Chickpea Biryani is a wholesome one-pot vegetarian dish with protein-packed chickpeas cooked in caramelized onions and spices over fragrant basmati rice. Paired with cooling cucumber raita and a squeeze of fresh lime, this biryani makes a wholesome gluten-free meal.
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Inspiration
This chickpea biryani recipe is inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Annika. I love that she uses very few spices that are easy to find: fresh ginger and garlic, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, and garam masala.
I am excited to share my version of the Chickpea Biryani using the Instant Pot pressure cooker and a few of my favorite whole spices. This versatile recipe can be easily modified to use the ingredients you have on hand and to your taste preference.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas - Dry chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans or "Kabuli Chana") are a pantry staple and a good source of plant-based protein. Soak them in warm water overnight and then pressure cook them in the Instant Pot. You can also use canned chickpeas if you are short on time. I have included the reduced pressure cook time and water ratio in the notes section of the recipe card.
- Basmati Rice - white basmati rice has a beautiful aroma and a short cooking time; the grains get long and fluffy when soaked in water before cooking. I have also included how to make chickpea biryani using brown rice in the recipe card notes.
- Spices - This recipe uses basic Indian spices - bay leaves, cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, turmeric, red chili powder, and garam masala. You can always more spices such as whole cloves, star anise, and cardamom if you like.
How to Make Chickpea(Chana) Biryani
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute (more) mode and heat 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add onions and saute for 10 mins, frequently stirring until the onions are caramelized. Take out half of the onion and reserve for garnishing the biryani (photos 1 - 2).
- Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain after 20 mins and keep aside (photos 3 - 4).
- Add the remaining ghee to the Instant Pot with half of the caramelized onions already in the pot. Add bay leaves, cumin, and black pepper, and saute for 30 seconds. Add drained chickpeas, ginger, garlic, chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, salt, and water. Mix well (photos 5 - 6).
- Pressure Cook for 20 minutes followed by quick release. Stir the chickpeas well. Spread the chopped mint and cilantro evenly over the chickpeas. Add drained rice, remaining salt, and water. Ensure all the rice is under the water (photos 7 - 10).
- Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 6 mins. Allow 5 mins natural pressure release. Open the Instant Pot and garnish with the reserved caramelized onions and cilantro. Gently fluff the rice.
Serving
Serve with cucumber raita or beetroot raita and a lime wedge. Drizzle over a spoonful of ghee if you like!
Storing
Leftover biryani can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. As with many Indian foods, the flavors will continue to develop overnight making it a great make-ahead dish. You can also freeze chickpea biryani for up to 2 months.
Variations
- Add 1 to 2 diced tomatoes with the chickpeas for a tangy flavor.
- Substitute ghee with oil for a Vegan Chickpea Biryani.
- If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain the chickpeas and skip the initial pressure cooking step. Add only half a cup of water along with the chickpeas. Layer over soaked white rice and pressure cook for 6 minutes.
- To make chickpea biryani with brown rice, layer rinsed brown rice over the soaked and uncooked chickpeas. Increase the pressure cook time to 25 minutes. The same water proportions will work. Also, no need to soak the brown rice since 25 minutes is a good time for brown rice to cook.
- Instead of caramelizing the onions in the Instant Pot, use the air fryer to make golden-fried onions.
Recipe
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Instant Pot Chickpea Biryani
An easy and wholesome vegetarian Biryani with plump chickpeas cooked in caramelized onions and spices over fragrant basmati rice
Servings: 5
Calories: 522kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry chickpeas soaked overnight in warm water and drained (will be 2 cups soaked)
- 3 tablespoons ghee divided
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic grated
- 2 green chillies slit into half (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or any mild red chili powder
- 1½ cups water to pressure cook chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Rice
- 2 cups long grain basmati rice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup mint leaves chopped
- ½ cup cilantro chopped + ¼ cup for garnish
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode and heat half of the ghee.
- Add onions and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are caramelized. Take out half of the onion and reserve for garnishing the biryani. Note: You can also use the air fryer for this step to make golden fried onions.
- Add the remaining ghee to the Instant Pot with half of the caramelized onions already in the pot. Add bay leaves, cumin seeds, and black pepper, and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add drained chickpeas, ginger, garlic, chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, salt, and water. Mix well.
- Close the Instant pot and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 20 minutes.
- Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain after 20 minutes and keep aside.
- Quick release the pressure after the pressure cooking cycle completes.
- Open the Instant Pot and stir the chickpeas well. Spread the chopped mint and cilantro evenly over the chickpeas.
- Add drained rice, salt, and water. Gently push all the rice under the water. Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 6 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release.
- Open the Instant Pot and garnish with the reserved caramelized onions and cilantro. Gently fluff the rice.
- Serve with cucumber raita and lime wedges.
Video
Notes
If the top layer of rice looks a bit undercooked, simply fluff the top layer of the rice with a fork and keep the Instant Pot for 5 more minutes.
Variations:
- Add 1 to 2 diced tomatoes along with the chickpeas for a tangy flavor.
- Substitute ghee with oil for a Vegan Chickpea Biryani.
- If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain the chickpeas and skip the initial pressure cooking step. Add only ½ cup of water along with the chickpeas. Layer over soaked white rice and pressure cook for 6 minutes.
- To make chickpea biryani with brown rice, simply layer rinsed brown rice over the soaked and uncooked chickpeas. Increase the pressure cook time to 25 minutes. The same water proportions will work. Also, no need to soak the brown rice since 25 minutes is a good time for brown rice to cook.
Nutrition
Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 1488mg | Potassium: 541mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 4mg
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in March 2018, and was updated in March 2023 with a new video and variations.
Rima says
Chickpea biryani turned out just delicious! Look forward to increasing the spices next time I make it. Thanks so much!
Archana says
Thank you Rima!
Erica Khan says
So easy my toddler made it. My Pakistani husband complimented it. Will make again!
Archana says
Thank you Erica!
Ramesh says
Has become a staple and is something I can easily do to help out with cooking.
I add 1 red bell pepper. Also cloves and black pepper and bay leaves.
I use less rice than the recipe I use 1 to 1.5 cups rice.
Archana says
Love the idea of adding veggies. Thank you for the feedback.
Melinda Adetona says
Hi, Can I substitute the long grain basmati rice with regular basmati if I don't have that on hand?
Archana says
yes you can use regular basmati rice
Emily says
I am making this for dinner right now, and I am very excited! I noticed that the video says to cook the rice for 5 minutes, while the written recipe says 6 minutes. I would love to know for next time which time is preferred -- I have my IP on for 6 minutes now. Thank you!
Archana says
5 or 6 mins will work.
Lisa says
I'm quite new to Instant Pot cooking, and was wondering do you need to increase the timings if you double re recipe? many thanks!!
Archana says
Same cook time.
Lisa says
Hi Archana - I just read through previous comments and see that timings do not need to increase when doubling the recipe. I am making this, this afternoon - looks amazing and cant wait to see how it goes. 🙂
Lisa says
Turned out perfect! thanks so much for a great recipe!
Faye Tack says
Please clarify; if using canned chick peas, add only 1/2 cup water to cook 2 cups rice? Is this correct or am I misunderstanding?
Archana says
So use 1/2 cup of water for canned instead of 1.5 cups for chickpeas. And then add 2 cups of water for 2 cups of rice.
Renu says
Can I use brown rice for this recipe? Any changes to the soaking time or cooking time? Thanks!
Archana says
I have it in the variations - To make chickpea biryani with brown rice, simply layer rinsed brown rice over the soaked and uncooked chickpeas. Increase the pressure cook time to 25 minutes. Same water proportions will work. Also no need to soak the brown rice since 25 minutes is good time for brown rice to cook.
Steve says
For Brown rice-- I'm unclear what you mean by "same water proportions". I layer on the rinsed brown rice over the soaked and uncooked chickpeas. And then add 1 cup of water for each cup of rice I added? (or is it the same water proportions that I'd use for just the chickpeas (1.5 cups of water) ? Sorry; I'm a novice. Thanks!
Archana says
1 cup of water for 1 cup of brown rice.
Steve says
I have to let you know: This was amazing. Balanced and robust flavor. Great texture. We couldn't stop eating it. (and I may have surprised and impressed my Sri Lankan friend.) Thank you so much!
Archana says
You are most welcome! Thank you for the feedback.
AK says
Hi, Quick question, does cooking time and water for brown rice change if I’m using 3qtz IP. Looks like you are using larger IP. Thanks! Looking forward to trying it this afternoon
Archana says
Regardless of the size of the IP for brown rice the cook time is 20 to 25 mins.
Marcelina says
Hi Archana, this recipe looks amazing, but I do not have an IP. Would you happen to have this recipe using stove top ware rather than IP?
Archana says
I will include the stove top recipe this week just for you 🙂
Marcelina says
Thank you, Archana!! Though, I think your recipe is convincing me to get an Instant Pot! For 8 qt, what do you recommend?
Archana says
8 QT DUO. Also unless you have a big family or cook in big portions I would recommend getting a 6 QT DUO
Preety says
I would like to add paneer to this recipe. Do I add it right before the rice?
Archana says
Yes you can add it before the rice.
Dominic says
Good recipe overall. I like it a bit more spicy, so I double all the spices used and sub 1/4 to 1/2 of the mild red chili powder with hot chili powder. I also bloom some whole cardamom, cumin, coriander, and peppercorns and cook with the onions for extra flavor. Also, I would recommend reducing the water to cook the rice by about 1/4 cup per tomato if you do decide to add those. This is definitely a go-to recipe for me now. Thanks,
Teresa says
Archana I am obsessed with your blog! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. Do you have any tips on how to double this recipe?
Archana says
Thank you! I would not recommend this in a 6 QT. The rice will get too mushy. You can try doubling in an 8 QT
safiya says
This recipe was perfect. I tend to be quite picky when it comes to desi food in general but everything about this recipe was fabulous. I love the variations you added especially the black pepper and tomato suggestion. Forever grateful to you bc this is a such a keeper!!!
10/10
Dowa W says
This recipe was great! I just added a bay leaf and few cloves When sharing onions and it was perfect! Thank you!
Alex says
I love this recipe! The flavor of the rice is so good, and so satisfying. I didn't have chickpeas on hand so instead, I crisped up some paneer in a pan and some chicken and added that once the rice was finished cooking. Thank you for sharing this!
Maya says
Hi, I would like to make this with canned chickpeas. Can you please elaborate on directions? So I sauté it with the masala but then says to layer on top in soaked rice. So I take out the Chickpeas from IP put rice then the chickpea back on top or just leave them bottom of the rice? Also do I need to do any natural pressure release?
Archana says
Rice will go on top of the chickpeas. You can do natural pressure release for 5 mins
Madhu says
Have made this with both raw chickpeas as well as canned. Comes out delicious. Very simple and quick to make. It’s become a staple now, and made almost once a week. It’s a must try!