Vegetable Pulao, or Veg Pulao, is a delicious Indian one-pot rice dish. This pulao recipe is made with fresh vegetables and aromatic spices for a light main or side dish.

Pair it with this Cucumber Raita .

vegetable pulao served in a big serving bowl with two serving spoons - 1
  • Vegetable Pulao Ingredients
  • How to make Vegetable Pulao Rice on the stove top
  • Serving Suggestion
  • Storage
  • Other rice dishes

This Veg Pulao recipe, or vegetable pulav, is an Indian style rice pilaf prepared with lots of vegetables and spices.

Simple vegetable pulao recipe is suitable to be enjoyed alongside a mild curry or enjoyed as it is. It is suitable for travelling with, so works for lunch box or potluck!

Vegetable Pulao Ingredients

Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post

Basmati rice – fragrant basmati rice makes all the difference. I use Tilda.

For best results, I prefer to use pre soaked rice for fluffy rice with separate rice grains, similar to that find in restaurant style veg pulav recipe.

Vegetables

Carrots

Green peas – I have used frozen green peas.

Green beans

Cauliflower

For a quick meal, use frozen mixed vegetables or prepared veg.

Optional: baby corn, bell peppers, mushrooms

Onion, garlic, green chilies, ginger – I sliced a large onion, made ginger-garlic paste and slit the green chillies

Whole spices black cardamom, green cardamom, star anise, cumin seeds, bay leaf

Spice powders (optional): red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala. Alternatively, you can purchase pulao masala for ease

Herbs – Fresh coriander leaves as garnish and mint leaves.

Lemon juice

veg pulao served in a bowl with cucumber raita on the side - 2

How to make Vegetable Pulao Rice on the stove top

Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices once the oil is hot.

As soon as they sizzle, add in the onions and cook on medium flame. After a minute or so, add the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies.

whole spices added to the hot oil to prepare pulao recipe - 3 onions, chili added to the whole spices for prepration of vegetable pulao - 4

I like to add the harder vegetables first to give them some time to cook. Rice in the UK is good quality and needs only 5 minutes or so to cook if soaked, therefore I make sure the vegetables are half-cooked before adding the rice.

Tip in the carrots first, close the lid and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water only to create some steam if you need.

Then add the green beans, peas and cauliflower. Again, allow to cook on a medium to low flame until about 40-50% cooked.

Add spice powders at this point if using.

raw carrots cubes added to the pan to make vegetable pulao recipe - 5 mix vegetables added to the half cooked carrots to make restaurant style vegetable pulao - 6 soaked rice added to the half cooked vegetables in the pan - 7 hot water and salt added to the rice and vegetables in the pan - 8

Tip in soaked rice (without water) and give it a stir.

Pour hot water and allow the pulao to cook on medium heat.

Cooking time will vary based upon your rice and how long it was soaked.

Once the rice is done, keep the lid on to allow the rice to become fluffy and stay separate.

Before serving, sprinkle over chopped coriander and mint leaves and squeeze lemon juice. I prefer to add mint at the end to prevent it going dark during the cooking process.

rice and vegetables are cooked in the pan - 9 freshly chopped coriander and mint leaves sprinkled on the cooked vegetables and rice - 10 pulao recipe garnished with chopped coriander and mint leaves - 11

Serving Suggestion

Pair a spicy vegetable pulao with cooling boondi raita, tomato raita , butternut squash raita or plain yogurt. You can serve sliced onions, indian onion salad or kachumber salad on the side too.

You can serve this veg pilaf with a very mild curry such as a korma or with kadhi .

I also love it with Plain Sweet Lassi or Mango Lassi .

Storage

Vegetable Pulao can be stored away for later. As soon as it cools to room temperature, place in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

You can freeze this pulao too – ensure to use a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Note that upon defrosting, the vegetables may not retain the same texture. Freeze on the day of cooking, not a few days later as it will not be as fresh.

recipe of vegetable pulao served in the bowl next to dinner plates on the dining table - 12

Other rice dishes

Paneer Tikka Biryani

Paneer Vegetable Biryani

Instant Pot Chickpea Rice (Chana Pulao)

Aloo Matar Pulao (Tehri Recipe)

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Indian rice pulao cooked with vegetables - 13

Vegetable Pulao Recipe

Equipment

  • 1 pan

Ingredients

  • 2 cup rice soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
  • 4 tablespoon oil or ghee or butter
  • 2 tablespoon whole spices black cardamom, green cardamom, star anise, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • ½ cup onion slices
  • 3 green chilies slit
  • 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic minced
  • ½ cup carrots cubed
  • ½ cup green beans cut
  • ½ cup green peas
  • ½ cup cauliflower florets
  • 2 tablespoon salt
  • 4 tablespoon coriander/cilantro and mint chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cup boiling water

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices once the oil is hot.
  • As soon as they sizzle, add in the onions and cook on medium flame. After a minute or so, add the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies.
  • I like to add the harder vegetables first to give them some time to cook. Rice in the UK is good quality and needs only 5 minutes or so to cook if soaked, therefore I make sure the vegetables are half-cooked before adding the rice.
  • Tip in the carrots first, close the lid and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water only to create some steam if you need.
  • Then add the green beans, peas and cauliflower. Again, allow to cook on a medium to low flame until about 40-50% cooked.
  • Add spice powders at this point if using.
  • Tip in soaked rice (without water) and give it a stir.
  • Pour hot water and allow the pulao to cook on medium heat.
  • Cooking time will vary based upon your rice and how long it was soaked.
  • Once the rice is done, keep the lid on to allow the rice to become fluffy and stay separate.
  • Before serving, sprinkle over chopped coriander and mint leaves and squeeze lemon juice. I prefer to add mint at the end to prevent it going dark during the cooking process.

Video

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Indian rice pulao cooked with vegetables - 14

Vegetable Pulao Recipe

Equipment

  • 1 pan

Ingredients

  • 2 cup rice soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
  • 4 tablespoon oil or ghee or butter
  • 2 tablespoon whole spices black cardamom, green cardamom, star anise, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • ½ cup onion slices
  • 3 green chilies slit
  • 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic minced
  • ½ cup carrots cubed
  • ½ cup green beans cut
  • ½ cup green peas
  • ½ cup cauliflower florets
  • 2 tablespoon salt
  • 4 tablespoon coriander/cilantro and mint chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cup boiling water

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices once the oil is hot.
  • As soon as they sizzle, add in the onions and cook on medium flame. After a minute or so, add the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies.
  • I like to add the harder vegetables first to give them some time to cook. Rice in the UK is good quality and needs only 5 minutes or so to cook if soaked, therefore I make sure the vegetables are half-cooked before adding the rice.
  • Tip in the carrots first, close the lid and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water only to create some steam if you need.
  • Then add the green beans, peas and cauliflower. Again, allow to cook on a medium to low flame until about 40-50% cooked.
  • Add spice powders at this point if using.
  • Tip in soaked rice (without water) and give it a stir.
  • Pour hot water and allow the pulao to cook on medium heat.
  • Cooking time will vary based upon your rice and how long it was soaked.
  • Once the rice is done, keep the lid on to allow the rice to become fluffy and stay separate.
  • Before serving, sprinkle over chopped coriander and mint leaves and squeeze lemon juice. I prefer to add mint at the end to prevent it going dark during the cooking process.

Video

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

These baby potato dish is just not another potato recipe what you make everyday, but has a special value in your plate, these are flavourful, delicious and exceptional. Boiled baby potatoes, sautéed in the most amazing flavoured TADKA with minimum spices!

For this dish, tadka is flavoured with black pepper, curry leaves, roasted peanuts , sesame seeds and green chillies. Although I have added black pepper twice ( double the amount ) dish is not over powering with the pungent spiciness but actually enhances all the flavours !

Sesame seeds and Peanuts adds beautiful crunch and provides little balance as both ingredients are full of minerals and protein and makes a smashing combination. Although generally we peel the skin of the potatoes, with this recipe I have always used potatoes with the skin.

These lip smacking and finger licking baby potatoes are ideal for the Vrat or Upwas as they are cooked without any onion or garlic.

These yummy and irresistible potatoes can be enjoyed with mild plain Yogurt and Rajgiro Siro/Halwa ( Amaranth flour pudding )

You will need ;-

  • 500 g baby potatoes
  • 1 tsp. slightly pounded black pepper
  • 3 tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 4 tbsp. slightly pounded roasted peanuts with the skin
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 3 tbsp. ghee ( If you are vegan use oil )
  • 8-10 fresh curry leaves
  • 4-5 green chillies slit
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 4-5 tbsp. fresh chopped coriander leaves
  • Fresh lemon juice

Thank you for stopping by and reading this post ! We hope to see you again soon 🙂