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!!!
preeti garg says
Wow.. love this pulao recipe... so aromatic and flavorful.
code2cook says
vegetable pulao is one of the recipe which comes to rescue. such a delicious looking pulao. with raita it is a complete comforting food.
Chef Mireille says
love the use of star anise in this version. It is one of my favorite spices.
Suma Gandlur says
With yogurt and the vegetable side dish, this makes a wholesome and inviting meal.
Nalini says
One such comforting meal.The pulao looks so colorful and got a perfect texture.
Priya Suresh says
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.
Ritu Tangri says
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.
Sushma Pinjala says
One pot meals are always so easy to prepare. Good one.
Sharmila says
One-Pot Meals are such a comforting food for a person like me. And all veggies makes it so filling.
Pavani says
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.
harini says
This is how I make pulao as well in the IP. Quick to make and it is a crowd pleaser as well.
M.Gayathri Raani says
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.
Srivalli says
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.
Amina says
Vegetable pulao is my daughters favourite and I too make this often at home... your's looks delicious 🙂
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
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...