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1st March 2011

Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani

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Love the vegetable biryani you tasted last time in the best restaurant in town? I can see your taste buds waiting to enjoy the best mum-made delicious spiced yellow rice! Rush to your refrigerator to grab veggies to make this irresistible instant pot vegetable biryani! Serve with Cucumber Raita to make it a complete meal.

Vegetable Biryani

About this recipe

Veg Biryani is an aromatic Indian rice dish made by cooking basmati rice with vegetables, biryani spices, and herbs.

It is a wholesome rice meal on its own and you can make it with vegetables or paneer/tofu or soya chunks. Restaurant-style Veg Biryani is a labor of love and the process is elaborate.

Over a period of time, I love to simplify recipes without any compromise on flavors. That’s exactly how I landed into my perfect Veg Biryani recipe.

I started cooking this Biryani exactly the same way in an open pot, but it was taking longer and required a lot of hands-on.

Instead of cooking separately, we cook all in just one pot ( pressure cooker) and in one go. Moreover, by doing so, we can cut the cooking time and absolutely no babysitting needed.

Once your Pressure Cooker Biryani is ready, serve with raita or side dish of your choice.

PRO TIP – I can highly recommend using Extra Long Basmati Rice. Wash the rice well to remove starch and dirt. Once cooked, each grain separates well and the rice dish looks so amazing.

What is Vegetable biryani?

Biryani is the Hindustani version of the Persian word Birinj which means rice. Looking at the way it is prepared, this word derives its origin from the Persian word Biriyan. In the Persian language, Biriyan means to roast. Add your favorite veggies, whole spices, flavorsome herbs, aromatic masala, long grain basmati rice, and your mouth-watering biryani is ready.

Why make biryani in instant pot?

The traditional method of cooking biryani is the dum method or slow cooking. Original idea was to cook this one-pot dish in a sealed pot using steam. The idea of sealing the utensil is to not let the steam escape the container. This process would take a very long time but the veg biryani is totally amazing. However, the traditional style of cooking uses a lot of dishes. At the end of the day, you can see a lot of dishes piled up in your kitchen sink.

If you cook this biryani in an instant pot, you can save time, and it is as yummy as the traditional version. With the pressure cooker method, prep time is only 10 minutes, and cooking time is less than 30 minutes in total. Your delish Veg Biryani is ready in under an hour from start to finish. The method of cooking this One Pot Biryani is just like the Pulao – but you can have all the flavors of Biryani in this rice!

.What an easy way to make weekends relaxing and impressive! Your family would love it for sure.

Difference between Pulao and Biryani?

Let me tell you one thing – Pulao / Pilau is not Biryani. They are two different rice dishes. Pulao is a one-pot dish, prepared using the absorption method where rice is cooked along with desired veggies and whole spices.

Whereas, traditional biryani is prepared using the draining method. First, we cook plain rice flavored with whole spices and the vegetables with masala separately. Then layer it with alternate layers of veggies and rice. Finally, garnish with coriander leaves or fried onion on the top of the dish.

The primary difference between both the popular Indian rice dishes is the Spice. Biryani has a lot more spices used in the dish than the Pilau.

Pilau is typically served as a side dish or as a part meal alongside curry or dals and naan bread. On the other hand, biryani is a whole meal in itself and generally served with raita, mirch ka saalan and chutney.

So what are you waiting for? Try this easy one-pot Veg Biyani recipe and it will never disappoint you at any point in time.

Best Biryani pairings:

Since biryani is a complete meal itself that’s spicy, aromatic, and flavorsome – you can serve something light along with it. Usually, raita or Dahi chutney goes really well with biryani. I love serving Cucumber Raita or Boondi raita with my Veg Biryani.

A Vegetable salad can complement this vegetable biryani well. 

Mirchi ka salan is a popular hyderbadi side dish that is also served with Biryani. Salan refers to the thin gravy, made with green chilies, desiccated coconut, peanuts, tamarind.

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE, YOU WILL ALSO LOVE

Paneer Biryani

Soya Biryani

Restaurant style Veg Biryani

HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?

Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a ★ rating!

Post a photo of your creation on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #sandhyaskitchen.  I would love to see your pictures!

EASY INSTANT POT VEGETABLE BIRYANI RECIPE BELOW

Vegetable Biryani

Easy Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani

5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Sandhya Hariharan
Try this easy One Pot Veg Biryani today.

Ingredients

Whole spices

  • 3 Bayleaf
  • 4 Cloves
  • 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 ” Cinnamon Stick
  • 2 Black Cardamom
  • 3 Green Cardamom

Other Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Basmati Rice
  • 1 1/4 cup Water
  • 1 medium Onion sliced
  • 2 Cup Frozen Vegetables diced
  • 1 medium potato diced
  • 1 Green Chilli
  • 1/2 Tsp Ground Turmeric
  • 1/2 Tsp Chilli Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Biryani Masala or Garam masala
  • 1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 2 Tbsp Oil or Ghee
  • 1 Tsp Lemon Juice optional
  • Salt to taste

Garnishes

  • Coriander leaves
  • Mint Leaves
  • 12 Cashewnuts

Instructions

  • Wash the rice a couple of times until clear and soak it for 15 minutes. Drain the rice and set it aside.
  • Press the Sauté mode high. When the screen displays HOT, add ghee/ oil. Once heated, add the whole spices and saute for a minute.
  • Add sliced onion, green chili, ginger-garlic paste, and saute for another 2-3 minutes until onions turn translucent.
  • Add the soaked rice, vegetables, ground spices, salt and water. Stir to combine. Switch off the Instant Pot.
  • Secure the lid and select pressure cook HIGH FOR 5 MINUTES. It takes approximately 7 -8 minutes+ for the IP to kick in.Once the timer beeps after 5 minutes, NATURAL pressure releases for 5 minutes and then QPR any remaining pressure.
    Just as the Safety Pin drops, open the pot and allow the Vegetable Biryani to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.
  • Garnish with Coriander leaves, mint leaves, roasted cashew nuts, and fried onions ( if you like ). Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
  • Enjoy your Instant Pot Veg Biryani with Raita / Curry of your choice.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: biryani, paneer biryani, vegetable
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhyaskitchen and Hashtag #sandhyaskitchen!

Filed Under: Instant Pot Recipes, Lunch & Dinner Recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Satya says

    1st March 2011 at 11:47 pm

    veg biriyani looks very yummy…i can feel the flavors…lovely

    Super Yummy Recipes

    Reply
  2. Sandhya Hariharan says

    1st March 2011 at 11:53 pm

    Heyy thanks Satya… A sooper quicky comment!!!

    Reply
  3. Aysha says

    2nd March 2011 at 12:13 am

    Awesome presentation…n the biryani look so yummy!

    Reply
  4. Satrupa says

    2nd March 2011 at 12:23 am

    Good to see ur post after a long gap. The veg biriyani looks flavorful. Lovely Clicks too

    Cheers,
    Satrupa

    Reply
  5. Kalyani says

    2nd March 2011 at 12:23 am

    wow amazing and tempting pictures sandhya …… delicious too ……

    Reply
  6. divya says

    2nd March 2011 at 12:48 am

    Gorgeous and yummy biryani, simply delicious.wonderful clicks dear!!!!

    Reply
  7. Sandhya Hariharan says

    2nd March 2011 at 1:09 am

    Thank you soo much Satrupa for enquiring.. I m actually in the midst of too many dealyed chores..and its affecting my bloggy baby.. ( my posts)
    … Trying to get regular and catch up with most ppl …gradually.

    Reply
  8. Sandhya Hariharan says

    2nd March 2011 at 1:09 am

    Ayesha , Kalyani and Divya… Thanks a lot dearies.. Glad you liked the outlook ..Do try the food too ..and let me know 🙂

    Cheers
    Sandy

    Reply
  9. Ms.Chitchat says

    2nd March 2011 at 1:10 am

    That was one tasty biryani,very nice recipe. Looking forward for the rest of ur menu including the chocolate cake :):)

    Reply
  10. Sandhya Hariharan says

    2nd March 2011 at 1:24 am

    Thank you ChitChat…
    My Chocolate Cake is sure to follow in my posts!!
    I totally adore that recipe!!

    Reply
  11. Pavithra says

    2nd March 2011 at 2:12 am

    I fell in love with ur shot and biriyani when i saw this in FB..looks great.

    Reply
  12. RAKS KITCHEN says

    2nd March 2011 at 3:42 am

    Wonerful looking briyani and nice set up sandhya, you are now a days rocking with your SLR 🙂

    Reply
  13. Kankana says

    2nd March 2011 at 3:51 am

    5 stars
    such beautiful flavors .. i can almost taste it !

    Reply
  14. Valarmathi Sanjeev says

    2nd March 2011 at 4:55 am

    Wow…that looks yummy and flavourful.Love the way u have presented…looks inviting.

    Reply
  15. Satya says

    2nd March 2011 at 5:02 am

    what a yummy looking biryani sandhya.. bookmarking.

    Reply
  16. Sharmilee! :) says

    2nd March 2011 at 5:35 am

    Ur version sounds new to me..want to give it a try…Nice pics Sandy

    Reply
  17. jeyashrisuresh says

    2nd March 2011 at 5:51 am

    Yummy and flavourful biryani.u made it very well. I have never added lemon juice will try next time

    Reply
  18. lata raja says

    2nd March 2011 at 6:01 am

    beautifully presented flavoursome and aromatic biriyani Sandhya.

    Reply
  19. Chitra says

    2nd March 2011 at 6:09 am

    i want to try a briyani with briyani masala for long time. Will surely try this. Nice clicks sandy 🙂

    Reply
  20. Reva says

    2nd March 2011 at 9:09 am

    Superb presentation and a very lovely dish…
    Reva

    Reply
  21. Prathima Rao says

    2nd March 2011 at 9:18 am

    Awesome looking biryani…Rice is perfectly cooked too…Must have been quite a feast..And looking forward to ur other recipes as well..;)
    Prathima Rao
    Prats Corner

    Reply
  22. Rekha shoban says

    2nd March 2011 at 9:44 am

    beautiful presentation….briyani looks perfect n delicious!

    Reply
  23. priya says

    2nd March 2011 at 9:47 am

    will give a try..looks super delicious

    Reply
  24. Ramya says

    2nd March 2011 at 9:58 am

    Biriyani looks soo perfect..
    This Colorfull Biriyani with boondi raita..drooling here thinking of that combo…

    Reply
  25. An Open Book says

    2nd March 2011 at 10:16 am

    looks delicious…esp in this weather it would be such a saving grace..hot biryani!

    Reply
  26. Priya says

    2nd March 2011 at 12:27 pm

    Beautiful presentation…Very tempting biryani..

    Reply
  27. Priya Sreeram says

    2nd March 2011 at 2:01 pm

    lovely looking rice- nice clicks !!

    Reply
  28. Akila says

    2nd March 2011 at 2:34 pm

    superb briyani… can smell the flavor….

    Reply
  29. Suja Sugathan says

    2nd March 2011 at 3:10 pm

    Delicious and aromatic biryani,wonderful presentation.

    Reply
  30. Sandhya Hariharan says

    2nd March 2011 at 4:35 pm

    Thanks a lot Pavitra.. Wish you were my neighbour and I could have invited you for a biryani lunch 🙂

    Reply
  31. Sandhya Hariharan says

    2nd March 2011 at 4:35 pm

    @ Raje : Tats such a lovely comment… .Coming from you means a lot to mee…

    You have been soo good in your space.. I have grown seeing your space too!!

    Reply
  32. Sandhya Hariharan says

    2nd March 2011 at 4:37 pm

    @ Sharmilee… & Satya..
    Do give it a shot .. This was very much new to me.. I have tasted it before.. Now I know the secret ingredients :))

    Reply
  33. Sandhya Hariharan says

    2nd March 2011 at 4:37 pm

    Jeyashri : Adding Lemon Juice helps us in separating the grains…do try it n see..

    Reply
  34. Sandhya Hariharan says

    2nd March 2011 at 4:40 pm

    Thank you Ladies… Your comments mean a lot to me.. It makes me want to do better..

    @ Prathima… It sure was a feast dear.. Afterall my boyz bday celebration again !!
    Chocolate cake will b coming up sooon…too

    Reply
  35. Torviewtoronto says

    2nd March 2011 at 5:23 pm

    biryani looks fabulous and healthy

    Reply
  36. Kairali sisters says

    2nd March 2011 at 6:25 pm

    I love rice preps loaded with veggies and this biriyani is no different..

    Reply
  37. VineelaSiva says

    2nd March 2011 at 6:31 pm

    The biryani and the presentation is very nice.

    Reply
  38. Pooja V says

    4th March 2011 at 1:43 am

    HI, this is my first time here. i loved all the pictures. they are super nice. the food loks yummy :)!

    Reply
  39. Anu says

    4th March 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Yummy recipe..

    Reply
  40. Anu Nandu says

    4th March 2011 at 8:34 pm

    Love the strip coasters! And of course the biryani! And all the light in the pictures…makes it terribly beautiful!

    Reply
  41. Neenu Praveen says

    4th March 2011 at 9:06 pm

    luk so delicious ..happy to followu..u luk cute…

    Reply
  42. sukanya says

    7th March 2011 at 3:15 am

    loved the recipe of vegetable biryani, its looking so tempting and nice clicks

    Reply
  43. Indian Recipe Book says

    7th March 2011 at 9:48 am

    I like this quick version of biryani looks delicious
    Yummy. It is making me hungry..
    Delicious and very tempting biryani !!!

    Reply
  44. Usha says

    13th March 2011 at 2:54 pm

    Love the color of the biryani! Very tempting..

    Reply
  45. Ajish says

    27th August 2011 at 3:49 pm

    first time i prepared biryani by following your receipe, its yummy my all family loved it.

    Reply
  46. DV says

    14th November 2011 at 1:16 am

    Flavorful biriyani!!! 🙂 The colors r beautiful!
    TastyVegCooking

    Reply
  47. themustardseed says

    24th March 2012 at 2:47 am

    5 stars
    You have such a beautiful space, love your photography and write ups. Vegetable biryani looks fabulous!

    Reply
  48. Mamatha Reddy says

    25th June 2012 at 1:54 pm

    5 stars
    very good and easy recipe for Veg Biryani. My family loved it so much. thank you.

    Reply
  49. Shuba says

    30th December 2015 at 11:20 pm

    5 stars
    I used this recipe many years ago. I lost your link and was hunting through Google images because I loved your presentation and the picture stuck with me. Finally found my bookmark and here I am, gleefully cooking..

    Reply
    • Sandhya Hariharan says

      15th March 2016 at 11:34 pm

      Thank u Shubha so much. Ever since I migrated, a lot of things have changed with the blog. L

      Reply
  50. Grace Hall says

    20th March 2017 at 12:51 pm

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe for Veg Biryani in my Instant Pot last week and it came out very well. Everyone loved it. Thanks a lot.

    Reply

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HEY, NICE TO MEET YOU! Hi, I am Sandhya: - a former IT Engineer now Food Blogger. We live in London and my favorite things are Chocolate, Camera and long walks.

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