Vegetable Rice Pilaf or Pulao is an easy one pot rice dish mixed with a variety of vegetables and mildly flavored with various spices. We will make this in the Instant Pot. You can also use the same recipe to make it in a traditional pressure cooker. As you can imagine, this is a one pot dish and hence it is super quick and easy. I make this on any day after I come back from work and don't have much time to get dinner on the table.
The best part is that this is not only a quick meal, it is also very nutritious similar to Spinach Rice and Khichdi. We are adding loads of vegetables and you can choose to add veggies of your choice. I added a mix of carrots, green beans, green peas, edamame and corn.
Looking for other easy Instant Pot Indian Recipes? Here are 29 Best Instant Pot Indian Vegetarian Recipes for you to try!
Tips to make Perfect Rice Pilaf in Instant Pot
- I usually don't use the rice mode in the instant pot to make basmati rice. Instead the manual mode works perfectly and also takes less time. But don't forget to give some time, about 10 minutes, before you release the pressure manually (5 minutes NPR).
- Follow the time and do not overcook. I personally prefer each grain of rice perfectly cooked and separated. It should not be mushy.
- In this recipe, I have used frozen vegetables. But you can also use fresh vegetables.
- Add roasted cashews for additional goodness. You can add them before pressure cooking to the rice.
Rice Pilaf with vegetables can be a complete meal for busy evenings similar to my Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani. Serve it with yogurt, which helps to compliment the spice in the pilaf.
Instant Pot Vegetable Rice Pulao
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice (1 cup=250ml) rinsed
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil
- 1 Green Chili Pepper (optional)
- ½ cup Onion sliced
- ½ tablespoon Ginger minced
- ½ tablespoon Garlic minced
- ½ cup Tomato chopped
- 1 Potato medium, cut into small peices
- 2 cups Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, Green Beans, Peas, Corn, Edmame) frozen or fresh
- 1 ¼ cup Water
Spices
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne or Red Chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Whole Spices
- 1 Bay leaf (Tej Patta)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 stick Cinnamon (Dalchini)
- 1 Star anaise
- 4 Cloves (Laung)
Instructions
- Start the instant pot in sauté mode and heat it. Add ghee, whole spices and sauté them for 30 seconds until the cumin seeds change color.
- After they start to splutter, add the green chili, onion, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes until onion turn transparent.
- Add tomato and spices. Mix well.
- Add potato and mixed vegetables. Mix well.
- Add the rice and water. Mix the rice with the vegetables. If anything is stuck to the bottom of the pot, deglaze it. Close the lid with vent in sealing position.
- Change the instant pot setting to MANUAL or pressure cook mode for 4 minutes at high pressure.
- When the instant pot beeps, do a 10 minute NPR. This means let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure manually.
- Fluff the rice gently. Vegetable Pilaf is ready. Enjoy with homemade yogurt or raita.
- Note: Remove the insert from the instant pot, so the lower layer of rice does not overcook from the hot base.
Video
Notes
- Adding whole spices is optional. You can enjoy this vegetable pilaf even if you don't have all the whole spices in your pantry.
- To reduce spice, skip the cayenne.
- Stovetop Variation: If you don't have an instant pot, you could also prepare this beet pulao in the stovetop pressure cooker. I suggest one whistle for the rice, and let the pressure release naturally.
- Vegan Variation: Use your favorite vegetable oil to make this pilaf.
- This recipe was created in a 6qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Pressure Cooker.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
Check out other Instant Pot Rice recipes you might enjoy:
Ani says
Can you give me the change in quantity of water for 3 cups of rice?
Meeta Arora says
Hello Ani - Just increase the water proportionally as you increase the amount of rice. For 3 cups of rice, use 3 3/4 cups of water.
Ashneet says
Every time I made pulao before the rice would stick together or the vegetables would be less. But this time they were perfect. The only thing I kept in mind is to put water according to the type of rice I was using. Thanku so much for the recipe.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Ashneet - Happy to hear you enjoyed the pulao. Thanks for sharing back the tip to adjust water based on the type of rice.
Roopa says
Hi, thanks for this recipe. I have tried Pulao in IP multiple times with the same basic recipe. But every time, it get's burnt or the timer doesn't start at all. After the vent plug goes up, the display just stays in ON the whole time. I very religiously follow the rice to water ratio. Can you please advise how to overcome this hurdle? Your video makes it look very simple and encouraging. Your inputs are appreciated. TIA.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Roopa - So sorry to hear you are having trouble with making pulao in the instant pot. What type of rice are you using? In case it is sona masoori rice, the rice to water ratio will be 1:2. If you are having trouble with basmati rice, then my question would be - do you have trouble with cooking plain basmati rice in the instant pot too? Just trying to ask some questions in case they would help figure out the issue.
Sakthi says
>But every time, it get's burnt or the timer doesn't start at all.
I also have the same issue. I set it for zero mts. When I get beep for burnt and also no vent plug goes up, I remove the plug and wait for few mts.
Open the instant pot, pulav is ready. Little bit burnt can be seen at the very bottom. But that does not affect otherwise the whole prep.
Yes, I totally agree that the with the above rice and water ratio, it not as breeze as explained by the author here.
I used 8ltr instant pot. Bastmati rice is presoaked for 10 mts in luke warm water.
Meeta Arora says
Thanks for the feedback Sakthi. I wonder as you are using an 8qt instant pot, you might want to add a little extra liquid (about 1/4 cup). The recipe works perfectly in my 6qt instant pot.
Saumya Rastogi says
Is the rice soaked ?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Saumya - No, I just rinse the rice and add to this pulao. Hope you enjoy it!
Arif Siddiqui says
Hi Meeta ,I love this recipe I own instant pot but I used this machine to make yogurt. After I spotted your recipe which was very simple to cook I decided to try it, and believe me it was awsome. one question can I use ginger garlic paste?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Arif - Sure, you can use ginger garlic paste in this recipe. Glad you enjoyed it!