Veg Biryani is a special celebration meal that most of us love. Veg Biryani is loaded with aromatic spices, veggies, herbs etc making it flavorful, exotic & delicious main course meal and hence always a crowd pleaser. Veg Biryani is served with raita or gravy and is commonly prepared in weekends & for special occasions. Learn to make Veg Biryani Recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Veg Biryani is a quick and easy one pot meal that you can make for lunch. Vegetable Biryani or Veg Biryani as it is popularly called is one of the most popular orders at most indian veg restaurants.
About Veg Biryani Recipe
Veg Biryani is loaded with aromatic spices, vegetables, curd, ghee hence it is very flavorful and delicious. Is there any one who can say no to biryani?! there may be very few exceptions but overall Biryani is an universally loved dish.
For Biryani you need to plan few things before hand like making ginger garlic paste, chopping veggies and making the spice powders ready, then making biriyani is very easy. I always follow ammas biryani recipe, but through the years have adapted my changes to make this one pot dish taste the best.
Biryani uses fragrant, aromatic ingredients and freshly ground spices which lends a unique flavour, this biryani is the best example for it as it was very well received by all at home. We had it with onion raita which is the best combo and it was soo good.
Veg Biryani Recipe Video
Veg Biryani Types
- Pressure Cooker Biryani – This is one of the most popular methods used for making biryani as it is very quick and easy to make so saves time.
- Brinji – This is a south indian version where we make biryani using seeraga samba rice and in an open pot, it takes time than the pressure cooker version. Will post this version soon.
- Dum Biryani – Dum Biryani is a rich fragrant dish where the masalas and rice are layered and cooked in dum.
For certain dishes, I always prefer homemade to restaurant ones like pulao and biriyani. Ammas vegetable biriyani and sambar is always everyones favourite among our circle of friends and relatives. When guests arrive for lunch, its sure to be vegetable biryani, those who have tasted it before even request amma to specifically make it.
Hubby usually takes the short route of not eating on sunday mornings in the name of fasting and then have biryani for lunch to full tummy, he always says he should skip the before meal when its biryani for lunch.
Similar Recipes
Veg Biryani Ingredients
- Rice – Basmati Rice / long grained rice is recommended for any biryani. However alternatively you can use seeraga samba rice or sona masoori rice.
- Vegetables – I have used carrot, beans, peas, potato and cauliflower. You can additionally add mushroom, baby corn and other preferred veggies of your choice.
- Spice Powders – I have used turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, biryani masala powder for making Veg Biryani. You can skip biryani masala powder if you do not have it.
- Curd / Coconut Milk – Thick curd neutralizes the hotness of the spice powders and enhances the taste. You can replace curd with the same quantity of thick coconut milk for additional flavour.
- Tomatoes & Herbs – Tomatoes gives tanginess to the dish and are added along with mint leaves & coriander leaves.
- Spices – Bayleaf, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Star anise, Cumin seeds and Green chillies are used for tempering in oil + ghee.
- Onion & Ginger Garlic Paste – Onions are sliced thin and sauteed until golden. Ginger garlic paste is one of the important ingredient that flavors the biryani and yes use fresh homemade ginger garlic paste which is the best.
How to make Veg Biryani Step by Step
1.To a bowl add 1 cup basmati rice add water to it till immersing level. Soak it for 30 mins, set aside undisturbed. After 30 mins rinse well, drain water and set aside.
2.To a pressure cooker – heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1 and 1/2 tablespoon ghee – add one 2 small bayleaf, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 nos cloves, 1 no cardamom, 1 star anise, 1 green chilli slitted.
3.Let it splutter, give a quick mix. Then add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds let it crackle.
4.Add 1 big sized onion sliced along with 1 heaped teaspoon of ginger garlic paste and required salt.
5.Saute until golden and transparent.
6.Then add 1 medium sized tomato roughly chopped.
7.Saute until it is mushy and raw smell of tomatoes leave completely.
8.Add 1/4 mint leaves (tightly packed).
9.Add 1/2 cup carrot(cut int small cubes), 1/2 cup beans(cut into 1 inch long), 3/4 cup fresh green peas, 1/4 cup potato(cut into small cubes), 1/2 cup cauliflower (medium sized florets).
10.Saute for 2 mins until veggies slightly shrink.
11.Now add 1/4 cup thick curd along with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder(optional).
12.All the spice powders are added, if you do not have biryani masala powder just skip it, you don’t need to replace with any other spice powder just ignore and proceed with the recipe.
13.Saute for 2 mins.
14.Rinse soaked basmati rice well atleast 2-3 times then drain water completely.
15.Add drained basmati rice.
16.Give a quick mix gently without breaking the rice.
17.Add 1 and 3/4 cups of water. Rice : Water ratio is 1 cup rice : 1 and 3/4 cups water.
18.Give a quick mix, check for salt, scrape the sides.
19.Keep in medium flame and let it start to boil.
20.Close with pressure cooker lid with whistle put on. Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame. Let pressure release by itself.
21.Once pressure is completely released then open.
22.Add 1 tablespoon coriander, leaves, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon ghee.
23.Use a sharp edged laddle and fluff from the side gently. Mix it gently do not overmix and break the rice. It will look sticky now as it is hot but after few mins of cooling the rice becomes grain separated.
24.This is after few mins of cooling it becomes perfectly grain seperated yet not too dry.
25.Serve with onion raita.
Expert Tips
- Texture – A perfect biryani should be moist slightly greasy not too dry at the same time not mushy and it should be grain separated too.
- Soaking Rice – Soaking rice gives soft fluffy rice so do not miss this step.
- Rice : Water Ratio – Rice : Water ratio is 1 cup rice : 1 and 3/4 cups water. You can slightly increase to 2 cups of water if you prefer.
- Dum Cooking – Keeping in dum removes excess moisture and gives nice fluffy rice. So if you feel rice is mushy because of excess water you can dum cook for 5 mins. For Dum cooking : Keep an unused dosa tawa, place the cooker or biryani pot on it close with a tight lid and place a heavy object like hand mortar pestle over the lid and keep the flame at lowest and cook for 5 mins and let it rest for 10 mins then open to fluff.
- Vegetables – Vegetables measure should be slightly more than double the amount of rice. Here I have used 1 cup rice for which I have used 2 and 1/2 cups chopped vegetables.
- Must haves – You can make ginger garlic paste, the spice powder mix before hand and store it.
- Coconut milk / Curd – Amma never makes biryani without coconut milk so she adds coconut milk instead of curd sometimes both. But I usually add either one incase if you want to add coconut milk add 1/4 cup thick coconut milk while adding water.
Variations
Vegetables is purely your choice – you can add mushrooms, baby corn etc. Also you can add toasted paneer cubes after opening.
You can even add ghee fried cashews as garnish.
If kids are not comfortable with the herbs you can grind mint leaves, coriander leaves along with green chillies then add this paste and cook.
Serving & Storing Suggestion
Biryani with raita is an unbeatable combo! Though Biryani with Onion Raita is a match made in heaven you can try other raitas also like Pineapple Raita , Cucumber Raita, Carrot Raita.
Biryani gets tasty with time, so you can refrigerate & reheat for later use within the next day of preparation.
FAQS
1.What is the difference between Veg Biryani and Veg Dum Biryani?
Veg Biryani is made by cooking rice along with masalas, vegetables, mint, coriander leaves, spice powders etc. But for Dum Biryani rice is cooked separately, masalas are cooked separately and then they are layered along with mint leaves, fragrant saffron milk, fried onion etc and then dum cooked.
2.Which type of rice is best to use for Biryani?
Basmati rice is hands down the best for making Biryani. However you can use raw rice or seeraga samba rice too.
3.How is Biryani different from pulao?
Pulao is very mild with vegetables and whole spices minus the masala flavours but Biryani is very aromatic, fragrant, wholesome with spices, masalas, vegetables etc.
4.Is biryani masala powder needed for making Biryani?
No not a must. Biryani masala powder adds more aroma to the dish however garam masala is sufficent along with whole spices for making biryani.
5.Can I use this recipe for making nonveg biryani or chana, mushroom etc?
Yes you can use this recipe for making nonveg biryani or chana or mushroom biryani too. But make sure to cook nonveg accordingly for chicken it is ok you can just saute and cook along with rice but for mutton biryani, mutton should be precooked and then cooked along with rice.
If you have any more questions about this Veg Biryani Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter .
Tried this Vegetable Biryani Recipe ? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
Veg Biryani Recipe | Vegetable Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 and 3/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup curd
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 heaped teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 big sized onion sliced
- 1 medium sized tomato chopped roughly
To temper
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoon oil
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoon ghee
- 2 small bayleaf
- one 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 nos cloves
- 1 no cardamom
- 1 small star anise
- 1 no green chilli slitted
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Vegetables
- 1/2 cup carrot cut int small cubes
- 1/2 cup beans cut into 1 inch long
- 3/4 cup fresh green peas
- 1/4 cup potato cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup cauliflower medium sized florets
Spice powders
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder optional
Instructions
- To a bowl add 1 cup basmati rice add water to it till immersing level. Soak it for 30 mins, set aside undisturbed. After 30 mins rinse well, drain water and set aside.
- To a pressure cooker – heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1 and 1/2 tablespoon ghee – add one 2 small bayleaf, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 nos cloves, 1 no cardamom, 1 star anise, 1 green chilli slitted.
- Let it splutter, give a quick mix. Then add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds let it crackle.
- Add 1 big sized onion sliced along with 1 heaped teaspoon of ginger garlic paste and required salt.
- Saute until golden and transparent.
- Then add 1 medium sized tomato roughly chopped.
- Saute until it is mushy and raw smell of tomatoes leave completely.
- Add 1/4 mint leaves(tightly packed).
- Add 1/2 cup carrot(cut int small cubes), 1/2 cup beans(cut into 1 inch long), 3/4 cup fresh green peas, 1/4 cup potato(cut into small cubes), 1/2 cup cauliflower (medium sized florets).
- Saute for 2 mins until veggies slightly shrink.
- Now add 1/4 cup thick curd along with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder(optional).
- All the spice powders are added, if you do not have biryani masala powder just skip it, you don’t need to replace with any other spice powder.
- Saute for 2 mins.
- Rinse soaked basmati rice well atleast 2-3 times then drain water completely.
- Add drained basmati rice.
- Give a quick mix gently without breaking the rice.
- Add 1 and 3/4 cups of water. Rice : Water ratio is 1 cup rice : 1 and 3/4 cups water.
- Give a quick mix, check for salt, scrape the sides.
- Keep in medium flame and let it start to boil.
- Close with pressure cooker lid with whistle put on. Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame. Let pressure release by itself.
- Once pressure is completely released then open.
- Add 1 tablespoon coriander, leaves, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon ghee.
- Use a sharp edged laddle and fluff from the side gently. Mix it gently do not overmix and break the rice. It will look sticky now as it is hot but after few mins of cooling the rice becomes grain seperated.
- This is after few mins of cooling it becomes perfectly grain seperated yet not too dry.
- Serve with onion raita.
Video
Notes
- Texture – A perfect biryani should be moist slightly greasy not too dry at the same time not mushy and it should be grain separated too.
- Soaking Rice – Soaking rice gives soft fluffy rice so do not miss this step.
- Rice : Water Ratio – Rice : Water ratio is 1 cup rice : 1 and 3/4 cups water. You can slightly increase to 2 cups of water if you prefer.
- Dum Cooking – Keeping in dum removes excess moisture and gives nice fluffy rice. So if you feel rice is mushy because of excess water you can dum cook for 5 mins. Dum cooking : Keep an unused dosa tawa, place the cooker or biryani pot on it close with a tight lid and place a heavy object like hand mortar pestle over the lid and keep the flame at lowest and cook for 5 mins and let it rest for 10 mins then open to fluff.
- Vegetables – Vegetables measure should be slightly more than double the amount of rice. Here I have used 1 cup rice for which I have used 2 and 1/2 cups vegetables.
- Must haves – You can make ginger garlic paste, the spice powder mix before hand and store it.
- Coconut milk / Curd – Amma never makes biryani without coconut milk so she adds coconut milk instead of curd sometimes both. But I usually add either one incase if you want to add coconut milk add 1/4 cup thick coconut milk while adding water.
Lavi
Biryani is my fav. Looks Good!
Kitchen Boffin
that looks soo delicious! nice click too
nimi
I'm drooling! Biriyani is my favourate dish.. though haven't tried veg even ones at home.
Surely will follow this recipe when I try 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Subhie Arun
biriyani looks fabs..n i lov veggie biriyani..this abs a treat….jux lov ur version.
Prathima Rao
This is one delicious biryani!! Sure to be a instant hit with my famiily..Will make it soon.. 😉
Paaka Shaale
Beautiful and delectable biryani sharmi 🙂
Kairali sisters
I am hungry Sharmilee…Its lunch time here and i havent even started cooking anything 🙂
swapna
Love the flavorful biryani….yumm!!
Nithya
I am always a fan of briyani too 🙂 ofcourse the veg version only 🙂
I skip eating curd rice when its briyani for lunch. Will complete with two servings of the same 🙂
Cham
Tamilian always give a touch of coconut milk in biryani 🙂 This one is super delicious!
Sanjeeta kk
Yes me too prefer homemade. The mint and coriander paste seems a good add.
Priya
Who will say no to this beautiful briyani, absolutely delicious..
Ananda Rajashekar
oh simple and gorgeous anytime to eat 🙂
Nostalgia
Nice recipe. Yes, some food is best when made at home.
Peggy
This briyani sounds absolutely delicious!
Swathi
vegetable biriyani looks delicious and colorful.
Suja Sugathan
Looks fabulous,absolutely delicious..makes me hungry
savitha ramesh
ur cooking and clicking rocks sharmee
Santosh Bangar
biryani is lajbab coconu mile enhance the taste
1st time here wonderful recipes do visit my site
Sarah Naveen
Happy Holidays..
Looks so perfect and yummy!!
Cilantro
Amma too makes Biriyani with coconut milk and I love the taste but it becomes too heavy, love the recipe and the click as always.
Jisha
my fav….and your looks so delicious and perfect
M D
Nice photos Sharmi! Loved the recipe, I make it the same way and now no guesses what's for our dinner tonight!
Anonymous
Just made it Sharmi..tasted good. Would add a little less water next time. I use canned coconut milk-whic may be little thicker than ones made back in India..so rice was lill soggy than I wud like it..but tatsed simple,authentic and easy of the pallette:-)will send u pics
Thanks
Sonia
Lekha
loved it…just added some mushrooms, spring onions and some bell peppers in addition to what u added….its excellent….thanks….
Sudivas
cooked it yesterday for lunch….added some potatoes also..it really came out well..and well appreciated at home!!! Thank u for the tasty recipe.
smitha
very good receipe
smitha
very good
Anonymous
Tried this and turned out awesome… Perfect measurement instructions for water and veggies… Oh My.. everybody loved this … paired it up from raita ..
thanks a bunch for sharing it with us… Keep rocking 🙂
Priya
mibz
this biriyani is the best veg biriyani ever had…… my hubby luvd it… this is awsome…………. thanku so much sharmi for such an easy n delicious recipe…. cud u post chicken biriyani recipe……
mibz
this is the best best best veg biriyani i ever had…. thanku so much for ths wonderful recipe…….. cud u please post the recipe of chicken biriyani………..
kalyani
hi sharmi:-) tried ur version of biriyani…exactly followed ur steps…it was awsome:-) thank u for posting such a nice recipe…that too with pics…:-)i never knew i can cook good this much:-) it was a super hit at my home:-) .thanks a lot sharmi for being my cooking insipiration…:-) may god bless u dear n you should go miles in ur carrier n cetrainly u will:-)
Chitra
Hi Sharmi!
Im not a fan of biriyani. My husband loves to eat. I tried a couple of times before. It was a disaster. This recipe is totally mindblowing. Perfect measurements. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
sangeta ram
Today I tried,really nice and delicious .add some red chiiiy powder make ths briyani too gud
methemom
Tried this for more than 10 times within a span of 2 months. Huby
methemom
Tried this for more than 10 times in a span of 2 months. Hubby never leaves without completing the entire dish. I proudly present this to friends. Thanks!
Prashant Gupta
do we no need to add Salt, garam masala, chilli powder in this receip.
SHARMILEE J
I missed salt in the recipe, just now updated…garam masala and chilli powder is not required for this recipe
Dhanalakshmi B
I tried for the first time. its cmes too gud…. Thanks sharmili for the wonderful receipe 🙂
RAHUL KOHLI
woowww….@ the receipe is superbbbbbb…..even I like @ south indian dishes nd variety of rices……i like to try south indian dishes…..superbbb))
Unknown
hi sharmilee…i'm a regular follower of ur space…yesterday i was in a mood to hav biryani and bookmarked this recipe.today i made it..it was awesome..my hubby juz loved it…my little one who is just 1 year old keep asking for more..so for her, i made it less spicy, added cauliflower florets instead of green peas..for hubby i paired it up with spicy meat cutlets and onion-tomato raita 🙂 ..i'm so happy…thank you so much..keep going
pf
Sharmi I tried I today it is very tasty ….thanks dear,I have tried 5dishes now all are thumbs up recipes
sowmiya vadivel
I tried it its very nice
mahe
Please mention soaking time of the rice
Karthika
Hi
Instead of coconut milk can we add curd itself little moresay 2 tblspn like your another biryani version?Ican we add chilli powder and coriander powder to this recipe as option..if so how much we should add?
Sharmilee J
yesyes you can do that too….1 tsp chilli powder…coriander powder may alter the taste so don’t recomment adding
Karthika
Have to soak rice ?how much time?for basmati rice what is the water ratio?
Sharmilee J
For basmati rice I use 1(rice):1.5 or 2(water) ratio
Jennifer
Hi the measurements that you have given goes for how many servings?.. i want to make briyani atleast for 4 people
Sharmilee J
this will serve 2 people
Shivasakthi
This recipe comes out very nice when same measures are followed…thank you sharmi 👍
Kausalya
Hi I tried yr veg pulao recipe. I used turkey berries(Sundakkai) n carrots. Turned out very tasty. My family enjoyed the pulao. Lucky turkey berry pulao turned out well.😋
Suma
Though I can cook well, I tried this recipe and didn’t have Biryani masala powder but used Kasoori methi at the end and also added fried cashews. I added green pepper as well. It came out very well. Nicely presented recipe card and video! Easy to follow
Sharmilee J
Thank you so much for the kind words. So glad that you liked it!