spices (black cumin, clove, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, star anise, and bay leaf) and saute for a few seconds.
- Add onions and saute until golden brown. Add ginger and garlic and saute for one minute. Add cashews and almonds and mix well.
- Add salt, turmeric, and chili powder and mix well. Add chopped vegetables and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add whisked yogurt. Mix well. Spread the vegetables to cover the IP. After this stage, do not mix.
- Add cilantro and mint leaves. Spread them over the vegetables.
- Drain water from the soaked rice and add to the IP. Spread evenly. Next, add the saffron milk.
- Add 2 cups of water gradually. It is important not to add all the water in one go as this may mix up the layering.
- Close the IP lid and seal the vent. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode and cook for 5 minutes. Do a quick release of the pressure.
- Veg biryani is ready to be served.
Tavo says
I loved your recipe. It was delicious! I paired it with an eggplant curry and it was heaven!
Kayla DiMaggio says
This instant pot biryani was so delicious! I loved all the flavor of the rice and my whole family devoured the dish!
Julia says
We loved this biryani dish. Your instructions were so helpful and clear that it was a complete success. My family loved it and I'll definitely be making it again. Thank you.
Choclette says
Wow, who'd have thought you could cook biryani so quickly? How fabulous.