Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani with Basmati Rice
Fragrant basmati rice layered with spiced marinated vegetables, fried onions, and whole spices in an Instant Pot. Turmeric, coriander, and ginger-garlic paste coat carrots, beans, potatoes, and peas. Saffron-infused milk and fresh herbs finish this aromatic one-pot meal.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Red Chilli Powder
- 2 teaspoons Coriander Powder
- Salt (as required)
- 45 gms (or) 3 Carrots (wash, peel and cut each into half length wise and then cut each half into an inch pieces.)
- 70 gms (or) 12 Green Beans (wash, trim edges and cut into an inch pieces)
- 250 gms (or) 5 small Potatoes
- 125 gms (or) ¾ cup Frozen Green Peas (thaw in water)
- Half a bunch Fresh Coriander Leaves (wash and chop finely)
- Half a bunch Fresh Mint Leaves (wash and chop finely)
- Juice from 1 Lemon
- 2 teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste
- 3 tablespoons Oil
- 2 teaspoons Ghee
- 200 gms (or) 2 medium Onions (peel and slice thinly)
- 10 Cashews
- 2 Green Chillies (slit each into two)
- 670 gms (or) 3 cups Long Grain Basmati Rice
- 6 -7 Saffron Strands
- 2 tablespoons Milk
- Half bunch Fresh Coriander Leaves (wash and chop finely)
- Half bunch Fresh Mint Leaves (wash and chop finely)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Shahi Jeera
- 3 Green Cardamom
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 5 cloves
- 1 Mace
- 1 ½ inch Cassia (Dalchini)
- 1 Star Anise
- 4 ½ cups Water
Instructions
- 1
Rinse rice in cold water 2-3 times until water runs clear.
- 2
Soak rice in fresh water for 15 minutes.
- 3
Soak saffron strands in milk in a small bowl.
- 4
Combine turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste, mint, coriander leaves, salt, yogurt, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
- 5
Add chopped vegetables to spiced mixture and stir until coated.
- 6
Cover and marinate vegetables for 15 minutes.
- 7
Set Instant Pot to sauté mode and add oil.
- 8
Fry sliced onions until brown, stirring regularly to prevent sticking, about 10-12 minutes.
- 9
Remove fried onions and set aside on a towel-lined plate.
- 10
Add ghee to pot and let melt.
- 11
Add bay leaf, cassia, cloves, mace, star anise, and green cardamom and fry until fragrant.
- 12
Add shahi jeera and let splutter for half a minute.
- 13
Add cashews and green chillies and sauté for one minute.
- 14
Add marinated vegetables and fried onions and stir thoroughly.
- 15
Drain soaked rice and add to pot with water, coriander, mint, and saffron milk. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- 16
Press CANCEL button.
- 17
Place lid on pot, secure it, and set pressure valve to SEALING.
- 18
Press PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL button and set timer for 4 minutes.
- 19
When timer goes off, wait 10 minutes for natural pressure release.
- 20
Turn pressure valve to VENT position and wait until pressure releases completely.
- 21
Remove lid, wait 5 minutes, then fluff rice with a fork.
- 22
Serve hot alongside cucumber raita or side dish of choice.
Tips
Stir fried onions regularly to prevent sticking to pot bottom.
Do not skip the 15-minute soak for rice; it helps grains cook evenly and stay separate.
Use natural pressure release for 10 minutes to allow steam to escape gradually and prevent rice from becoming mushy.
Fluff rice gently with a fork after pressure release rather than stirring with a spoon.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on stovetop or microwave, adding a splash of water to prevent drying.
Marinate vegetables up to 8 hours ahead. Toast whole spices before cooking. Soak rice and saffron up to 1 hour ahead.
Serve hot with cucumber raita, pickled onions, or a cooling yogurt-based side dish. Accompany with naan or papadum.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip rinsing rice to avoid excess starch making biryani mushy.
Do not stir fried onions into the rice immediately after cooking; wait 5 minutes to avoid crushing grains.
Do not force the lid open before pressure fully releases to avoid injury and uneven cooking.
Do not use hot water to soak saffron; room temperature or warm milk extracts color and flavor best.