Step-by-step Instructions to cook Vegetable Pulao on Stove Top Pressure Cooker and Instant Pot. Easy Gluten Free Main Course Rice Recipe perfect for weeknight dinner or lunch box.
Vegetable Pulao recipe or Veg Pulao - One-pot easy Indian Vegetarian Main Course Rice dish made with Basmati Rice, vegetables and whole spices. Serve as weeknight meal with raita or dal. Pack in lunch boxes for kids and adults.
I am sure for most Indian families, including us, Vegetable Pulao is a quick-fix dish for busy weekdays. Basic meal prepared with pantry staples that serves a crowd. Serve it with a bowl of yogurt, papad and mango pickle.
Veg Pulao makes a perfect meal during Indian winters. Fresh Peas are in season and so are red carrots. The recipe is quite versatile and customizable. Use seasonal vegetables, ones easily available in your refrigerator. This is one of those perfect recipes for "fridge clean-up day"
I have recently updated this recipe for the benefit of my readers. I have included Pressure Cooker and Instant Pot instructions. The pressure cooker version of the recipe does not use onion whereas the Instant Pot one does.
You can cook Veg Pulao on stove top in a dutch oven. However, it takes time and needs your presence in the kitchen. Pressure cooking and Instant Pot are the 2 methods to make this dish quickly.
I have also included cook timings when using Brown Rice or Short grain Sona Masoori Rice instead of Basmati Rice.
Vegetable Pulao is Gluten Free. For a Vegan Recipe, simply substitute ghee with oil.
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Growing up, mixed vegetable pulao was "Sunday Lunch". This simple dish is a staple at every Indian dinner party.
If you are planning to serve Mix Veg Pulao for one of your dinner parties, do read my side dish recommendations or serving suggestions.
Video Recipe
Ingredients
Vegetables - The ratio for vegetables and rice is 2:1. I like adding a variety of veggies, seasonal vegetables preferably.
Some vegetables like green peas and beans are an absolute must when it comes to veg pulao.
For this recipe I have used Green Beans or French Beans, Cauliflower (not in the Instant Pot version), Carrot, Potato and Peas.
Baby Corn, Broccoli (sub for cauli), sweet corn, Bell Peppers, Mushrooms are some of the vegetables we use at home, depending on availability.
Cut the veggies uniformly. Thinly sliced veggies will mash easily when pressure cooked.
Basmati Rice - Long Grain, Aged Basmati Rice is best for Vegetable pulao.
Soak the rice for 15 minutes. This process removes excess starch which results in non-sticky rice texture.
Whole Spices - If you don't stock whole spices, you can substitute with store bought garam masala or biryani masala.
Ghee or Clarified Butter - For most Pulao or Biryani recipes, I favor Ghee. It is absolutely aromatic and makes the dish delectable.
For a Vegan recipe, any neutral flavor cooking oil like avocado or olive oil.
Some of the South Indian States use coconut oil for cooking pulao or biryani.
How to make Vegetable Pulao Recipe in Pressure cooker (without Onion)
Steps 1 and 2 - Prepping the Basmati Rice - Wash the Basmati Rice until the water runs clear. Soak it for 20 mins with fresh water and start prepping the vegetables.
After 20 mins, drain the water, rinse once, drain and keep aside.
Heat a pan, add ghee, cumin seeds and sauté the whole spices until aromatic.
Steps 3 to 5 - Add the assorted vegetables with the soaked and drained rice. Switch off the flame.
Steps 6 - 7 - Transfer the rice and vegetables to a pressure cooker safe vessel, add water and salt. Mix once and pressure cook. (on high for 4 whistles)
Let the pressure release naturally, open the cooker, allow the pulao to cool slightly before fluffing with a fork.
How to make Instant Pot Vegetable Pulao Recipe (with onion)
Step 1 and 2 - Switch on the Instant Pot and sauté whole spices, cumin in ghee.
Step 3 and 4 - Add sliced onions and mixed vegetables.
Step 5 and 6 - Add the soaked and drained basmati rice, water and salt to taste.
Step 7 and 8 - Pressure Cook the rice, fluff and serve hot.
Side Dish for Vegetable Pulao
Serve Raita with Vegetable Pulao. Boondi Raita, Vegetable Raita, Pineapple Raita, Beetroot Raita or Onion Raita are family favorites.
For Main Course, serve vegetable pilau rice with Dal. Makes a good protein-veg-carb combo. Dal Tadka, Dal Palak or Dal Makhani are great options.
Serve veg pulao with Spicy Bean Curry recipes like Rajma Masala, Chana Masala or Black Eyed Peas Curry
FAQ's
Basmati Rice is the best rice for pulao or biryani. It is fragrant, long grain and aromatic. Pulao can be made with Jasmine rice or short grain rice varieties such as Ambemohar rice (Maharashtra), Jeeraga Samba Rice (South India), Gobindobhog (Bengal).
Pulao is also known as Pilaf or Pilau rice.
Pulao / Biryani Recipes
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Vegetable Pulao Recipe (Instant Pot and Stove Top)
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker and Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 2 cups Mixed Vegetables (Beans, Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower and Peas)
- 1 Onion medium size, sliced
- 1 tbsp Ghee or Clarified Butter
- 1 tsp Jeera or Cumin Seeds
- 3 Bay Leaf or Tej Patta
- 1 tsp Black Peppercorns
- 6 Cloves
- 5 Dalchini or Cinnamon Sticks (2.5" length)
- 2 Green Cardamom or Chhoti Eliachi
- 1 Black Cardamom or Badi Eliachi
- Water Read Notes below
- Salt to taste
1 cup is 250 ml, 1 tbsp is 15 ml and 1 tsp is 5 ml.
Instructions
Prepping Rice
- Wash and soak 1 cup of Basmati Rice for 15 - 20 mins. Ensure you rinse the rice until the water runs clear and discard the water used for soaking.
Stove Top Pressure Cooker Instructions (without onion)
- Heat a pan, add ghee, cumin seeds, whole spices. Sauté well until the spices release their aroma.
- Add the mixed vegetables, sauté and then add the soaked and drained rice.
- Mix well. Be gentle while mixing to prevent the rice grains from breaking. Switch off the flame.
- Transfer the contents to a pressure cooking vessel, add water, salt to taste, mix once and then cover with a lid and pressure cook for 4 whistles on high.
- Once the pressure is released, allow the pulao to cool slightly before fluffing it with a fork. Serve hot.
Instant Pot Instructions (with Onion)
- Read the Instructions for Prepping the Rice (above)
- Switch on the Instant Pot, Press Sauté Mode. Once its hot, add ghee or clarified butter, cumin and whole spices.
- Once the spices and cumin have roasted, add onions, mixed vegetables and Basmati rice (soaked and drained). Switch off Sauté Mode. Mix well, add water and salt to taste
- Cover the Instant Pot Lid, Turn the vent to sealing and pressure cook on Low for 6 minutes followed by 10 mins of NPR. Press Cancel.
- Release the balance pressure manually, Open the lid and fluff the rice using fork.
Video
Notes
- I have used a 10 litre pressure cooker for this recipe. Water is added at the bottom and the pressure cooker safe stainless steel vessels are kept one above the other. (holds 3 - 4 vessels, depending on size). Hence it requires a pan to sauté the ingredients before placing it for cooking inside the pressure cooker.
- If using a small cooker (2 litre pressure cooker), you can directly sauté and pressure cook. Also, cook the rice for 1 whistle and allow further cooking for 5 - 10 mins on low flame. Cook Time can depend on size of cooker / model / make etc. Use your judgement.
- Always press cancel once pressure cooking is complete. If the Instant Pot goes in keep warm mode, the rice can stick to the bottom if kept longer.
- To avoid burn signal, always deglaze the pot with water and push the rice below liquids before pressure cooking.
- When chopping vegetables for pulao, ensure the pieces are thicker to prevent them from getting mushy while pressure cooking.
- Adjust the whole spices according to your taste buds and / or availability.
- If you don't stock whole spices in your kitchen, you could also add store bought biryani pulav masala (approximately 2 tsps) to this recipe. Add it while the rice and vegetables are sautéed in ghee and cumin seeds.
- Soaking the rice is not mandatory but as a thumb rule, I highly recommend and follow the same. It is one of the best ways to ensure non-sticky rice texture.
- Vegetable Pulao can be made in two ways - With and without onion, using 2 methods of cooking - Stove top pressure cooker and Instant Pot.
- The timings given are based on time required by IP and pressure cooker to sauté, develop pressure, cook and cool.
- The recipe is Gluten Free.
- For a Vegan Recipe, substitute ghee with neutral flavor oil.
- The recipe does not contain nuts. It is also non-spicy, making it kid-friendly. No chilies are used.
- This recipe is perfect for kids lunch box, office lunch as it gets done quickly and is filling as well. Some plain or flavored yogurt and cucumbers or carrots would make it a complete meal.
- The recipe can be easily doubled if you are meal prepping for the week.
- Once the pulao has cooled, store it in an airtight container. It stays fresh in the refrigerator for a week and longer when stored in freezer.
- It can be re-heated in a microwave and on stove-top in a pan. While re-heating drizzle some ghee for flavor.
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan
So easy to make and very delicious . Looks tempting.
Thank you Ruchi, I am glad you liked the recipe.
Well explained with varieties of vegetables choices..was seeing your recipe for my mom who doesn't eat onion garlic so ... would try making your way of cooker method and will give the feedback after mom has it and iam sure she would love.. thanks for sharing this recipe Vidya ?
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback. Cannot wait to hear your mother's feedback. Cheers.