Vegetable Biryani, Easy and Layered, is perfect for get-togethers and occasions, with its vibrant vegetables, aromatic spices, and fluffy basmati rice. This dish, made with rice and vegetables, is easy to make and tastes amazing. It delivers both comfort and elegance in every bite and is perfect for hosting a festive dinner or simply treating your vegetarian guests!
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Why does this recipe work?
- A great main dish for any special occasion, especially for vegetarians. Serve along with gravies like paneer tikka masala, malai kofta, bharwa shimla mirch, lauki ka kofta, and chana masala. Have some appetizers like grilled paneer, air fryer corn, or veggie cutlet, and a dessert like rasmalai, and your guests would have a complete meal.
- Quick and Low-Effort: This biryani is surprisingly simple to make and doesn't require much time or effort. It's perfect for when you want something flavorful and comforting without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Flexible with Vegetables: While the classic mix includes carrots, beans, and potatoes, this recipe is incredibly adaptable. You can easily use whatever vegetables you prefer, like peas, cauliflower, bell peppers, or even mushrooms!
- Fresh or Frozen (Both Work): To save time, frozen mixed vegetables are a convenient option. But if you have the time, fresh vegetables always offer better texture and a richer flavor.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: The rice and spiced vegetable masala are cooked separately, allowing you to prepare them ahead of time. When ready to serve, just layer and mix through, ideal for entertaining or prepping in advance.
- Great for Leftovers: This biryani tastes even better the next day as the spices continue to develop. It's perfect for lunch boxes or a quick reheat meal, making it just as practical as it is delicious.
Ingredients needed
- Basmati Rice
- Ghee or Clarified Butter
- Spices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, bay leaves
- Veggies: Onions, potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, green chillies, coriander, and mint leaves.
- ginger garlic paste
- Spices: Biryani masala (optional), Coriander powder, Homemade Garam masala
- lemon juice
Vegetable Biryani Easy and Layered - How to make?
This recipe involves cooking the rice and vegetables with gravy separately, then layering them in a serving dish, and finally gently mixing them.
To Make the Vegetable Gravy
Steps 1-2) In a pan, add a combination of ghee and oil, diced onions, and sautée. Add ginger-garlic paste, slit green chilies, and sautée again.
Step 3)Next, add the biryani masala, coriander powder, garam masala (how to make your own garam masala), and salt to taste.
Step 4 -5) Add vegetables, mix well, and cook covered till it is done. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves and mix well.
To Make the Rice
Step 6) Heat the ghee and oil mentioned in the ingredients section in an Instant Pot. Add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaves. Step 7)Next, add onions and green chilies and sautee well.
Step 8) Add the soaked and washed rice, and fry for about 10 minutes till the rice is opaque. Step 9) Add salt and 3 cups of water, and set to cook with the "rice" option. Step 10) Fluff the rice.
Step 11 -12) In a casserole or serving dish, layer the rice, followed by the vegetable gravy. Add another layer of rice, vegetable gravy, and repeat. Gently mix well.
Squeeze some lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander and mint leaves. You can also garnish with fried onions if you like. Serve with yogurt, salad, pickle, and papad (fritters).
Useful Tips
- You can add any vegetable to this dish. I have mainly used carrots, beans, potatoes, and peas. You can also add paneer and soya chunks if you like.
- Use Frozen veggies if you do not have fresh veggies or are in a short of time.
- Wash and soak the rice for about 10 minutes before cooking so it cooks thoroughly.
- You can also choose to garnish with fried onions, nuts, and raisins if you like.
If you liked this, you may also love the Pudina Pulav, which is another vegetarian rice dish. Ghee rice is also a nice variety of rice dish that is simple to make and goes with any side dish.
Recipe FAQs
The best option is to use Basmati rice for the perfect texture and layering.
For the first cup of rice, use double the amount of water. For every other cup of rice that is used, use a cup of water thereafter. It also sometimes depends on the brand of the rice. Soaking the rice before frying and cooking also helps give a fluffy texture.
Related Recipes
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Vegetable Biryani Easy
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rice Basmati
- 4 tsp Clarified Butter ghee
- 4 tsp oil
- 3-4 cloves
- ½ inch cinnamon
- 1 star-anise
- 5--6 cardamoms
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups Water
- 2 cups vegetables diced (potatoes, carrot, beans,peas)
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 4 green chillies
- 1 tsp Biryani masala (optional)
- 2 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- ½ bunch coriander leaves chopped
- ½ bunch mint leaves chopped
- 1 lemon
Instructions
To Make Gravy
- In a pan, add ghee and oil, diced onions, and sautée it.
- Add ginger-garlic paste, slit green chillies, and sautée again.
- Add the biryani masala, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt to taste
- Add vegetables, mix well and cook covered till it is done.
- Add chopped coriander and mint leaves and mix well.
To Make Rice
- Wash the rice, drain, and keep aside.
- Switch on the "saute" mode in the Instant Pot. Add Ghee when hot.
- Add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaves.
- Next, add the washed and drained rice, and fry for about 10 minutes until the rice is opaque.
- Add salt and 3 cups of water, and cook with the "rice" option.
Layering the Rice and Vegetable Gravy
- Layer the rice and vegetable gravy in a serving dish with one layer of rice followed by the vegetable gravy, and repeat.
- Gently mix well.
- Squeeze some lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- You can also garnish with fried onions, cashews, and raisins if you like.
- Serve with yogurt, salad, pickle, and papad (fritters).
Such an easy and simple recipe and tastes awesome, will be making this more often ..
Love rice! Looks so good!
It must be so aromatic! I'm craving something like this right now.
Yes indeed very aromatic! Aww ... Thank you Liz !
I am not a fan of biryanis, though yours seem quite tempting.
Thank you so much Moushmi! It tastes as good as it looks so hope you like it 🙂
Delicious!! My all time favourite 😍
Thank you so much Lavs!
Looks so yummy!
Thank you so much Latha!