Beetroot Rice, also known as Beetroot Pulao or Beet Rice Pilaf, is a flavorful and nutritious one-pot dish made with beetroot, green peas, and a few spices in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Ready in under 30 minutes, it's an ideal choice for lunch boxes that your kids and family will love!
Whenever I need to prepare Indian rice recipes for a small gathering or get-together, I always turn to easy vegetable pulao or veg biryani, as they’re always a hit. However, for everyday meals or when cooking just for my family, I like to cook something different. That’s when I end up making dishes like spinach rice, cabbage rice, biranji anna, carrot rice, and more.
Today, I am sharing a beetroot rice pulao recipe made in the Instant Pot and Stovetop Pressure Cooker. My husband loves beetroot, and this recipe always brings a smile to his face.
Add this recipe to your lunch or dinner menu, and I am sure it will surely please everyone’s taste buds. Kids will love this beet pulao for its mild flavor and amazing taste.
Beetroots are packed with essential nutrients, including folate, manganese, potassium, and copper. They also provide a good amount of magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, iron, vitamin B6, and dietary fiber. So, I like to incorporate beets into my everyday cooking with dishes like beet chickpea salad, beetroot raita, beetroot paratha, beetroot kurma, and more. You may also want to check How to cook beets in the Instant Pot.
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Ingredients for Beetroot Rice Recipe
- Rice: I have used long-grain basmati rice, you can also use sona masoori rice.
- Garlic, ginger, and green chilies: I have used freshly prepared homemade ginger paste and garlic paste. You can use either regular Indian green chilies or Thai chilies for this recipe.
- Vegetables: I have used grated beetroot, onions, and frozen green peas. You can also dice the beetroot into small pieces and add.
- Herbs: Use fresh chopped coriander leaves.
- Spices: For whole spices, I have used bay leaf, cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. I have used turmeric, coriander powder, and garam masala (or biryani powder), for dry spices.
How to Make Beetroot Rice in Instant Pot
Firstly, press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add 2 tablespoons oil, and once it heats up, add 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 stalk curry leaves, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds.
Sauté for about 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant and aromatic.
Then add 3 green chilies, 1 tablespoon ginger, and garlic paste, and sauté for another minute until the raw smell disappears.
Next, add 1 medium onion (thinly sliced) and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until they become translucent.
Add ½ cup green peas ( I used frozen) and 1 cup of grated beetroot, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. You can also add some mint leaves at this stage for added flavor.
Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala (or biryani powder), and mix well.
Next, add 1 cup of rinsed basmati rice, 1.5 cups of water (depending on the type of rice), and salt, and give it a good stir to combine.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, Wait for natural pressure release (NPR) for 10 minutes.
Finally, carefully remove the lid and garnish the beetroot rice with 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander leaves and a squeeze of half lime.
Your beetroot rice made in the Instant Pot pressure cooker is ready to enjoy. Serve it with raita or yogurt for a complete meal.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- Follow the same steps as that Instant pot, close the lid, place the weight, and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. Let the pressure release naturally.
What to Serve with Beetroot Pulao?
Beetroot rice pairs well with a side of homemade yogurt and raitas like cucumber raita, onion tomato raita, papad, and pickle. It also goes well with dal tadka.
Tips & Variations
- If you are soaking rice before, add 1.25 cups of water for 1 cup of basmati rice.
- You can also add finely chopped beetroot instead of grated beetroot.
- You can increase or decrease the spices for this beet pulao.
- I added green peas along with the grated beets. You can also add other veggies like potatoes, bell peppers, and carrots.
- You can also add boiled chickpeas, boiled rajma, edamame, or paneer for added protein.
Also check my Indian Kids Lunch Box Series Posts
Beetroot Rice + Yogurt + Dates and Nut Ladoo + Cherries
More Instant Pot Indian Rice Recipes
Instant Pot Beetroot Rice (Beetroot Pulao)
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup beetroot grated
- ½ cup green peas ( i used frozen)
- 3 green chili
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves optional
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1.5 cups water (depends on rice quality)
- 2 tablespoons oil
Whole Spices
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera seeds)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 cardamom
Dry Spices
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or biryani masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Firstly, press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add some oil, and once it heats up, add a bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, curry leaves, and cumin seeds. Sauté for about 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant and aromatic.
- Then add green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, and saute for another minute until the raw smell goes away.
- Then add sliced onions, Saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent - stir regularly.
- Add green peas, grated beetroot, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, biryani powder, or garam masala, and mix well.
- Then add rinsed basmati rice, water, salt, and give a stir.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, Wait for natural pressure release (NPR) for 10 minutes.
- Finally, carefully remove the lid, garnish the beetroot rice with fresh coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime juice.
- Beetroot rice made in the Instant Pot pressure cooker is ready to enjoy. Serve it with raita or yogurt for a complete meal.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Follow the same steps as that Instant Pot, close the lid, place the weight, and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. Let the pressure release naturally.
Notes
Tips & Variations:
- If you are soaking rice before, then add 1.25 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.
- You can also add finely chopped beetroot instead of grated beetroot for this Beet Rice Pilaf.
- You can increase or decrease spice for this beet pulao.
- I added green peas along with the grated beets. You can also add potatoes, bell peppers, carrots.
Nutrition
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