Palak Biryani is a quick, healthy one-pot rice dish made with fresh spinach, rice, and Indian spices. It can be prepared in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. It pairs well with raita or yogurt.
Love Biryani, but bored of vegetable biryani, paneer biryani, or soya chunks biryani? Try my Spinach Biryani! This nutritious palak rice comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for lunch boxes and a great way to sneak greens into kids' meals.
I learned this from my mom when she visited us in the USA, and it was a hit with our guests. Adding coconut milk makes it even tastier! It's a great way to use up spinach leaves, so the next time you have some in the fridge, you know exactly what to make!
Today, I shared how to make spinach biryani in an Instant Pot and Stovetop Pressure Cooker. Try two more recipes with spinach and rice: spinach rice, spinach khichdi.
Today, I shared how to make Spinach Biryani in an Instant Pot and Stovetop Pressure Cooker. You can also try two more delicious recipes made with spinach and rice: spinach rice, spinach khichdi.
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Palak Biryani Ingredients
- Spinach: I have used organic baby spinach. You can also add vegetables of your choice, like carrots and green beans.
- Rice: Traditionally, long grain Basmati Rice is used for making biryani, and I have used white basmati rice for this recipe. You can also use sona masoori rice.
- Water: I have used 1.5 cups of water for every cup of Basmati rice to make this biryani in Instant Pot. Adjust water based on the type and quality of rice.
- Ghee: ghee adds extra flavor. If you are vegan, replace it with oil.
- Veggies: Onion and tomatoes.
- Ginger and garlic: I used a paste made from fresh ginger and garlic. You can also mince and add them.
- Herbs & spices: Used mint and coriander leaves for herbs, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, and biryani masala (or garam masala) for dry spices.
- Whole Spices: Used bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, and fennel seeds.
How to Make Palak Biryani in Instant Pot
For Making Palak Puree
Rinse 2-3 cups baby spinach well in water at least two times to remove salt or sand. I prefer buying pre-washed and organic spinach.
Add chopped palak, ¼ cup coriander leaves, ¼ cup mint (pudina leaves), and 3 green chiles in a blender.
Add very little water and blend to a smooth paste, and keep aside.
For Making Palak Biryani
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Next, add 2 tablespoons oil (or ghee), once it’s hot, add whole spices like:
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom
- 1 small star anise (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Saute for 30 seconds or till aromatic.
Then add 1 medium onion (thinly sliced), 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and golden brown – stir regularly
Add 1 medium tomato (finely chopped) and dry spices like ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon jeera powder, and 1 teaspoon biryani powder (or garam masala), and cook for 2 minutes or till tomatoes turn soft.
Next, add the spinach puree, and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add 1 cup of rinsed basmati rice, 1.5 cups water, salt, and give a stir. Adjust water appropriately.
To avoid a BURN alert, ensure to Deglaze the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck bits.
Furthermore, close the lid on the pot. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK button (High Pressure) and timer to 5 minutes.
After the pot beeps, Wait for Natural Pressure Release (NPR).
Lastly, remove the lid away from you, add juice of half lime, garnish with fried onion (optional) and roasted cashews, and mix well.
Spinach biryani is ready. Serve with raita or plain yogurt.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- Follow the same steps as the Instant Pot. Close the lid, place a whistle, and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. After 10 mins, add lime juice, garnish with fried onion, and mix well.
What to Serve with the Spinach Biryani?
Serve spinach biryani with yogurt, onion tomato raita, or any Indian curries of your choice.
Variations
- Protein: Adding a few air fryer paneer or tofu cubes will taste great in the spinach biryani recipe.
- Add Coconut Milk: You can substitute 1 cup of water with 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk, it enhances the palak biryani flavor.
- No Biryani Masala: If you don't have biryani masala powder, then add 1 teaspoon of garam masala powder.
- No Onion No Garlic: You can skip onion and garlic in this recipe if you want to make a no onion - no garlic version.
- Use Ghee: Use ghee instead of oil, to make it more rich and flavorful.
Expert Tips
- Adding Fresh Herbs: Grinding the spinach with fresh herbs like coriander leaves and mint leaves is for added flavor. If you don’t have them at home, don't worry, you can skip them. I always have dried mint powder at home, so when I don't have fresh mint, I replace it with dried mint powder.
- Fried Onions: I used store-bought fried onions for this recipe, but you can easily make them at home. Deep fry thinly sliced onion in hot oil until golden. Drain excess oil by placing it on a paper towel.
- Adjust the water: Since you add water for grinding spinach puree, adjust the water while making this palak rice recipe.
More Indian Spinach Recipes
Palak Biryani (Spinach Biryani)
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1.5 cups water
- 2 tablespoons oil (or ghee)
- juice of half lemon
For Palak Puree
- 2-3 cups baby spinach (or 1 medium bunch of spinach)
- ¼ cup mint (pudina)
- ¼ cup coriander leaves
- 3 green chilies
Whole Spices
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom
- 1 small star anise (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Dry Spices
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- ½ teaspoon cumin (jeera) powder
- 1 teaspoon biryani powder (or garam masala powder)
For Garnishing
- 8-10 fried cashews for garnishing
- 2 tablespoons fried onions (optional)
Instructions
For Making Palak Puree
- Rinse palak (spinach leaves) well in water at least two times to remove salt or sand. I prefer buying pre-washed and organic spinach.
- Add chopped palak, coriander leaves, pudina, and green chiles in a blender.
- Add very little water and blend to a smooth paste and keep aside.
Instant Pot Method:
- Firstly, press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Next, add oil and once it’s hot, add whole spices and saute for 30 secs or till aromatic.
- Then add sliced onions, ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and golden brown – stir regularly
- Add tomatoes, dry spices like turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, biryani powder, and cook for 2 minutes or till tomatoes turn soft.
- Next, add spinach puree, let it boil for 1-2 minutes. Ensure to Deglaze the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck bits to avoid BURN alert.
- Add rinsed basmati rice, water, salt, and give a stir. Adjust water appropriately.
- Close the lid on the pot. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK button (High Pressure) and timer to 5 minutes.
- After the pot beeps, Wait for Natural Pressure Release (NPR).
- Lastly, remove the lid away from you, add lime juice, garnish with fried onion and cashews and mix well.
- Palak or Spinach Biryani is ready. Serve with raita or plain yogurt
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Heat a pressure cooker with oil on medium flame, Add oil and once it’s hot, add whole spices and saute for 30 secs or till aromatic.
- Then add sliced onions, ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and golden brown in color – stir regularly. Add tomatoes, dry spices like turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, biryani powder and cook for 2 minutes or till tomatoes turn soft.
- Next, add spinach puree, let it boil for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add rinsed basmati rice, water, salt, and give a stir. Adjust water appropriately.
- Close the lid place a whistle and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame.
- After 10 mins add lime juice, garnish with fried onion and cashews, and mix well.
- Spinach Biryani is ready. Serve with Raita or plain yogurt.
Notes
Tips
- Adding Fresh Herbs: Grinding the spinach with fresh herbs like coriander leaves and mint leaves is for added flavor. If you don’t have them at home, don't worry, you can skip them. I always have dried mint powder at home, so when I don't have fresh mint, I replace it with dried mint powder.
- Fried Onions: I used store-bought fried onions for this recipe, but you can easily make them at home. Deep fry thinly sliced onion in hot oil until golden. Drain excess oil by placing them on a paper towel.
- Adjust the water: Since you adding water for grinding spinach puree so, adjust the water while making this palak rice recipe.
Variations
- Protein: Adding a few fried paneer or tofu cubes will taste great in the spinach biryani recipe.
- Add Coconut Milk: You can substitute 1 cup of water with 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk, it enhances the palak biryani flavor.
- No Biryani Masala: If you don't have biryani masala powder, then add 1 teaspoon of garam masala powder.
- No Onion No Garlic: You can skip onion and garlic in this recipe if you want to make a no onion - no garlic version.
- Use ghee: Use ghee instead of oil, to make it more rich and flavorful.
Nutrition
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SPatel
Absolute FAN of this recipe!!
Have made it many times and the family LOVES it!!
Thanks for the recipe
bhavana
So glad to know you & your family liked the recipe Shrutz Patel 🙂 Thank you for sharing your feedback, do try other recipes & share how it turns out 🙂