Shrimp Biryani is a spicy and delicate, full-flavored meal, made with fragrant basmati rice, tender-cooked shrimp, and caramelized onions. The warm flavors of fresh spices, turmeric, red chili powder, and the sweetness from onions cooked in ghee make this an ultimate dish for lunch or dinner!
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Note: This post from June 2017 was updated in May 2019 with new photos, step-by-step recipe photos, and a new video.
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I always get so nervous when my parent’s come over for dinner...to a point where my parents bring their own food to my house. I made your shrimp biryani today and my dad had 3 servings! Thanks for the recipe and just all the hard work you put into it.
- Princy Gobran
Easy weeknight dinner
I’m all about cooking meals my boys love that don’t take a ton of time or energy. This easy Shrimp Biryani is a family favorite and a game-changer for busy weeknights. With no need for marination and fewer ingredients than traditional biryani, this Instant Pot recipe delivers a hearty, one-pot meal that’s ready in under an hour.
Spices used to make Shrimp Biryani
Although traditional Biryani recipes can have many spices, I love to make this dish with just a few spices. This allows the star ingredients, Shrimp and Basmati rice to shine while completing a perfect balance of warm and earthy flavors
- Kashmiri Red Chili - Although there are many kinds of dry red chilies used in Indian cuisine, I prefer mild Kashmiri red chili powder which has a brilliant red hue that adds natural food coloring and smoky flavor. When substituting other chiles for Kashmiri red chiles be mindful of the heat level.
- Ground Turmeric - Ground turmeric is a bright, healing spice that adds a peppery-woody taste and a deep golden color to Indian food.
- Cumin Seeds - Cumin adds nutty, warm flavors and an earthy tone to this Biryani.
- Bay Leaves - Also known as Tej Patta in hindi, the Indian bay leaves originate on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. They are an integral ingredient in many North Indian dishes including Biryani.
- Black Pepper - Black peppercorns impart intense aroma, depth, and heat to foods.
- Garam Masala - Quintessential Indian Spice Blend, that gives warmth and depth to dishes and pairs perfectly with red chili for a hearty, aromatic flavor. Here is my EASY Homemade garam masala recipe.
Buying Shrimp
Choosing good-quality shrimp is key! While wild-caught seafood is fantastic, it can be pricey and sometimes tricky to find. Plus, it’s not always easy to tell how fresh the shrimp at the grocery store really is. That’s why I love using sustainably raised frozen shrimp—they’re delicious, convenient, and easy to find. For this biryani recipe, I suggest going with pre-peeled extra-large shrimp to keep things simple.
Tips to make perfect Shrimp Biryani
- Pat the shrimp dry to prevent excess liquid.
- Use fresh garam masala—homemade is always best!
- Deglaze the Instant Pot with a tablespoon of water after sautéing the onions. This removes browned bits, helps the pot come to pressure, and prevents the dreaded "BURN" signal.
- Ensure all the rice is submerged in the liquids before closing the Instant Pot.
- Don’t worry if the top layer of rice looks a bit undercooked. Just fluff it up and gently mix the biryani with a silicone spatula.
- This recipe makes a medium-spicy biryani. If you like it hotter, add some jalapeño or use spicier red chili powder!
How to Make Instant Pot Shrimp Biryani
- Rinse and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain after 20 minutes and set aside (photos 1 - 2).
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat the ghee. Add whole spices in hot ghee and toast them gently as they release the aromas. Next, add thinly sliced onions and cook them until they turn golden brown (photos 3 - 6).
- Add ginger, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well. Add shrimp, rice, and water. Mix gently, pushing all the rice under the liquids (photos 7 - 10).
- Close the Instant Pot and select the manual/pressure cook(LO) for 4 minutes followed by 3 minutes of natural pressure release. Release the remaining pressure and open the Instant Pot. Gently fluff the rice.
Serving
Enjoy hot with a lemon wedge and raita.
For a quick and tasty Tomato and Onion Raita, whisk yogurt in a medium bowl. Stir in chopped onions, tomatoes, salt, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well, then garnish with fresh cilantro.
Storing
Leftover Shrimp Biryani can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze it in individual portions. To reheat, simply thaw overnight in the fridge and then microwave. Shrimp Biryani is also an excellent make-ahead dish—prepare it a day in advance, let it cool completely, and refrigerate. It’s ready to serve the next day!
Variations
- When you’re short on time, you can skip pre-soaking the rice. While the biryani might not have those long, fluffy grains, the flavor will still be spot-on.
- You can substitute ghee with any neutral cooking oil.
- Instead of long-grain basmati rice, you can use Jasmine rice or short-grain Indian varieties like Surati Kolam or Ambe Mor. The texture will differ, but the biryani will still taste authentic. Just avoid using brown rice, as it takes much longer to cook and could overcook the shrimp.
- I like adding a potato to my Shrimp Biryani but feel free to skip it or swap it out for your favorite veggies.
Love this one-pot Biryani Recipe? Here are a few more Biryani recipes to try:
- Veg Biryani - Loaded with vegetables and soft paneer
- Chickpea Biryani - Delicious with protein-packed chickpeas and can be made vegan
- Brown Rice Biryani - Healthier twist with nutty, chewy brown rice
- Riced Cauliflower Chicken Biryani - Low carb, keto biryani
- Chicken Biryani - EASY Instant Pot chicken Biryani with an authentic taste
- Fish Biryani - Delicious way to enjoy fish with this one pot meal
Recipe
Instant Pot Shrimp Biryani Recipe
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain basmati rice
- 2 cups water for soaking
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- ½ tablespoon ginger grated
- ½ tablespoon garlic grated
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 russet potato cubed
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 pound extra large pre-peeled Shrimp 20 ( use frozen, no need to thaw)
- 2 cups water for cooking
- ½ cup cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes. Drain the rice after 20 minutes.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat ghee. Add cumin seeds, peppercorns and bay leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add onions and mix well. Cook covered with a glass lid on for 3-4 mins, until the onions are translucent and light golden in color.
- Add ginger, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well.
- Add shrimp, rice and water. Mix well, making sure all the rice is under the liquids.
- Close Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Pressure cook(low pressure mode) for 4 mins followed by 3 minute natural pressure release.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot with raita and lime wedges.
Notes
- Frozen shrimp works best for this recipe. Make sure to dry any excess water with paper towels.
- No low-pressure option on your Instant Pot? Cook the Biryani on High-Pressure mode for 4 minutes followed by a 5-minute Natural Pressure release.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot insert using a tablespoon of water to remove any browned bits from the sautéing of the onions. This will help the Instant Pot come to pressure and also prevent the "BURN" signal.
- Make sure all of the rice is under the liquids before closing the Instant Pot.
- It is normal for the top layer of the rice to look a bit undercooked. Simply fluff the top layer and then gently mix the biryani with a silicone spatula.
- Soaking Rice - Although soaking rice yields the best textures, you may skip the pre-soaking step.
- Spice Level - This recipe makes medium spicy Biryani. For extra spicy add jalapeno or use spicer red chili powder.
Nutrition
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Ann says
Is it possible to make this without an instapot? I have a regular rice cooker but not sure if I can use it for this?? Any advice?
Archana says
You can cook on a stovetop. Double the water, and add more salt and spices if you like. Bring to a full boil once all the ingredients are added. Then cook covered on low heat for 10 mins
Ayesha says
Hello,
Is the 1lb shrimp weight with the shell or after cleaning? Thanks.
Archana says
The 1 lb weight is after cleaning
Martha Sandidge says
OMGosh, another winner! I LOVE your recipes.
Just wondering how might you prepare a tandoori spiced rack of lamb in the Instant Pot? Thanks in advance.
Archana says
Thank you Martha! You can adapt my Instant Pot Tandoori Chicken Recipe for a rack of lamb. Simply adjust the pressure cook time to 10 minutes. https://ministryofcurry.com/tandoori-chicken-instant-pot/
Martha Sandidge says
Thank you so much. That tandoori chicken is another winner!
Thu Walmsley says
This is AMAZING! My husband and I loved it just wondering how much water should I add if I double this recipe? Thank you ☺️
Archana says
Thank you! Make sure you have an 8 QT Instant Pot to double this recipe. Anything more than 3 cups of rice is a bit too much for a 6 QT Instant Pot.
1:1 ratio of rice to water is all you need to remember when changing up the servings. Also please remember you can easily change up the servings on the recipe card and it will adjust all the ingredient quantities for you! Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Lohaz says
A follow up question. If we double or triple the recipe, do we need to follow suite with cooking time as well or just the ingredients? Thank you.
Archana says
I would not recommend doubling the recipe in a 6 QT as the rice will turn mushy. You can possibly double the recipe in an 8 QT Instant Pot.
Susan Larson says
First time making a biryani. Success, a symphony of flavors and aromas, it disappeared fast!
Archana says
Thank you Susan! I love when meals disappear fast 🙂
Mini Samuel says
I've made this so many times and it's wonderful and so easy to make. Can I make this without potatoes? Or do I need the potatoes to make this turn out right?
Archana says
Hi Mini, You can def make it without potatoes. Follow the recipe as is and leave out potatoes.
magali says
Hi...I am about to make this. I see that you have a 1:1 ratio of rice to water. The back of the Basmati rice bag says the ratio should be 1:2......thoughts?
Archana says
With Instant Pot cooking there is much less evaporation. Also ingredients such as shrimp will release some moisture when pressure cooking. So the 1:1 ratio works here.
Wait Up says
This recipe should state that E-Z peel or pre-peeled shrimp should be used. I stupidly used shell-on and wasted 15 minutes waiting for the shrimp to cool so I could remove the shells and devein. Flavors were good and the potato was a clever addition.
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you for your feedback! I appreciate the tip about using E-Z peel or pre-peeled shrimp—I’ll be sure to clarify that in the recipe. I’m glad you enjoyed the flavors and found the potato addition clever, even with the extra time spent peeling. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Mick says
We doubled the recipe in an 8 qrt Instant Pot this time. The Potato was slightly under cooked and the Rice a little too wet. We probably added an extra half pound shrimp that we needed to cook. Should we use a less water and extend the cook time by a minute?
Thank you,
Sharon & Mick
Archana Mundhe says
Hi Sharon & Mick, I would suggest cutting the potatoes into smaller cubes so they cook in the short pressure cooking time which prevents shrimp from getting overcooked. If you just added more shrimp there is no need to add more water. Same cooking time will work.
Mick says
I was thinking to add less water as the rice was too wet.
Mick
Archana Mundhe says
Yes depending on the age and variety of basmati rice, sometimes adding less water can give better results.