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Home » Recipes » Biryani

Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani

Jan 10, 2023. by Bhavana Patil. 8 Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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A simple, easy, and flavorful vegetable biryani recipe made in the Instant pot pressure cooker with layers of spiced vegetables, warm spices, herbs like mint and cilantro, fried onions, and basmati rice. This delicious Veg Biryani recipe can be made in less than 45 minutes and is perfect for a weeknight dinner.

instant pot vegetable biryani served in a black plate with raita and lemon wedges on the side

Oh My God! You can’t get over the taste of that delightful Veg Biryani from your favorite Restaurant? You are dying to make it at your home but found the numerous online recipes overwhelmingly complicated & decided to give up?

If this sounds like You, then here is your easy guide to making a mouth-watering One-pot Veg Biryani recipe in the comfort of your home. All you need is your magical Instant Pot & 30 minutes to win over your family 🙂

In addition, See the Veg Biryani Video here to get a better idea of how to cook vegetable dum biryani on Instant Pot.

Today I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT. You can use any equivalent electric pressure cooker like Mealthy Multipot.

Jump to:
  • What is Biryani?
  • Ingredients to make Instant Pot Veg Biryani
  • How to Make Vegetable Biryani in Instant Pot
  • Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
  • Serving Suggestions for Veg Biryani
  • Tips to make the best Vegetable Biryani
  • Storage Suggestions
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Veg Style Biryani Recipes
  • Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani Recipe

What is Biryani?

Biryani, also known as beriani, biriani is a mixed rice dish with its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It is made with Indian spices, rice, meat, and/or vegetables in certain regional varieties. - Source Wiki

A lot of people get confused about the difference between Biryani and Pulao. In the traditional Biryani recipe, rice and meat or vegetables are cooked separately, assembled in layers, and then cooked on low flame (dum style) so that all the flavors are infused during the slow cooking. As a result, it is much richer due to ghee, fried onions, and more spices. Whereas Pulao is a medley of rice with either vegetables or meat, and both these things are cooked together with a mixture of spices.

Ingredients to make Instant Pot Veg Biryani

  • Vegetables: Add vegetables of your choice, a few other options are potatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper, and zucchini. However, some vegetables, like cauliflower, cook faster, so cut them into large florets. Cut other vegetables like beans, and carrots into 1 inch each. In addition, I have added paneer for protein.
  • Rice: Traditionally, extra-long grain Basmati Rice is used for making biryani, and I have used white basmati rice for this recipe.
  • Fried Onions: I have used store-bought fried onions since it saves time. If you don't have them handy, then take 1 large onion, thinly slice them, and saute with 2 tablespoons of oil till they caramelize, or you can deep fry them too.
  • Water: I have used 1.25 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.
  • Biryani Masala Powder: You can get biryani masala powder from any Indian grocery store or amazon, or you can make it at home itself. You can use any brand, I have used Shan Biryani Masala for today’s recipe. I highly recommend using Shan Biryani Masala because it gives Restaurant Style Veg Biryani taste. However, if you don't have biryani powder, replace it with the same quantity of garam masala powder.
  • Spices & Herbs: You can increase or decrease spices according to your preference.
Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani Ingredients

How to Make Vegetable Biryani in Instant Pot

Pre Preparation

  • Rinse the basmati rice and soak for 15-20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
  • Add warmed milk to a bowl and soak the saffron strands in it. Keep aside.

Marinating the Veggies

  • Take yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, biryani masala powder, lemon juice, salt in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
  • Now add the chopped vegetables, mix very well and marinate for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
  • However, if you don't have time, skip this step and add the veggies, and yogurt into the instant pot directly and saute.
steps to marinate vegetables with yogurt and spices in a bowl

Method

  • Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil into the pot along with the whole spices and saute for 30 seconds.
steps to saute whole spices in cooker collage
  • Secondly, Add sliced onions and saute for about 4-5 minutes or till onions caramelize.
steps to add onions and saute onions till they caramelize collage
  • Furthermore, add the marinated vegetables to the pot. Mix everything well and saute for 1 minute.
  • Also, Deglaze the bottom of the pot using liquids from the vegetables to remove any stuck bits to avoid BURN alert.
steps to prepare by sauting marinated vegetables collage
  • Top with half of the coriander leaves, mint leaves, and fried onions. Do not mix.
  • Spread the soaked basmati rice evenly over the veggies.
steps to add basmati rice to veg biryani in cooker collage
  • Now again, top with leftover coriander leaves, mint leaves, and fried onions. Sprinkle saffron milk on top of the rice, and do not mix.
  • Add water gently all around along the sides of the pot. Don’t add water in the center. Make sure rice is just immersed under water.
  • Do not mix the ingredients. After that, add 1 tablespoon of ghee over the rice, this is optional.
steps to add fried onions and mint leaves collage
  • Select "MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK" (LOW Pressure) and adjust the time to 6 minutes.
  • After the pot beeps, Quick Pressure Release to stop overcooking the rice and vegetables.
  • Open the pot and fluff up the rice. Garnish with some more fried onions and coriander leaves.
  • Most importantly, Remove the steel insert as it prevents the rice at the bottom from overcooking.
  • Lastly, Serve this Instant pot Vegetable Biryani with your favorite raita, salad, or kurma.
Pressure Cooker Vegetable Biryani recipe

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

  • Follow the same steps as that of Instant Pot. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook on the lowest flame for about 20-25 minutes. Even if the pressure cooker whistles, it's fine.
  • Serve this easy pressure cooker biryani with your favorite raita, salad, or kurma.
instant pot vegetable biryani served in a black plate with rait and lemon wedges on the side

Serving Suggestions for Veg Biryani

Serve Vegetable Dum Biryani recipe with any kurma, or serve it with a side of raita and Mango Lassi.

Tips to make the best Vegetable Biryani

  • Rice: Use top-quality long-grain basmati rice to make fluffy and fragrant vegetable biryani. However, you can also use short-grain rice like seeraga samba rice or sona masoori rice if that's what you have in hand.
  • Paneer: If your paneer becomes chewy after pressure cooking, saute paneer separately & add in the end or use homemade paneer.
  • Marinating the Veggies: Marinating the vegetables is an optional step, but I highly recommend it because it enhances the biryani flavors.
  • Biryani masala powder: Use Shan Biryani Masala to get restaurant-style veg biryani flavor. I highly recommend this brand. You can easily find biryani masala in any Indian grocery store or on amazon. If you don't get biryani powder, replace it with the same quality of garam masala powder.
  • Spices: Increase or decrease spices accordingly to your preference.
  • Deglaze: Make sure to Deglaze the pot using liquids from vegetables to remove any stuck bits to avoid a BURN alert.
  • Quick Release: After the pressure cooking, Quick Pressure Release to stop overcooking of rice and vegetables.

Storage Suggestions

  • Storage: Leftover veg biryani will last in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days when stored in an airtight container.
  • Freezer: You can freeze in a freezer-safe container or ziplock for up to 2 months in the freezer. Make sure to cool down the biryani to room temperature before storing it in the freezer.
  • Reheat: Add a few tablespoons of water and reheat in a microwave or stovetop until warm through.

Recipe FAQs

What kind of rice is used in Biryani?

Classic Hyderabadi vegetable biryani is made using basmati rice. This rice is thinner and longer than traditional rice. I prefer Daawat Traditional Basmati Rice or Tilda Legendary Rice Pure Original Basmati brands.

How to make Vegan Vegetable Biryani?

To make Vegan Vegetable Biryani, replace ghee with any neutral oil and yogurt with coconut cream or plant-based plain yogurt. You can replace the paneer with the pan-fried tofu or skip that. Replace milk to soak saffron with plant-based milk or water.

How to prevent the Burn Alert in Instant Pot?

Ensure to Deglaze the bottom of the pot using liquids from vegetables to remove any stuck bits to avoid a BURN alert.

More Veg Style Biryani Recipes

  • Paneer Biryani
  • Spinach Biryani
  • Mushroom Biryani
  • Chickpeas Biryani
  • Soya Chunks Biryani
  • Quinoa Veg Biryani
  • More Instant Pot Indian Rice Recipes
Tried this recipe?Don’t forget to give a ★ rating below
instant pot vegetable biryani served in a black plate with raita and lemon wedges on the side

Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani Recipe

Bhavana Patil
A simple, easy and flavorful vegetable biryani recipe made in the Instant pot pressure cooker with layers of spiced vegetables, warm spices, herbs like mint and cilantro, fried onions and basmati rice.
4.94 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 3
Calories : 432
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian
Diet: Vegetarian
Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
Prep Time : 20 minutes
Cook Time : 15 minutes
Total Time : 35 minutes

Equipment

  • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
  

Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250 ml

    Vegetable Marination for Biryani:

    • ½ cup thick yogurt (hung curd) (thick coconut milk or use vegan yogurt)
    • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste 
    • 1 large carrot diced, (about 1 cup)
    • 1 cup green beans cut in 1 inch pieces
    • 1 cup cauliflower cut in large florets about 1.5-2 inch
    • 1 cup paneer cubed into ½ inch cubes
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
    • 1.5 tablespoons biryani masala powder
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • salt adjust to taste

    Whole Spices:

    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 inch cinnamon stick
    • 3 cloves
    • 3 cardamom
    • 1 star anise
    • 1 single strands of mace
    • 1 teaspoon shah jeera (cumin seeds)

    Other Ingredients:

    • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed & soaked for 20 minutes
    • 2 tablespoons ghee (use oil for vegan)
    • 1 large onion thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
    • ¼ cup mint leaves (pudina) chopped
    • ¼ cup coriander leaves(cilantro)  finely chopped
    • ¼ cup fried onions divided
    • 3 tablespoons milk (use water for vegan)
    • saffron(kesar) few strands
    • 1 tablespoon ghee optional
    • 1 ¼ cups water
    • salt adjust to taste

    Instructions
     

    Pre Preparation:

    • Rinse the basmati rice and soak for 15-20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
    • Add warmed milk to a bowl and soak the saffron strands in it. Keep aside.

    Marinating the Vegetables:

    • Take yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, biryani masala powder, lemon juice, salt in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
    • Now add the chopped vegetables, mix very well and marinate for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
      However, if you don't have time, skip this step and add the veggies, yogurt into the instant pot directly and saute.
      steps to marinate vegetables with yogurt and spices in a bowl

    Instant Pot Method:

    • Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil in to the POT along with the whole spices and saute for 30 seconds.
      steps to saute whole spices in cooker collage
    • Secondly, Add sliced onions and saute for about 4-5 minutes or till onions caramelize.
      steps to add onions and saute onions till they caramelize collage
    • Furthermore, add the marinated vegetables into the pot. Mix everything well and saute for 1 minute.
      Also, Deglaze the bottom of the pot using liquids from the vegetables to remove any stuck bits to avoid BURN alert.
      steps to prepare veg biryani in instant pot by sauting marinated vegetables collage
    • Top with half of the coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions. Do not mix.
    • Spread the soaked basmati rice evenly over the veggies.
      steps to add basmati rice to veg biryani in cooker collage
    • Now again top with leftover coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions. Sprinkle saffron milk on top of the rice and do not mix.
    • Add water gently all around along the sides of the pot. Don’t add water in the center. Make sure rice is just immersed under water.
      Do not mix the ingredients. After that add 1 tablespoon of ghee over the rice, this is optional.
      steps to add fried onions and mint leaves collage
    • Select "MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK" (LOW Pressure) and adjust the time to 6 minutes.
      After the pot beeps, Quick Pressure Release to stop overcooking the rice and vegetables.
    • Open the pot and fluff up the rice. Garnish with some more fried onions and coriander leaves.
      Most importantly, Take out the steel insert as it prevents the rice at the bottom from overcooking.
    • Lastly, Serve this Instant pot Vegetable Biryani with your favorite raita, salad, or kurma.
      instant pot vegetable biryani served in a black plate with raita and lemon wedges on the side

    Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:

    • Follow the same steps as that of Instant Pot. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook on lowest flame for about 20-25 minutes. Even if the pressure cooker whistles, its fine.

    Video

    Notes

    I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT.

    Tips

    • Always use top-quality long grain basmati rice for making biryani, this makes fluffy and fragrant Biryani.
    • If your paneer is becoming chewy after pressure cooking, saute paneer separately & add in the end or use homemade paneer
    • Make sure to Deglaze the pot using liquids from vegetables to remove any stuck bits to avoid BURN alert.
    • After the pressure cooking, Quick Pressure Release to stop overcooking of rice and the vegetables.
    • Use Shan Biryani Masala to get restaurant-style veg biryani flavor. I highly recommend this brand.
    • Marinating the vegetables is an optional step but I highly recommend it because it enhances the flavors of the biryani.
     
    Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 10gFat: 17gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 700mgPotassium: 695mgFiber: 8gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3892IUVitamin C: 56mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword how to make veg biryani, instant pot vegetable biryani, pressure cooker biryani, south indian recipes
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @indianveggiedelight or #indianveggiedelight

    More 10+ Delicious Vegetarian Biryani Recipes

    • Mushroom Biryani Recipe (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
    • Palak Biryani (Spinach Biryani) - Instant Pot
    • Instant Pot Paneer Biryani
    • Potato Biryani (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. SK says

      June 04, 2020 at 3:33 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my god. For the first time in my life, I cooked and ended up making decent tasting biryani as per this recipe. Thank you Bhavana. Now I will try other recipes. SK

      Reply
      • bhavana says

        June 04, 2020 at 4:28 pm

        So happy to see your comment SK and also to hear you have started cooking these days :)...I highly recommend trying this easy potato peas curry too Potato Peas Curry ...You can simply replace potatoes with mushroom or paneer and reduce pressure cooking time to 2 minutes

        Reply
    2. Moti Mahal Delux OMR says

      November 16, 2020 at 3:57 am

      5 stars
      Great, nice recipe. Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe. Surely I will try it.

      Reply
      • bhavana says

        November 16, 2020 at 10:33 am

        Thank you Moti

        Reply
    3. Tanu says

      May 12, 2021 at 8:39 pm

      Hi thanks for the recipe! Everytime i make biryani in my instant pot (including this recipe) it turns out very moist, not dry how it should be. Do you have any suggestions? I followed the recipe exactly how it was written but it still turned out moist

      Reply
      • Bhavana Patil says

        May 13, 2021 at 12:02 am

        Hi Tanu,
        I get this question a number of times from my readers and friends.
        It may depend on the rice, soaking time, the quantity of water used and sometimes even the veggies release the water. For me this recipe has always worked fine. I would suggest you to reduce water by 1/4 cup next time and don't forget to quick release.. Please share your feedback if you try again. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    4. Madhu says

      January 30, 2023 at 1:55 pm

      5 stars
      Hi I did make this recipe it's quite delicious thank you for the recipe.can please post how to make chicken biryani just this

      Reply
      • Bhavana Patil says

        January 30, 2023 at 2:37 pm

        Thank you so much Madhu, for trying the recipe. Glad you liked it. This is a vegetarian blog so we don't cook non-vegetarian recipes.

        Reply

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