Description
A flavorful and easy vegan biryani packed with colorful vegetables, spices, chickpeas, and basmati rice. This one-pot meal is perfect for a comforting lunch or dinner and can be served with vegan raita and naan bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Onion, ginger and garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water
Vegetables
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally
- 1 yukon gold potato, peeled and chopped small
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 1/2 cup frozen green beans
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup golden or regular raisins, optional
Spices
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Broth and rice
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed well
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients. Chop all vegetables, drain and rinse chickpeas, and mix all spices together in a small bowl. This organization simplifies the cooking process.
- Sauté onion. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add thinly sliced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add ginger and garlic. Stir in minced ginger and garlic, sautéing for 1 minute until fragrant to release their flavors.
- Add water and vegetables. Pour in 1/4 cup water to prevent burning. Add carrot, potato, cauliflower, green peas, green beans, chickpeas, and raisins (if using). Stir to combine.
- Add spices. Sprinkle in garam masala, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to thoroughly coat the vegetables with spices.
- Add broth and rice. Pour in vegetable broth and add rinsed basmati rice. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly. Bring to a boil.
- Cook rice. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Let it simmer for 20 minutes until rice is fully cooked and liquid absorbed.
- Let it rest. Fluff the rice gently with a fork. Cover again and let sit off heat for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced almonds if desired. Pair with vegan raita and naan bread for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Notes
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a covered container, making it ideal for meal prep.
- This biryani can be frozen for longer storage; reheat thoroughly before serving.
- Rinsing the basmati rice prevents excess starch and keeps grains separate.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control spiciness according to preference.
- Adding raisins gives a sweet contrast that complements the spices nicely, but can be omitted if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
