Our vegetable biryani is a weeknight, one-pan, biryani-style rice for when you want warm spices without spending hours in the kitchen.
For more easy weeknight dinner, check out our kidney beans and rice skillet, broccoli orzo with white beans lemon and parmesan, lentils and quinoa skillet, cauliflower shawarma bowl.
Why This Is Our Weeknight Vegetable Biryani
Louise and I love Indian cooking. We’ve taken many hands-on classes and learned how deep, patient, and beautiful traditional dishes can be. Biryani, especially, is a true labor of love. 🍚✨
But our work here is different. We’re not trying to write another authentic recipe. (For that, Swasthy’s blog is wonderful.) Our goal is to help you get a flavorful, veggie-packed dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. That’s why we are here!
This easy vegetable biryani is a one-pan, biryani-style rice made for real life. It’s warm, fragrant, and deeply satisfying, without long steps or tricky techniques.
It’s fiber-rich, protein-rich, budget-friendly, and fits nicely into a Mediterranean-style way of eating. A simple weeknight biryani you can make here and now 🌿🥄
P.S. Got leftover spices? We think you’ll love our chickpea curry and sweet potato curry.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Basmati rice: cooked rice keeps this fast and fluffy. Leftover rice works especially well for a quick vegetable biryani, and any leftover rice will do, not just basmati. If you’re starting with uncooked rice, no problem—we show you exactly how to cook it below.
- Olive oil: mild and everyday. Substitute avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Onion: thinly sliced for sweetness. Yellow or white onions both work.
- Garlic: grated for even flavor. Substitute garlic paste or finely minced garlic.
- Fresh ginger: adds warmth. Ground ginger works in a pinch.
- Garam masala: classic biryani flavor. Substitute biryani masala or a mild Indian curry powder for a biryani-style rice with a different twist.
- Red pepper flakes: optional heat. Skip or use paprika for mild warmth.
- Turmeric: adds color and earthiness. A pinch of saffron bloomed in 1/2 cup warm milk can be used if you have it.
- Cinnamon: warm and subtle. Allspice is a good backup.
- Dried mint: lifts the dish. Fresh mint or parsley also work.
- Bay leaf: essential for aroma. Use one large or two small dried bay leaves.
- Whole spices (optional): cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, caraway seeds, or cumin seeds add extra fragrance. Use what you have or skip for a simple vegetable biryani.
- Plain yogurt: adds creaminess. Substitute non-dairy yogurt, cream, half-and-half, light coconut milk or use low-fat Greek yogurt for more protein.
- Chickpeas: hearty and filling. Swap with lentils, white beans, or frozen edamame.
- Frozen peas: sweet and easy. Use green beans or corn.
- Carrots: add color and bite. Cauliflower, zucchini, or broccoli all work.
- Vegetable broth: keeps the pan moist. Water works if needed.
- Lemon: bright finish. Lime works too.
How To Make This Easy Vegetable Biryani
1. Cook the rice (if it’s not ready)
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the basmati rice and cook for 10 minutes, until just tender. Drain well in a fine-mesh strainer and set aside. (You’ll have about 3 cups cooked rice.)
2. Cook the onion until sweet
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden. If the pan looks dry, add about 1/4 cup broth to keep the onion from sticking.
3. Bloom the spices
Stir in the grated garlic and ginger. Add the garam masala, red pepper flakes, turmeric, cinnamon, dried mint, and bay leaf. Pour in 1/4 cup broth and stir for 1 minute to toast the spices.
Add the yogurt and stir for 1 more minute, until the pan looks creamy and smells fragrant.
4. Add the vegetables
Add the rinsed canned chickpeas, frozen peas, chopped carrots, and vegetable broth. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until the peas are hot and the carrots start to soften. This is where the dish becomes a true veggie-packed dinner.
5. Add the rice and warm everything through
Add the cooked rice, salt, and black pepper. Gently stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is hot and coated in the spices.
If you want a little crunch, drizzle a bit of oil around the edges and let it sizzle undisturbed for 2-3 minutes.
6. Finish with lemon and serve
Turn off the heat and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Serve warm as a main or side. If you want to make it more filling, add raita (yogurt sauce), a fried egg, or your favorite protein. This is a cozy, weeknight biryani you can pull off anytime.
Kitchen Notes & Tips
This is biryani-style, not traditional. We’ve simplified the process on purpose, so you get great flavor without extra steps. Here’s what really matters when making this dish:
- Flavor is built in layers. We cook the onion first, then add spices, then yogurt, vegetables, and rice. This order keeps the flavors deep and balanced, even in a shortcut recipe.
- Take your time with the onion. Soft, lightly golden onions build sweetness and depth. This step matters.
- Cook the spices briefly. Spices need a short moment in the pan to release aroma. Too long and they can taste bitter.
- Add yogurt after the spices. This softens the heat of the spices and gives the rice a rounded, comforting flavor.
- Boil and drain the rice separately. This keeps the grains fluffy and prevents mushy rice, especially for beginner cooks.
- Stir gently after adding the rice. Fold, don’t mash, so the grains stay fluffy in this biryani-style rice.
- Use broth as needed. Small splashes of broth keep the pan from sticking and help everything cook evenly.
- Whole spices are optional. Cloves, cardamom, or star anise add fragrance, but the dish is still delicious without them.
- Finish with lemon. A little acid at the end lifts the spices and brings the whole dish together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Any leftover rice works very well and actually makes this dish faster. Just break it up gently before adding it to the pan so it warms evenly.
Let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water to keep the rice moist.
Yes. You can use a plain dairy-free yogurt or simply skip the yogurt and add a little extra broth for moisture.
Absolutely. This recipe is very flexible. Cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli, or green beans all work well and keep this a simple vegetable biryani you can adapt to what’s in your fridge.
No. This is a shortcut, weeknight biryani inspired by classic flavors, designed for ease and reliability rather than tradition.
Yes, you can skip the yogurt. The yogurt helps soften the spices and adds a gentle creaminess, but the recipe still works without it. If you leave it out, add a little extra vegetable broth to keep the pan from drying out and to help the spices coat the rice evenly. Alternatively you can substitute cream, half-and-half, light coconut milk, or non-dairy yogurt.
More Indian-Inspired Dinners
- Turmeric cauliflower and chickpeas
- Creamy lentil curry
- Turmeric rice with chickpeas
- Cauliflower curry
- Chickpea masala
- Coconut curry with chickpeas
- Lentil eggplant curry
- Kidney bean curry (Rajma)
If you try this Easy Vegetable Biryani Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Vegetable Biryani (Easy 30-Minute, One-Pan Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked basmati rice or 1 cup uncooked basmati rice cooked and drained
Flavor Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or biryani masala or curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons dried mint
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup plain yogurt
Vegetables
- 1 can chickpeas 15 oz / 400 g can – drained and rinsed or 1½ cups / 230 g cooked chickpeas
- 1½ cup frozen peas
- 2 medium carrots sliced into half-moons
- ½ cup vegetable broth up to 1 cup if pan gets dry – reduced sodium
- 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt + black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rice (if needed): Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add 1 cup uncooked basmati rice and cook for about 10 minutes, until just tender (not mushy). Drain well and set aside. You should have about 3 cups cooked rice.
- Cook the onion: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 large onion (sliced) and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of broth so nothing sticks.
- Add aromatics and spices: Stir in 2 cloves garlic (grated), 1 inch ginger (grated), 1 teaspoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1½ teaspoons dried mint, 1 bay leaf, 1/4 cup of the broth.Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add ½ cup plain yogurt and stir for another minute until creamy.
- Add vegetables: Add 1 can chickpeas, 1½ cup frozen peas, 2 medium carrots, and ½ cup vegetable broth. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add rice and finish: Add 3 cups cooked basmati rice, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper.Gently stir for 2–3 minutes, until the rice is evenly coated and hot. For crispy rice, drizzle oil around the edges and let it sizzle undisturbed for 2 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from the heat and squeeze lemon juice over the rice. Serve warm as a main or side dish. For extra protein, serve with raita, a fried egg, or your favorite protein, such as rotisserie chicken, salmon, or shrimp.
Notes
- Basmati rice → Any cooked rice works (leftover rice is great). If using uncooked rice, just cook it first.
- Olive oil → Avocado oil or vegetable oil
- Onion → Yellow or white onion
- Garlic → Garlic paste or finely minced garlic
- Fresh ginger → Ground ginger (use a small pinch)
- Garam masala → Biryani masala or mild Indian curry powder
- Red pepper flakes → Paprika, or skip for no heat
- Turmeric → A pinch of saffron soaked in warm milk (optional)
- Cinnamon → Allspice
- Dried mint → Fresh mint or parsley
- Bay leaf → One large or two small dried bay leaves
- Whole spices (optional) → Cloves, cardamom, star anise, cumin seeds, or caraway seeds (use what you have or skip)
- Plain yogurt → Non-dairy yogurt, cream, half-and-half, light coconut milk, or Greek yogurt
- Chickpeas → Lentils, white beans, or frozen edamame
- Frozen peas → Green beans or corn
- Carrots → Cauliflower, zucchini, or broccoli
- Vegetable broth → Water
- Lemon → Lime
- Build flavor in layers – Onion first, then spices, yogurt, veggies, and rice
- Take your time with the onion – Soft and lightly golden = more sweetness
- Toast spices briefly – Just long enough to smell fragrant, not bitter
- Add yogurt after spices – It mellows the heat and makes everything creamy
- Cook rice separately – Keeps grains fluffy, not mushy.
- Stir gently – Fold the rice so it stays fluffy
- Add broth as needed – Prevents sticking and helps even cooking
- Whole spices are optional – Nice aroma, not required
- Finish with lemon – Brightens and ties everything together 🍋
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Looks amazingly delicious, we make with chicken or lamb, will try it one day 👍
Nice easy dish