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Indian

Vegetable pulao

Vegetarian

वेज पुलाव · veg pulao

Fragrant basmati rice cooked in one pot with whole spices, carrots, peas and green beans. Gently spiced and quick enough for a weeknight.

Vegetable pulao is an Indian rice dish, ready in about 55 minutes and made with basmati rice and carrot. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Indian vegetable pulao served with sides in a pressure cooker, showcasing vibrant flavors.
Photo: Milton Das / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
25 min
Cook
25 min
Rest
5 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
386

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the ghee (opens in a new tab) in a heavy saucepan (opens in a new tab) with a tight lid over medium heat. Add the cumin (opens in a new tab), bay leaf (opens in a new tab), cardamom (opens in a new tab), cloves (opens in a new tab) and cinnamon (opens in a new tab) and fry until fragrant.

  2. Step 2

    Add the onion (opens in a new tab) and fry until golden, then the garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger and green chilli (opens in a new tab) for a minute.

    • 8 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the carrot (opens in a new tab), beans and peas (opens in a new tab) and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and stir gently for a minute to coat the grains.

    • 3 min
    • medium heat
    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Pour in the water, add the salt and garam masala (opens in a new tab) and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook without lifting the lid.

    • 12 min
    • low heat

  5. Step 5

    Switch off the burner and leave the pan covered for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and scatter with coriander.

    • 5 min

    Food safety: Cool leftover rice quickly (within 1 hour), refrigerate, and reheat only once until piping hot.

    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
India · Commonly attributedPilaf-style rice is common from Central Asia to South Asia; this vegetable version is an everyday Indian home dish.Also popular in PakistanMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Rice dishes · Side dishes · Main courses
Cooking method
Sautéed, Simmered, Steamed
Taste
aromatic / warmly spiced, mild, savoury
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Everyday · Child-friendly · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Basmati rice · Carrot · Ghee · Cumin · Bay leaves · Cardamom
Techniques
Stir-frying · Sautéing · Boiling · Simmering · Steaming

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom ghee

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

386 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 314 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 8%
  • Carbohydrate 74%
  • Fat 18%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy386 kcal123 kcal
Protein7.8 g2.5 g
Carbohydrate71 g22.6 g
Net carbohydrate66.9 g21.3 g
Sugars4 g1.3 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.2 g1.3 g
Fat7.6 g2.4 g
Saturated fat4.4 g1.4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol17 mg5 mg
Sodium777 mg248 mg
Salt equivalent1.9 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
294 mg
Calcium
78 mg
Iron
4.5 mg
Magnesium
42 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
216 µg
Vitamin C
14 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
319 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: garam masala, coriander leaves.
  • Basmati rice: Generic long-grain white rice (FDC 168877); basmati has very similar composition.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Soaking basmati makes the grains cook up longer and less likely to break.

Common mistakes

  • Stirring the rice once the water is added, which breaks the grains and makes it sticky.

Serve with

  • Serve with raita, dal or rajma.

Food safety

  • Cool leftover rice quickly (within 1 hour), refrigerate, and reheat only once until piping hot.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Sprinkle with water and reheat covered until steaming hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 3

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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