Chickpeas Pulao - A wholesome and Easy One pot Chickpea Rice Recipe that gets done in just under 30 mins in an Instant Pot. Ideal for weeknight dinners, is freezer friendly and can be made ahead.
Looking for weeknight dinners that's budget friendly, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and needs minimal prep work? Try Chickpeas Pulao made in an Instant Pot. A delicious, main course rice dish made with kabuli chana, chickpeas or garbanzo beans. Serve it with a simple side of plain yogurt or salad.
Some days I love cooking elaborate food while other days I look for options that only need my presence in the kitchen for 15 minutes tops!
Since I am a huge on meal planning for the week, I stock quite a few things, including cooked chickpeas, for busy weekdays. These are extremely helpful on days when I just want to curl up on the sofa, catch up on shows without worrying about getting food on the table.
Cooked Chickpeas can be quickly turned into snacks, salads or main course. We love Chickpeas Sundal (Stir fry with coconut), Chana Masala (Indian Chickpeas Curry), Chickpea Salad and Chana Saag (Spinach with Chickpeas Curry).
If you are bored of eating chickpeas or find them 'bland', this recipe will totally change that perception. I assure you that this pulao or pilaf will be a staple weekday dinner option for your family.
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Video Recipe
Ingredients
Chickpeas - While you can follow this recipe using canned chickpeas, I would totally recommend Instant Pot Chickpeas. The detailed blog post simplifies the process of cooking chickpeas from scratch (using dry beans). You will never go back to buying canned stuff after you know how easy and cheap (economical) it is to cook chickpeas from scratch.
For this pilaf or pulao recipe, we use Cooked Chickpeas. Basmati Rice takes just 5 minutes to cook whereas Chickpeas takes longer. The only prep work here is having cooked chickpeas in hand.
If you are using canned chickpeas, drain the chickpeas completely, rinse once and then use.
Basmati Rice - Long Grain White Basmati Rice is used for the recipe. The rice has to be washed and soaked for 20 minutes. The water used for soaking is drained completely and rice is rinsed once before adding to the inner pot.
This process removes the excess starch leading to non-sticky and fluffy rice grains.
Rice to Water Ratio for Chickpea pulao - For 1 & 1/2 cups of Rice, we use the same quantity i.e. 1 & 1/2 cups of water.
Spices - I have used whole spices and ground garam masala. It adds a lot of flavor as chickpeas is bland on its own and we need to spice and flavor the rice and beans. You can add Biryani Masala instead of Garam Masala as a variation.
I have also added Kashmiri Red Chilli powder which is available in leading Indian grocery stores. You can substitute it with paprika or skip it entirely if you prefer less heat.
You can use Ghee or Clarified Butter for cooking Chickpeas Pulao. However, I have kept it light and used olive oil instead. Use any neutral flavor oil for the recipe or you can also use ghee, if you are not looking for a vegan / dairy-free recipe.
I love how this recipe comes together easily and also the fact that it is filling. Such recipes also come handy when you have an almost empty refrigerator.
If you love one-pot-meals that are budget friendly yet delicious, do try Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani (medley of rice and vegetables) and Instant Pot Bisibele bath (South Indian one pot lentils, rice and vegetable loaded dish made with brown rice. Bonus - It's Vegan)
Instructions to Make Chickpeas Pulao
Before you begin the process of cooking, wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain the water completely, rinse and proceed with the below steps.
Step 1 - Switch on the Instant pot "Saute" Mode. When the display shows Hot or On, add oil, cumin seeds and the whole spices (peppercorns, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick). Give this a couple of minutes until the spices heat and the cumin seeds have roasted well.
Step 2 - Add the sliced onions and saute well for a couple of minutes.
Step 3 - Add the cooked chickpeas and the dry spice powders (Red chilli, garam masala and turmeric powder). Mix well. Cancel Saute Mode.
Step 4 & 5 - Now add the soaked and drained Basmati Rice. Mix and add salt.
Step 6 - Add Water, mix gently and check seasoning.
Step 7 - Cover the Instant Pot lid, Adjust the pressure valve to Sealing and pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, manually release the pressure by moving the pressure valve to venting.
Fluff the Pulao using a fork. Serve immediately with a side of your choice (yogurt or raita).
Serving Suggestions
Pulao or Pilaf calls for a simple Raita or Indian Yogurt dip as side or accompaniment. You can also serve Pulao with Papad, potato chips or vegetable chips that are deep fried or air fried.
Pickles also make a wonderful accompaniment to such dishes. Below are some of the suggestions you can try.
Onion Raita - This is a personal favorite as side dish for Biryani and Pilaf.
Mixed Vegetable Raita - Vegetables can be customized according to what is available in your refrigerator.
Pineapple Raita - Love the combo of "Sweet and Spicy"? Try Pineapple Raita as an accompaniment and a cooling side to rice dishes, curries.
FAQ's
Yes, It is gluten-free, vegan and contains no nuts.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It can be stored in the freezer for long shelf life. Allow the pulao to cool completely before transferring to a container or zip lock bag. Frozen pulao can be thawed completely and then re-heated in a microwave.
Canned chickpeas can be used. It should be drained completely in a colander, rinsed and used.
You can use store bought or home made chole masala or chana masala powder instead of adding garam masala. You can also add biryani pulao masala to this recipe.
This pulao can be made using cooked brown chana or brown chickpeas and kidney beans also. Use cooked beans only for this recipe.
Other Instant Pot Recipes to Try
Rajma Masala - Indian Kidney Bean Curry
Black Eyed Peas Curry (Lobia Masala)
Vegan Dal Makhani - Kidney Beans and Black Urad Dal Lentil Curry
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Instant Pot Chickpeas Pulao | Chickpeas Pilaf | Chana Pulao
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
For Pulao
- 1 ½ cups Basmati Rice to be soaked for 20 mins, drained
- 2 cups Chickpeas Use cooked chickpeas
- 2 Onions medium size sliced
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil or use any neutral oil
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 ½ cups Water
- Salt to taste
Spices
- 1 Bay leaf
- 8 - 10 Peppercorns
- 4 Cloves
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks or Dalchini (1 inch each x 2)
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder or paprika
- 1 ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
Instructions
- Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain the water completely, rinse and proceed with the below steps.
- Switch on the Instant pot "Saute" Mode. When the display shows Hot or On, add oil, cumin seeds and the whole spices (peppercorns, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick). It will take 1 - 2 mins for the spices to heat and flavor the oil and the cumin seeds to brown.
- Add the sliced onions and saute well for a couple of minutes.
- Now add the 2 cups of cooked chickpeas and the dry spice powders (Red chilli, garam masala and turmeric powder). Mix well. Cancel Saute Mode.
- Now add the soaked and drained 1 & 1/2 cups of Basmati Rice. Mix well, add salt to taste.
- Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water. Stir once and check seasoning.
- Cover the Instant Pot lid, Adjust the pressure valve to Sealing and pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, manually release the pressure by moving the pressure valve to venting.
- Open the lid, fluff the Pulao using a fork. Serve immediately with plain yogurt or raita.
Video
Notes
- Storage and Leftovers - Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It can be stored in the freezer for long shelf life. Allow the pulao to cool completely before transferring to a container or zip lock bag. Frozen pulao can be thawed completely and then re-heated in a microwave.
- Canned chickpeas - Drain completely in a colander, rinse and use.
- This pulao can be made using cooked brown chana or brown chickpeas and kidney beans also. Use cooked beans only for this recipe.
- Cook Time - It takes approximately 30 minutes from start to end (prep work and soaking of rice excluded) for this recipe. While the pressure cooking time is only 5 minutes, it takes some time for the pressure to build in instant pot and the actual cooking to commence.
- The Recipe is gluten-free, vegan and contains no nuts.
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan
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