Vegetable Pulao | How To Make Veg Pilaf
A simple and quick-to-make Vegetable Pulao recipe. Made with mixed vegetables, spices, and rice, this Veg Pilaf will be a perfect side dish for your lunch or dinner.
I am redoing my old posts every now and then and this Vegetable Pulao is one of the posts that really needed my TLC. I often wonder how recipes like this Vegetable Pulao are still not taken care of as it is something I make very often.

Our weekend lunch usually includes a roti / phulka, a subzi, a raita, and a pulao. Vegetable pulao is one of the easiest recipes to make and ever since I bought my Instant Pot (read 2 Instant pots), life has been way easier.
Last weekend, I made Lauki Subzi to go with the vegetable pulao and of course, we had the roti / phulka and some raita. I came across this recipe in one of the Tamil magazine inserts.
I love those little recipe inserts that come in the magazines. My mother always collected them for me and sent me a bunch of them every time I returned from India. It has been a while now since I added any more inserts to my collection.

You could use freshly chopped vegetables or for ease use the frozen vegetables. I often use frozen mixed vegetables as it is quick and easy. Since this is one of the old posts from the times when I did not own an instant pot, the recipe still has instructions to make it on the stovetop.
I did not replace my step-by-step pictures, so I am still going to leave that recipe. If making the vegetable pulao in an Instant Pot, sauté the spices and the vegetables directly in the pot and cook it for 4 minutes and do a 10-minute release.
Preparation time - 10 mins
Cooking time - 30 mins
Difficulty level - easy
Ingredients to make Vegetable Pulao - serves 4
- Basmati rice - 1 cup
- Onion - 1 (chopped)
- Mixed vegetables - 1 cup (carrot, beans, cabbage, green peas etc)
- Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
- Green chilies - 3 (slit lengthwise)
- Chopped mint and cilantro leaves - a handful
- Fennel seeds (sombu) - 1 tsp
- Cinnamon - 1 stick
- Cloves - 3
- Cardamom/ elaichi - 3
- Star Anise - 1
- Yogurt - ½ cup
- Ghee - 2 tsp
- Oil - 2tsp
- Salt - to taste

Procedure to make Veg Pilaf -
- Soak the rice for about 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan; fry the fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and cloves. Now add the chopped onions, salt, ginger garlic paste, and the green chilies and fry until the onions are translucent.

- Now add the rest of the vegetables. Mix well and cook for about 2 mins.

- Mix the yogurt with the drained rice and add it to the vegetables. Also, add 1 ½ cup of water and mix well. Add the chopped mint and cilantro leaves.

- Transfer it to a cooker and let it cook for up to 2 whistles. You could also cook it on the stovetop or rice cooker or make the whole recipe in the instant pot.
- Once the rice is cooked add the ghee and fluff it up with a fork. Serve the veg pilaf hot!!!

Other Rice Dishes
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Recipe

Vegetable Pulao | How to make Veg Pilaf
Equipment
- plate
- pan
- Cooking spoon
- Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 cup Mixed vegetables carrot, beans, cabbage, green peas etc
- 1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
- 3 Green chilies slit lengthwise
- Chopped mint and cilantro leaves a handful
- 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds sombu
- 1 stick Cinnamon
- 3 Cloves
- 3 Cardamom/ elaichi
- 1 Star Anise
- ½ cup Yogurt
- 2 teaspoon Ghee
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- to taste Salt
Instructions
- Soak the rice for about 30 mins. Drain and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan; fry the fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and cloves. Now add the chopped onions, salt, ginger garlic paste and the green chilies and fry until the onions are translucent.
- Now add the rest of the vegetables. Mix well and cook for about 2 mins.
- Mix the yogurt with the drained rice and add it to the vegetables. Also add 1 ½ cup of water and mix well. Add the chopped mint and cilantro leaves.
- Transfer it to a cooker and let it cook for up to 2 whistles. You could also cook it on stove top or rice cooker or make the whole recipe in the instant pot.
- Once the rice is cooked add the ghee and fluff it up with a fork. Serve hot!!!











Wow.. love this pulao recipe... so aromatic and flavorful.
vegetable pulao is one of the recipe which comes to rescue. such a delicious looking pulao. with raita it is a complete comforting food.
love the use of star anise in this version. It is one of my favorite spices.
With yogurt and the vegetable side dish, this makes a wholesome and inviting meal.
One such comforting meal.The pulao looks so colorful and got a perfect texture.
We just love vegetable pulao anytime, serve me with some paneer or spicy potato gravy, i can sit and have this one pot meal without any fuss.
My whole family is such a huge fan of vegetable pulao.If nothing comes to mind, I make veg pulao as I know all will have it happily.
One pot meals are always so easy to prepare. Good one.
One-Pot Meals are such a comforting food for a person like me. And all veggies makes it so filling.
This is one of my go-to one-pot rice recipes to make on a weeknight. Frozen veggies are so much convenient for quick meals like this. I usually add either chickpeas or paneer to make it a complete meal.
This is how I make pulao as well in the IP. Quick to make and it is a crowd pleaser as well.
I had a huge collection of those tiny books and recently had to dispose them off. I really felt sad about that. This pulao looks so simple yet absolutely yum.
New pictures look fantastic Sandhya, even we have so many paper clippings that I get scared to even think about checking it. One pot meals are so convenient.
Vegetable pulao is my daughters favourite and I too make this often at home... your's looks delicious 🙂
I make my vegetable pulao with frozen vegetables too, especially when I need rice to get done and feel lazy to chop them... lovely updates to the pictures...