Instant Pot Vegetarian Paneer Biryani

Why You’re Going To Love This Paneer Biryani Recipe

Fast. Done in under 30 minutes with the help of your Instant Pot.Easy. A simple pour and cook recipe.Vegetarian. A great main course for your vegetarian family and friends.Authentic. All of the flavors you would expect in a traditional Indian Biryani recipe.

Ever since I created a one-pot, easy but authentic Chicken Biryani, readers have asked for a vegetarian version, and I finally made it yesterday. Armed with home-made paneer, and a cup of frozen vegetables, I was ready to get started with this one. I also have a low-carb chicken biryani that is full of flavor, and definitely worth trying. This one, of course, is not low carb. What it is, however, is delicious and easy.

What is Paneer?

Paneer is essentially a soft cheese, which in addition to being delicious, also tends to stay intact vs. melting when heated. This makes it really versatile to use in recipes such as this Paneer tikka for example. Check out my very simple recipe for making paneer here.

How to Make Paneer Biryani Video

Steps For Making Paneer Biryani

Step 1: Thinly slice onions, ginger, garlic, and serrano or jalapeño peppers. Step 2: Heat the Instant Pot on Sauté, High heat, and add ghee. To the hot ghee, add cumin, cardamom, cassia (cinnamon) and cloves and let them splutter like popcorn. Step 3: Add the onions and cook until somewhat browned. Then, add the ginger, garlic, and peppers and cook until they have softened. Step 4: Spread the rinsed and drained rice over the vegetables. Add water and push the rice down so no little bits are poking up over the water. Scatter the mint and cilantro on top of the rice. Step 5: Scatter the paneer and frozen vegetables on the top. Do not stir. Step 6: Set the Instant to High pressure for 4 minutes. Step 7: Allow the Pressure cooker to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes. This part is important, as the rice needs this steaming time to continue to cook. At the end of the 10 minutes, release all remaining pressure. Step 8: Stir gently and serve your fragrant and colorful masterpiece!

How Do You Make Biryani Taste Better?

One of the biggest complaints I have with Biryani that I order from some of my favorite take out places is how it can be so lacking in flavor. My trick to making a delicious Paneer Biryani recipe? Spices. But let’s be honest. That’s the trick for making most of my recipes delicious. Without them, all you would have is a pot of rice, cheese, and veggies.

Tips and Tricks to Making A GREAT Paneer Biryani

I know most of you will want to add more water to this recipe–don’t do that. The rice was al dente, each grain was separate as you see in the picture, and it all just worked.Use long-grain basmati for this recipe and be sure to rinse and drain well. Don’t use starchy vegetables like potatoes, that will absorb water. I used a package of frozen mixed vegetables for this.You could add a little frozen cauliflower or frozen broccoli to this recipe. This rice freezes very well and also tastes great as leftovers.Serve this with raita, or with this Instant Pot Kadhi Recipe. Some of you will ask if you can make this with Tofu. I haven’t tried that, but I’d recommend that you use extra firm tofu, that you drain it first, and potentially also pan fry it to make it less likely to disintegrate. If you do this, leave me a comment to let me know how it went!I have also used frozen paneer which I got from the Indian grocery store, although I would HIGHLY recommend that you use my Instant Pot Paneer Recipe to make your own! It’s so much tastier and creamier, and it takes no time at all. But if you’re pressed for time, just use the storebought version.If you make your own paneer, make extra. Once it’s done, you can make Instant pot Matar Paneer, or a low carb paneer tikka as well. And of course, there’s always classic Instant Pot Palak Paneer or saag paneer.

How Many Calories Are There In Paneer Biryani?

The calories in Paneer Biryani can vary widely based on the recipe you decide to use or where you order it from. For this Paneer Biryani recipe, you can expect around 300 calories per serving.

Want More Paneer Recipes?

Palak PaneerPaneer TikkaMatar PaneerHow To Make Paneer

If you love this Instant Pot Paneer Biryani recipe as much as I do, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can try it too. Originally Published June 13, 2017