Vegetable and Paneer Biryani – A classic Indian one pot meal that is full of flavors and aromas from whole spices, garam masala and the long grain basmati rice.
I have been trying to perfect my vegetable biryani in the Instant Pot for months now. After the success of my InstaPot Chicken Biryani recipe in just a few tries, I was surprised to see how much different it was to cook vegetable Biryani in the Instant Pot.
Although I was using the same rice and similar spices, it took many failed attempts (mushy rice, undercooked rice, mushy veggies etc) before I got the technique right. The key was to choose the right kind of vegetables and also more importantly cut them right so they all cook within 5 to 6 mins of pressure cooking time.
This Biryani recipe is inspired from my mom’s famous vegetable pulav recipe. She cuts her veggies in a certain size and shape, which I thought was to make the dish look gorgeous! But now I understand that it also helps them cook to perfectly each time. The same trick of cutting the veggies and choosing the right ones, helped me with this easy vegetable biryani recipe. Then my talented cousin gave me an idea of adding Paneer to this dish which really took the Biryani to a whole new level.
Start with some good homemade ghee, choose the right vegetables, long grain basmati rice and let the whole spices and the homemade garam masala do its magic to add beautiful aromas and bring this delectable recipe together!
Step by step instructions to make vegetable biryani in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker:
- Rinse and soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Drain water after 20 mins. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté(More) mode and heat 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add thinly sliced onions and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are lightly caramelized. Take half of the onions out and reserve for garnish.
- Add remaining ghee, cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, bay leaves. Cook for 30 seconds. Add all the veggies (carrots, green beans, mushrooms, red pepper, corn, paneer). Press cancel and deglaze the pot removing any browning. Use 1-2 tablespoons of water if needed. See the third picture below that shows how the bottom of the pot looks after properly deglazing. There should not be any browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala and 1 teaspoon of salt. mix well. Add mint, rice and 2 teaspoons salt. Add 2 cups of water. Mix well, making sure most of the rice is under water.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook(LO) and adjust the cook time to 5 minutes. NOTE: I have modified the cook time for this recipe to 5 minutes LO pressure cook as sometimes store bough paneer can get chewy when cooked in high pressure. If your Instant Pot does not HI/LO pressure cook options, you can cook this using the default/high pressure and then stir in the paneer in the end.Follow with quick release to stop overcooking the rice. Open the Instant Pot. Garnish with caramelized onions and cilantro. Enjoy hot with yogurt or raita and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Tips for perfect Vegetable Biryani in the Instant Pot :
- Use fresh garam masala. Homemade garam masala works the best!
- Deglaze the pot using the liquids from the vegetables to remove any browned bits from sautéing of the onions. This will help the Instant Pot come to pressure and also prevent “BURN” signal.
- Make sure all of the rice is under the liquids before closing the Instant Pot.
- Lastly, although, Sauté (more) function on the Instant Pot works great for true one pot cooking, you can also caramelize the onions using stove top in a non-stick pan. This will speed up the process and also will prevent the stainless steel insert getting scorched which may lead to “BURN” notice on the newer Instant Pot’s.
- NOTE: I have modified the cook time for this recipe to 5 minutes LO pressure cook as sometimes store bought paneer can get chewy when cooked in high pressure. If your Instant Pot does not HI/LO pressure cook options, you can cook this using the default/high pressure and then stir in the paneer in the end.
I have tried to explain the sizes of the veggies but do see the video so you get a better idea!
Here are some of the commonly asked questions and answers:
- Can the recipe be doubled? – Yes, can be doubled in 6-QT or 8 QT Instant Pots
- Why does my paneer become chewy? – Store bought paneer can become chewy after pressure cooking. Here are few options: 1. Adjust pressure cook time to 5 minutes on low pressure mode. 2. Sauté the paneer in a non-stick pan and add it to the Biryani in the end 3.Use homemade Paneer.
- Why do I get BURN on my 8-QT? – Press cancel before adding all the veggies. This will stop the pot from further overheating as you remove the browning from the bottom of the pot. Then add the veggies and deglaze the pot using the water contents from the veggies so that all the browning from sautéing the onions is removed. You can also use 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to remove the browning.
- Can I use Quinoa instead of rice? – Yes. Follow same recipe. No need to soak the quinoa. Just rinse thoroughly and drain all the water before adding it to the pot.
- Can I make the Vegetable Biryani Dairy Free? – Yes. Substitute ghee with oil. Skip Paneer or stir in sautéed tofu in the end.
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- 2 cups long grain basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons ghee divided
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 whole green cardamom
- 4 cloves
- 8-10 whole black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup carrots chopped lengthwise into 1 inch x 1/4 inch strips
- 1 cup green beans chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup white mushrooms halved
- 1/2 cup red pepper chopped into 1 inch x 1/2 inch strips
- 1/2 cup corn
- 1 cup paneer cubed into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 tablespoon ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 teaspoons salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh mint chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
Rinse and soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Drain water after 20 mins.
Set the Instant Pot to Saute(More) mode and heat 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add sliced onions and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are lightly caramelized. Take half of the onions out and reserve for garnish.
Add remaining ghee, cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, bay leaves. Cook for 30 seconds. Add all the veggies (carrots, green beans, mushrooms, red pepper, corn, paneer). Press cancel and deglaze the pot removing any browning. Use 1-2 tablespoons of water if needed. Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala and 1 teaspoon of salt. mix well. Add mint, rice and 2 teaspoons salt. Add 2 cups of water. Mix well, making sure most of the rice is under water.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook(Hi) and adjust the cook time to 6 minutes. Quick release. Open the Instant Pot. Garnish with caramelized onions and cilantro. Enjoy hot with Raita!
Recipe Video
Notes:
- Deglaze the pot after adding the vegetables to remove any browning in the pot from sautéing the onions. This will help the Instant Pot come to pressure and also prevent the biryani from burning.
- You can make this recipe Vegan by using coconut oil instead of ghee and extra firm tofu instead of paneer
Additional NOTE: I have modified the cook time for this recipe to 5 minutes LO pressure cook as sometimes store bough paneer can get chewy when cooked in high pressure. If your Instant Pot does not HI/LO pressure cook options, you can cook this using the default/high pressure and then stir in the paneer in the end.
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Author: Archana
Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
Dear Archana,
All of your recipes are tasty and beautiful 🙂
Cheers !
Thank you Hans!
This looks so delicious Archana!!
Thank you Neetha!
Yum! Amazing recipe! You never disappoint!
Thank you Annika!
Hi Archana, thanks for the recipe. I just had a quick question. When I use the IP in sauté mode especially when frying onions, garlic etc, after few minutes there’s a lot of heat and smoke that I can barely see what’s cooking. I saw in the video that it’s not so for you. Is it because you keep stirring or you switch off in between? Is there a fault in my IP ? It’s only been a month since I got it.
Hi Sharan, I do also have a lot of smoke coming out and I do keep stirring. You can try to change the sauté mode to normal which does not heat up as much but will take longer time to saute.
Archana, This vegetable biryani recipe is good and makes for a delicious entree. I paired it with spinach dal and raita making for a complete nutritious meal with the rice pudding as dessert.
I am always looking for short cuts and I used frozen vegetables for the biryani-beans, broccoli, green-red pepper medley, spiraled carrots, corn and lima beans.
Browsing through your blog does take away from the stress of planning for meals.
So happy that you enjoyed the vegetable biryani. I agree that adding frozen vegetables is an excellent time saving idea. And the Biryani goes so well with some cooling raita. Did you make the spinach daal in instant pot also? You are a PRO at Instant Pot cooking. Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement.
I am following your instapot recipes!
I made the spinach dal in the instapot but varied the method a bit by 1st cooking the dal in the instapot using it like a pressure cooker and then adding it to sauteed spinach-tomato. So like a 2 step process. Because my husband thinks if we cook dal in the 1 step/1 utensil process the dal loses texture completely and becomes powdery/mushy.
Thank you Kalyani! If you do not like the daal too mushy you can try to reduce the cook time? So if it is toor daal cook it for only 4 mins and do not mash it after? Although of the 2-step process works for you then may be stick with that!
This was absolutely delectable!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thank you Shivani! So glad you tried and enjoyed this recipe.
Made this yesterdayand it was great. Could you easily double all the quantities, keeping pressure times the same?
Hi Preeti! So glad you enjoyed this Biryani. You can double the quantities and the pressure time will still be the same!
Did the paneer turn chewy and firm after cooking? I usually have that issue if I cook paneer in IP.
Hi Ratna, I used homemade paneer and it does not turn chewy.
I made this in my brand new IP last night, never used one before. Clear instructions, perfect results, and absolutely delicious. Thank you
Hi Yvette! I am SO happy to hear that this was one your first IP recipe. I have a bunch of other recipes for IP that you may want to try. Thank you for letting me know. It makes me SO happy to see such comments. Thank you and Happy IP cooking. If you have any questions along the way, please let me know.
Hi Archana, I want to make this recipe just for 2-3 ppl so if I halve it will the cooking time remain the same?
Hi Twinkle! Yes same cooking time. ? let me know how you like it!
It came out so perfect and delicious, I followed recipe exactly except added a bit more water. Every grain of rice was separate and cooked properly, I used store bought paneer and it wasn’t chewy at all. Loved the recipe, sure shot keeper!!!
Hi Tiwnkle! Awesome!! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Check out my Masoor Khichdi recipe too. It makes an easy and delish weeknight dinner 🙂 Thank you for the detailed feedback, makes me SO happy!
The pictures look awesome ,love how the grains of rice look so well separated!
Thank you!
Could I replace water with coconut milk? Would I need the same quantity or do I need to increase the quantity of liquid when using coconut milk? Thanks
Hi Protima, I would do half water and half coconut milk. It will not cook well with just coconut milk. Let me know how it works for you. Thanks.
I want to make 1 cup rice (instead of 2 cups), since its just me and my husband. How much water should I use – is 1.25 cups okay? When making 1 cup of white rice PIP in the IP, I usually do 1.25 cups of water. This looks delicious!
For 1 cup rice I would put 1 cup water. There is also water that comes from veggies like cauliflower, mushrooms and peppers. Hope you enjoy this! Let me know.
I made this today. It came out really well.
Thanks for this recipe. My 14 months baby loved it too.
So you know if it is a hit with baby it will be made more often.
Thank you!
Hi Aswini, Your comment makes me so happy!! I love when children enjoy the foods we make for them. Thank you for taking time for this lovely feedback.
You are welcome!
I made is again today. Left out all spices.
Only veggies and rice.
It was a massive hit again.
??thankyou!
Thank you for your comments! I am SO happy you found a recipe you can repeat with variations and enjoy it every time! This Biryani is actually adapted from from mom’s Pulav recipe which has very little spices so I can image how yummy yours must have been.
I want to try this! Can I use frozen veggies? I can’t seem to find fresh green beans anywhere! Would I have to adjust cooking time if so? Thanks!
Hi Ruby! Same cooktime will work with frozen veggies too!
Do I put the frozen veggies in the ip frozen or semi thawed or cooked
Frozen vegetables will work.
HI Archana, Love this recipe- its my go to one on busy weeknights with frozen veggies-and my family just gobbles it up… I was wondering if you could make this with Brown rice and if so how would you adapt the water to rice ratio? time to cook? and also how long would you need to soak the rice ahead of time?
Hi Taru! I am so happy you are enjoying thus recipe and it is part of your family meals. You can soak brown rice for an hour in warm water and then cook for 15 mins in Instant Pot. Since the brown rice takes longer to cook your veggies will be little overcooked so make sure to use hardy veggies like carrots, potatoes, string beans etc. You can also make this recipe with quinoa and it tastes amazing. Let me know if you have any questions.
Hi Archana, I have tried this recipe many times and always loved it. I need to make this for a larger group so I will be doubling the recipe–does this change the IP cooking time? Thanks!!
Hi Bhairavi! Yes you can double the recipe. Same pressure cook time just time to saute the onions will be longer.
Thank you so much for this recipe ! I tried it for Thanksgiving potluck and I doubled your recipe, it still was perfect, the absolute loving part is you even gave the correct salt content. The issue I had which is not related to this recipe is I had made lots of it and didn’t know how to reheat it for the next day. I didn’t want to harden the paneer too much through reheating and it was not very successful heating rtaher than doing in individual serving by the guests themselves. But I have boomarked your recipe for future 🙂
Hi Murray! Thank you for your feedback. I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I agree reheating paneer can certainly dry it out. Next time you can also just saute paneer and add it to the biryani in the end?
Can i use frozen veggies? If yes, how many cups? Can i skip paneer?
Yes you can use 4 cups of frozen veggies and totally skip paneer. Let me know how it goes!
Thank you for your prompt response!! I used 4 cups of frozen veggies and skipped paneer and biryani was very flavorful..cooked to perfection! Thank you!!
You are welcome!! So glad you enjoyed it!!
Archana, inaugurated my IP with your recipe. It turned out delicious… thanks for precise recipe!
Hi Shalvini Thank you for your feedback. So happy to hear that you enjoyed the veggie biryani!
Hi Archana, thanks for your yummy recipes .. I tried chicken Biryani, the taste was flavorful but bottom got burn.. Today again I tried vegetable biryani same thing happened.. before finishing it shows burn.. I m very new to ip.. my ip doesn’t have manual, so I used pressure cook high for 6 minutes and quick release .. and bittom got burnt.. In my ip there is pressure cook and pressure level two buttons.I m confused should I use pressure level high and pressure cook for 6 minutes ..Appreciate your help
Hi Mahuwa, Thank you for your comments. I am glad you enjoyed the flavors. Pressure cook is the same as Manual, so you cooked it correctly. To prevent the bottom from getting burnt, you need to deglaze the pot after you add the chicken using the liquids from the marinade. Scrape the bottom well using a spatula so all the browned bits are gone and until the pot looks clear. This helps the Instant Pot to come to pressure without burning the bottom further.
Archana, I’ve been making quite a few of your recipes since I got the IP during Thanksgiving. Everything tasted absolutely delicious. Thanks so much! I plan to make the vegetable & paneer biryani for a party. If I am doubling the quantity, will I need to adjust the cooking time?
Hi Varuna! Thank you for your lovely feedback. If you double the recipe, you double all the ingredients and increase the sauté time. Pressure cooking time remains the same. Let me know how it comes out
Thanks Archana! It came out great and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it 🙂
Great! So happy to hear this.
This is delicious! It was a bit too spicy for me but I will make again with just a pinch of red pepper, thank you for posting!
So glad you tried and enjoyed the Biryani. You can reduce garam masala and red chili powder for less spicy.
Hi Archana – love this recipe! making it again for a larger crowd. Can you please advise on how I need to modify the recipe for 3 cups of rice? how much water do I use and how long do i cook for? Thank you!
So take all the ingredients as noted and then half of everything again. Saute time for onions will increase. Same pressure cook time.
If I use brown basmati will there be any change to the liquid or cooking time?
Hi Amanda, brown rice takes much longer to cook. Check out my recipe for brown rice chicken biryani on soaking and water ratio – http://ministryofcurry.com/brown-rice-chicken-biryani-instant-pot/
Followed the recipe- did a 2 cups rice to 2 cups water ratio and hp 6 minutes with Natural release but rice came out very crunchy/al dente. Any suggestions? Any recs on how to salvage the rice that’s already cooked with the veggies-would hate for all those amazing ingredients to go to waste.
Hi Naomi, was the rice soaked as suggested? If nit then i would add another 1 cup of water and cook on Manual Hi for 3 minutes.
Hey Archana!
To salvage the rice, I ended up adding a 1/4 cup of water and slow cooking it (adjust to less) for another 30 minutes. It definitely helped make the rice cook to a softer texture. It was super yummy. Loved the recipe. The kids ate it up!!
Yes, I had soaked the rice for 20 minutes. Maybe I will soak for a little longer next time and just add a little more water too, 1: 1.25 and see if that helps…If that does not work then I will definitely do manual high for 3 minutes. Thanks so much for your input!
Nayomi
Hi Nayomi. I am so happy you were able to save the dish. Are you using basmati rice? And I agree 1:1.25 ratio may work better for you.
Can you provide the cooking modifications if the recipe is made with quinoa instead of rice? Thank you!
You do not need to soak quinoa. Same water ratio and time.
Made this recipe and turned out great. I was thinking that whole masoor would be a nice addition to this, for an added protein boost. Any suggestions on how to integrate masoor into the recipe so that it comes out cooked but not mushy or undercooked? I imagine it would need to be soaked in advance but not sure how long. Would love to include it with the rest of the ingredients instead of cooking it separately. Any advice would be appreciated 🙂
Thank you for your feedback. Actually while masoor works great in this recipe. 6 mins is just perfect time for the masoor to cook and stay firm. Just add in 1/4 cup of masoor and 1/4 cup of water extra.
Thanks Archana. Would I need to pre-soak it or just rinse and add it in with the extra water?
Just rinse and add!
I tried veg biryani today follow the recipe point to point and guess what amazing mouth watering delicious dish ready in minutes. Thank you for sharing
Awesome!! Thank you for letting me know.
How could I make this with brown rice? I love the brown rice chicken biryani recipe you have
Hi Sarita, Use the same timings as the brown rice chicken biryani for rice. As far as veggies, use hardy veggies, bag of frozen veggies and potatoes. I would skip, cauliflower and paneer as the cook time will be bit too much. Let me know if you have any questions and how this works out for you.
Dear Archana,
I’ve tried your paneer biryani multiple times in my 8qt instapot n I’ve followed the recipe to a T. The burn sign displays everytime as soon as pressure builds. So I’ve do a QR and the rice is pretty much cooked so I leave the lid on n let it cook in the remaining heat. Do I need to add more water for an 8qt? I love your recipes!
Let me try it in my 8-QT and I will update you. I have a feeling it might need more water. I assume you are deglazing the pot before closing the lid?
Hi Archana, I like this recipe, want to try it but would like to know the proportion for 8-QT also.
Hi Anshu, same proportions. Just press cancel after adding veggies and scrape out any browning at the bottom of the pot. Follow same process otherwise
How many cups of rice are you using? I didn’t see that anywhere.
2 cups
Hi Archana, How much time rice will take to cook in Electric pressure cooker, with no Hi mode?
Thanks a lot.
Basmati rice usually is cooked in 5 to 6 minutes in most pressure cookers.
This comes out perfectly! The rice wasn’t overcooked, the vegetables done just right. Awesome and thank you!
Hi Vrinda! Thank you for your lovely feedback.
Hi Archana mam can I please know rice brand you are using. I live in US. I know your cooking magic is adding to that nice texture of rice but still want to know if rice type adds any magic.
Hi Sahara, kohinoor extra long basmati rice
Hi Archana
I have tried this with kali jeera rice and it turned out really well. Thank you so much for the recipe .
Thank you Sangeetha! I love the flavors and texture of kalijeera rice too!!
This recipe looks awesome! I’m making it for a larger crowd (~30 people), so I was going to double the recipe and make it in batches and transfer to an aluminum tray and cover it. If it won’t be eaten for another hour or two later, any tips for where/how to keep it, or recipe modifications so the rice doesn’t dry out? Thanks!
Your plan sounds good to me. I would suggest you caramalize onions on stovetop as a big batch to save time and burn issues with Instant Pot. Then take out cooked rice in aluminum trays and keep covered once it has cooled a bit. It will not dry out, I promise!! And do post your results! Good luck
Hi Archana, I tried the biryani today, and it came out delicious!! As I ran out of paneer and Mushrooms, I added potatoes and green peas. Your measurements for all the ingredients were accurate. The biryani turned out very flavorful.
Thank you for your lovely feedback! You made my day ❤️
What can I say…. absolutely delicious! Your instructions were exact and perfect. I am now going to look on your website to find my next receipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to work out all sizes and settings- really appreciated!
Hi Bharati! Thank you for your lovely feedback. So happy to heat tat you enjoyed the Biryani. I am sure you will enjoy other Instant Pot recipes too! I will look forward to your feedback.
Hi Archna
I like the idea to teach daughter’s outbound . One doubt? What do you mean by deglaze? After sauté.
Thanks
Mythili
Hi Mythili, So when you saute the onions initially the bottom of the Instant Pot will have some browning. So you can use the liquids from the veggies to scrape out the browned bit. The pot should basically not have any browning after the “deglaze”. This will ensure that the Instant Pot will come to pressure properly. Hope this helps.
Hi Archana,
Can’t thank you enough for your amazing recipes.
Can you plz suggest the maximum amount of veggies/paneer biryani that can be cooked in a 6qt IP.
Thanks in advance and best wishes,
Supriya
Supriya, you can double the recipe in a 6QT. Just make sure you deglaze the pot really well after sauteeing the onions. Or caramelize onions on stovetop which will also be much faster.
Hi Archana,
I need to make this recipe with 7 cups rice, what is the best method.
Thanks in advance
Supriya
Assuming you are making it in a 6-QT the best way would be to make it in 2 batches. So double the recipe and ingredients with same pressure cooking time for each batch.
How many cups of rice we can use at max in 6 qt Instant pot to make this vegetable biryani?
You can use upto 6 cups. But for Biryani I would not recommend more than 4 cups as the rice may get too mushy at the bottom.
Hi, Thanks for the recipe. I made this last night and got a burn reading, even after deglazing the pan and making sure there was water underneath everything before pressure cooking. And it did burn the rice to the bottom. Would you recommend adding more than 2C water in the future?
Hi Wendy, Thank you for trying the recipe and posting your feedback. I am sorry that the rice was burnt. Did you use Basmati rice? Usually between the water from the veggies and the water mentioned in the recipe, I have never had the Biryani burn. I am wondering if the sealing ring was all the way in? Sometimes that could cause liquids to evaporate. Also If the sealing ring was put properly may be you can add additional 1/2 cup of water next time.
Hi Archna,
Thanks for the wonderful recipe. I am planning to make this recipe for a dinner party tonight.
Can I cook it couple hours before, NPR and leave IP on keep warm for couple of hours, so that I don’t need to heat it before serving?
Yes you can do that.
Hi Archana,
I have a 6QT instant pot & does not have the manual option. In such a case, for how much time can I pressure cook & should I let the valve release naturally or release it manually??
Hi Smitha, Manual button is same as pressure cook. So you can use pressure cook and follow the remaining recipes as is.