Vegetable Pulao Instant Pot Vegan

Pulao was always a staple in our home. On nights my mom didn’t feel like cooking – which may have been more often than not lol – she made pulao in the pressure cooker. Nowadays, we have the convenience of the Instant Pot. There’s no waiting around for the whistle to go off and keeping track of how many whistles went by. Sigh! I could never keep up.

What is Vegetable Pulao?

Vegetable Pulao or Vegetable Pulav is a popular Indian dish made with fragrant basmati rice and flavored with whole spices along with various mixed vegetables such as carrots, green peas, corn, and green beans. In the Western world, pulao would be referred to as Vegetable Rice Pilaf. There are many variations of veg pulao. Pulao can be flavored with ginger, garlic, green chilies, and tomatoes, however for my version I’ve used none of these ingredients saving you a lot of time. Note: There are no ginger, garlic, or tomatoes in this Instant Pot Pulao recipe so it’s minimal chopping making it an easy weeknight meal. Today I’m sharing my mom’s Punjabi-style easy vegetable pulao recipe. This veg pulao recipe consists of onions, veggies, chickpeas, and simple whole spices. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions

Chickpeas – Replace with cauliflower a potatoes, or soy nuggets (nutrela). It’s important to use the same quantity of the ingredients you’re replacing to avoid inconsistent measurements. Masala Pulao – Instead of all the powdered spices used, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of pav bhaji masala. This tastes AMAZING! Feel free to use chicken biryani or vegetable biryani masala too. Veggies – Frozen vegetables work well in this recipe – corn, beans, carrots, and green peas. You may also add veggies such as baby corn and edamame. Furthermore, you can add fresh veggies such as green bell peppers. Oil – Instead of oil you can use ghee. Note: This recipe is no longer vegan if you use ghee.

How to make Vegetable Pulao Instant Pot recipe?

Wash rice until the water runs clear. Then soak rice in water for 15 minutes. (Image 1)
Rinse and drain rice. Set aside. (Image 2)
Heat up an Instant Pot in SAUTE mode. Once hot, add avocado oil or any flavorless oil. Add all the whole spices. Saute for about 45 seconds. (Image 3)
Add sliced onions and season with salt. (Image 4)
Saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly golden. (Image 5)
This is what you should have. (Image 6)
Add the washed & drained rice. (Image 7)
Saute the rice for 2 minutes and click CANCEL on the Instant Pot. (Image 8)
Add the canned chickpeas and frozen mixed vegetables. Make sure you wash and rinse the frozen mixed vegetables under warm water and drain. Also, make sure to rinse and drain the chickpeas. (Image 9)
Add water and all the powdered spices – salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala. (Image 10)
Mix well and scrape the bottom well to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. (Image 11)
Cover the Instant Pot and set the Vent Valve to Seal. Click HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes. Once 5 minutes is up, let the Instant Pot pressure release on its own for 10 minutes and then manually release. You’ll have the best results using this method. (Image 12)
This is what you should have. Fluff the rice with a fork and you’ll have fluffy rice. To avoid mushy rice, do NOT mix the rice. (Image 13)
Serve perfectly cooked Vegetable Pualo with achaar and raita (or plain yogurt). (Image 14)Optional: Garnish with coriander leaves or mint leaves.

Expert Tips

More Rice Recipes

✓ Wash Rice – Wash the rice well until the water runs clear. Then soak for 15 minutes. Rinse and drain. ✓ Water – Add the exact amount of water mentioned for this recipe – 1 3/4 cups of water. ✓ For the BEST Results – Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes and then do a quick pressure release → Sides of your favorite achaar and papad are wonderful too.