Vegetable Rice Pulao
A simple, healthy Indian vegetable rice pulao packed with fresh veggies and fragrant spices. Easy to cook for beginners — great for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Rinse the basmati rice under running water until the water runs clear. Soak it in enough water for 15–20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
- Heat oil (or light ghee) in a heavy-bottom pan on medium flame. Add bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Stir for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add sliced onions, sauté until they turn light golden brown. Then add chopped garlic and ginger. Sauté for another 30 seconds.
- Add chopped carrots, green beans, peas, and diced potato (if using). Sauté the vegetables for 2–3 minutes.
- Sprinkle turmeric powder, garam masala and salt over the vegetables. Mix well so that spices coat the vegetables evenly.
- Add the drained rice and stir gently to combine with vegetables and spices for 1 minute.
- Pour in 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high flame. Once boiling, reduce flame to low, cover the pan with lid, and let it cook until water is absorbed and rice is done (about 15–20 minutes).
- Once the rice is cooked, switch off the stove. Let it rest covered for 5 minutes. Then fluff up the pulao with a fork and gently mix.
- Serve the vegetable rice pulao hot with plain yogurt, raita or a side salad.
Notes
You can vary vegetables as per availability and preference. For higher fibre and lower glycemic load, use brown basmati rice instead of white. Adjust oil amount to 1 tbsp if you want a lighter version. Fresh coriander or mint leaves can be added before serving for extra aroma.
Abhinav is the Founder of Diet Dekho, helping people manage weight and lifestyle health through simple, practical nutrition and personalized diet plans.