Brown Rice Pulao
on May 06, 2025, Updated Jun 30, 2025
Brown Rice Pulao is a delicious version of the classic pulao recipe, where white rice is replaced with brown rice. You can make this one-pot meal in an instant pot or a traditional pressure cooker.
Here are some more pulao recipes that you may like: Veg Green Pulao, Peas Pulao, Shrimp Pulao, and Chicken Pulao.
There is a constant debate about whether brown or white rice is better. I have never been a part of this kind of debate. Instead, I believe in portion control and feeding my family good, home-cooked food using the best ingredients. I love the nuttiness of brown rice and sometimes buy a packet. I tried this delicious pulao using it today, and everyone in my family loved it.
About Brown Rice Pulao
Brown rice pulao is a delicious one-pot brown rice recipe. It consists of brown rice cooked with veggies and a few whole spices. Serve it with raita and papad for a hearty meal.
I am sharing the recipe for making this pulao in an instant pot and a traditional stovetop pressure cooker. Choose the method that suits you the best.
You can easily double or triple the recipe, too. I made this recipe in my 3-quart instant pot. If scaling the recipe, then use a 6-quart pot. The cooking time will remain the same.
Ingredients
Brown Rice is the unrefined version of white rice. I used brown basmati rice to make this pulao, but you can use any brown rice that is easily available.
Veggies – I added onions, green peas, cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes to this pulao recipe, but you can add vegetables of your choice.
Whole Spices – Whole spices make this simple pulao very aromatic. I used cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, and cumin seeds.
Ghee – Make the pulao in ghee for the best taste and aroma.
Replace ghee with oil for a vegan version.
Others – You will also need sugar, water, salt, black pepper powder, and garam masala powder.
How To Make Brown Rice Pulao
In An Instant Pot
Rinse 2 cups of brown rice with water 2-3 times and soak in 3-4 cups of water for an hour.
Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot.
Add 1 tablespoon ghee to the instant pot and let it heat up.
Once the ghee is hot, add the following whole spices and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 cloves
- 5-6 whole black peppercorns
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
Add ½ cup thinly sliced onions and ½ teaspoon sugar and cook until onions turn golden brown (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
Add the following veggies and cook for a minute, stirring frequently.
- ½ cup green peas
- 1 and ½ cups cauliflower (cut into small florets)
- ½ cup green beans (cut into small pieces)
- 1 cup potatoes (peeled and cubed)
Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the instant pot along with 2.5 cups of water.
Add 2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder, and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and stir to combine.
Close the instant pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press CANCEL and then press PRESSURE COOK.
Set the timer to 22 minutes at high pressure.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually.
Open the lid and fluff the pulao gently with a fork. Serve hot!
In A Traditional Pressure Cooker
Follow the recipe until veggies are added to a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the pressure cooker with 5 cups of water.
Add 2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder, and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and stir to combine.
Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 7 whistles on medium-high heat.
Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release independently.
Open the cooker’s lid and fluff the pulao gently with a fork. Serve hot!
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Brown Rice Pulao Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 cloves (laung)
- 5-6 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- ½ cup thinly sliced onions
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 and ½ cups cauliflower florets
- ½ cup chopped green beans
- 1 cup peeled and cubed potatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
Instructions
- Rinse brown rice with water 2-3 times and soak in 3-4 cups of water for an hour.
- Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot.
- Add ghee to the instant pot and let it heat up.
- Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions and sugar fry until onions turn golden brown (6-8 minutes). Stir frequently.
- Add green peas, cauliflower, beans, and potatoes and fry for a minute, stirring frequently.
- Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the instant pot along with 2.5 cups of water.
- Add salt, black pepper powder, and garam masala powder and stir to combine.
- Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press CANCEL and then press PRESSURE COOK.
- Set the timer to 22 minutes at high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually.
- Open the lid and fluff the pulao gently with a fork. Serve hot!
Perfect recipe, Neha! I used frozen chopped vegetables because that’s all I had and it worked like a charm. Thanks so much for an awesome and easy to follow recipe! The brown rice was really well cooked. Can’t wait to make this with your chole 🙂