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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Rice » Veg Biryani

    Published: Oct 20, 2020 | Last Updated On: Oct 23, 2020 by Neha Mathur

    Veg Biryani

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    Jump to Recipe

    Hyderabadi Veg Biryani or Vegetable Biryani is a delicious medley of succulent vegetables, spices, ghee, saffron, and flavourful basmati rice which no one can resist. The best part is you can make a great restaurant-style version at home easily. Here is how to make it.

    Here are some more Biryani Recipes, that will surely tickle your taste buds and make you crave for more – Mushroom Biryani, Mutton Biryani, Chicken Biryani, Egg Dum Biryani, Kathal Biryani, and Hyderabadi Fish Biryani.

    Hyderabadi Veg Biryani served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • The Best Veg Biryani Recipe
    • Veg Dum Biryani vs Veg Pulao
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Veg Biryani?
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • Pro Tips by Neha
    • Recipe Card

    Biryani, everyone is familiar with this oh so popular Indian delicacy. It is a rice preparation, where fragrant rice is cooked along with a spicy Vegetable or Meat Masala, Fried Onions, Saffron Infused Milk, and a lot of fresh herbs.

    Rice, Egg, Paneer, Mushroom, Chicken/Lamb/Mutton/Fish/Prawns, or Vegetable Masala, both are cooked separately and then layered with fried onions, saffron-infused milk, coriander, and mint leaves and nuts such as almonds, cashews, etc. Finally, it is cooked together on dum, resulting in a delicious and aromatic rice preparation.

    Today we are going to make Veg Biryani in traditional and Authentic Hyderabadi style.

    The Best Veg Biryani Recipe

    Biryani, the name itself makes you crave it and when it comes to veg recipes, I assure you this Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani will be a superstar at your dining table. This will definitely hit the right spots with its impeccable taste and beautiful aroma.

    Veg Biryani is just a rich and complex rice and vegetable curry casserole dish. There are multiple ways in which a biryani can be made – Hyderabadi, Mughlai, Ambur, Kerala style, just to name a few.

    Hyderabadi Biryani is the most popular among all the others. It is made by cooking rice with a spicy vegetable medley under Dum. Dum Pukth translates to slow cooking. The rice and masala are cooked in a sealed pan and they get cooked in their own juice and steam. This method yields a biryani which is a delight to taste buts and the nutritions are not lost as well.

    A lip-smacking combination of fragrant rice, spicy vegetable masala, saffron milk, fried onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and lots of ghee, this Veg Dum Biryani recipe has become a hit among my friends and family.

    This Restaurant Style Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani is a rather elaborate recipe that requires you to marinate the vegetables and layer it with rice, don’t get me wrong, but this dish is absolutely worth it.

    So if you love your Hyderabadi Chicken and Mutton Biryani, you have to try this Veg Dum Biryani too. It is a bomb in flavor and you will definitely make it again and again for a veg delight.

    Some of you might start a debate stating that there is no such thing as a veg biryani, but as legend has it, this was the dish that some of the vegetarian workers who were working for the Nizam’s made for themselves and hence the name.

    This Hyderabadi Veg Biryani is,

    • Rich & Royal
    • Aromatic with Exotic Flavours
    • Absolutely Lip Smacking
    • Hard to resist
    • A great way to use leftover vegetables
    • Perfect for festive meals
    • Can be halved, doubled, or tripled

    Veg Dum Biryani vs Veg Pulao

    Although both pulao and biryani are made using similar ingredients, there is a world of difference between the two. While pulao is a one-pot, short cut meal, biryani is a dish made for special occasions. Making biriyani is a multi-step process that takes time, patience, attention to detail, and cannot be made in a hurry.

    Biryani is a royal dish truly fit for the kings and Queens and is totally worth the effort.

    Ingredients

    For the Vegetable Masala

    Vegetables – The beauty of this veg biryani is that you can use any vegetable of your choice. It is also a great way to use up all the leftover vegetables in your fridge and make a delicious Biryani out of it.

    I have used carrot, green peas, potatoes, cauliflower, and beans, but you can go ahead and add in any vegetable that you prefer. Broccoli, Corn, Mushrooms, Zucchini are a few examples.

    Paneer, chickpeas, soya chunks (soaked in hot water), etc can be added to this biryani as well. You can also make biryani using a single vegetable like this Mushroom Biryani or use a mix of veggies like I have done here.

    Chop the vegetables in similar sized cubes to make sure they cook evenly and also look good. Peel and cube the potatoes and soak them in water until ready to use to avoid their oxidation.

    If using frozen vegetables, soak them in water until they thaw and then drain and use them.

    Oil/Ghee – You can use a combination of these two or use any one of these, the choice is yours. I recommend using ghee, as it adds a lot of flavor and richness as compared to oil.

    For the marination – The vegetables are cooked slightly and then marinated just like mutton or chicken.

    For the marination, we will need hung yogurt (Greek yogurt), ginger garlic paste, green chili paste, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, golden fried onions, lemon juice, coriander leaves, mint, salt, and vegetable oil.

    You can make the fried onions ahead of time and store, as it takes time. These ingredients when combined together give the vegetables a burst of flavors, that add to the magnificent taste of biryani.

    Make sure the herbs like mint and cilantro are fresh. You can also adjust the amount of spices according to your taste and spice level.

    For the Rice

    Rice – This recipe calls for two cups of basmati rice and the better aged the rice the better it’s going to taste. I always prefer to use extra-long grain Basmati Rice, as they turn out fluffy and has flavor and aroma of its own.

    Restaurant-style biryani use Sella Chawal or Parboiled Basmati Rice. It has a sturdy texture and grains don’t break during the cooing process.

    Whole Spice – To make the rice more fragrant, we will use some whole spices such as cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick.

    Others – Other than this, we will add kewra essence, ginger garlic paste, green chili paste, lemon juice, salt, and water.

    For Layering –

    Saffron Infused Milk – Mix a little saffron in milk and pour it on the top. This gives the Biryani a nice subtle yellow-orange flavor.

    Slightly roasting the saffron and crushing it makes it release all it’s flavour.

    Fried Onions – You can make fried onions and keep so that it comes in handy whenever you need it. Here is my recipe for how to make it at home and store – Fried Onions(Birista).

    Coriander & Mint Leaves – These herbs adds a beautiful freshness and even enhances the taste of the veg biryani. Do not miss it.

    Ghee – Add lots of ghee on top, gives it a rich and royal taste.

    Dry Fruits – At the end, top it with fried Raisins and Cashews to add more royalness to your Hyderabadi Veg Biryani. This is optional, you can even miss adding them.

    How to make Veg Biryani?

    For the Vegetables:

    Heat ghee and oil in a pan.

    Ghee and oil heating in a pan.

    Fry the vegetables on high heat for 4-5 minutes.

    Vegetables frying on high heat.

    Remove the vegetables in a bowl.

    Fried vegetables removed in a 
bowl.

    For Marinating the Vegetables:

    Mix the ingredients for marinating in a bowl. Add the sautéed vegetables in it and mix well.

    Vegetables mixed with marinating ingredients.

    Cover and keep aside for an hour.

    Marinated vegetables.

    For the Rice:

    Wash the rice and soak in enough water for 30 minutes. Heat ghee in a pan.

    Ghee heating in a pan.

    Add cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and fry for a few seconds.

    Cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick added in the pan.

    Drain the rice.

    Rice added in the pan.

    Add in the pan along with 4 cups of water, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, and salt.

    4 cups of water, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, and salt added in the pan.

    Cover and cook only heat until 80 % done. The rice should have a slight bite to it and it should not be fully cooked.

    Rice cooked until 80% done.

    For Layering the Biryani:

    Add the marinated vegetables in a heavy bottom pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes.

    Marinated vegetables transferred in a heavy bottom pan.

    Top with cooked rice. Drizzle ghee on top.

    Semi cooked rice layered on top.

    Sprinkle coriander leaves, mint leaves, saffron soaked in milk, fried onion, fried cashew nuts and raisins on top.

    Coriander leaves, mint leaves, saffron soaked in milk, fried onion, fried cashew nuts and raisins sprinkled over rice.

    Cover the pan tightly with a lid. Keep a griddle over a very low flame. Keep the pan over the griddle and let the biryani cook for 15-20 minutes.

    Pan covered tightly.

    Fluff with a fork gently to mix the layers. Serve hot with Onion Tomato Raita.

    Ready veg biryani.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How to choose rice to make it?

    Both the taste and visual appeal of Biryani should stand out in its preparation and hence the choice of rice is very important.

    Now while this recipe takes care of the taste, the visual appeal comes only through rice grains. The longer the grain, the better it would be. I always choose the rice which is extra-long and stands out as individual grains.

    This gives the visual appeal of a blooming flower and makes it an enjoyable experience. Hence Basmati rice is the best choice to make it, it stands out individually, without forming lumps while cooking.

    In the market, you now even get specially selected long grain Basmati Rice, which is perfect for this recipe. I have used Fortune Biryani Special Rice to make this.

    The age of the rice is also very crucial to make a good recipe. Choose the rice grain which is at least 1 year old. The older the rice, the better it is.

    Can you make this Veg Biryani vegan?

    Of course, yes! Just use vegetable oil instead of ghee, replace the dairy yogurt with almond milk yogurt and coconut milk yogurt and use non-dairy milk for infusing saffron.

    How to make it in Pressure Cooker?

    If you are planning to cook Vegetable Biryani as a one-pot meal, then I would call it Pulao instead of Biryani. Veg Biryani has perfect layers, which is the main key of a perfect Hyderabadi Style Biryani.

    You can instead cook everything separately and then layer in the pressure cooker. Cook for a whistle and let the pressure release naturally.

    How to make it an oven?

    Cook the rice and marinate the vegetables as mentioned. Now transfer the vegetables in an oven proof tray. Top with partially cooked rice and top the biryani with saffron soaked in milk, cilantro, mint and fried cashews and raisins. Pre heat the oven to 180 Degrees C (350 Degrees F). Now pop the tray in the oven and bake it for 30-35 minutes.

    Serving Suggestions

    Once the biryani is cooked, let it rest for 10 minutes. Then using a large spoon or fork, scoop it from the bottom so that the vegetables and masala get mixed slightly with the rice.

    Serve this delicious and scrumptious Veg Biryani on its own or along with a Raita of your choices such as Tomato Onion Raita, Boondi Raita, Burani Raita, or Cucumber Raita.

    You can also serve Hyderabadi Biryani along with Salan such as Mirch Ka Salan, Bhindi Ka Salan, Baingan Ka Salan and if you are non-vegetarian, you can even serve Ande Ka Salan with it.

    Do not forget to serve some thinly sliced onions and a fried Papad on the side with Veg Dum Biryani.

    Storage Suggestions

    This Veg Biryani will last in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container. If you are making it in bulk, reheat only the amount you want to serve.

    Reheating Biryani again and again can decrease the shelve life of the Biryani.

    Pro Tips by Neha

    Use best quality rice to make Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani. Long grain basmati rice which is at least 2 years old is considered best.

    Use a heavy bottom pan to assemble it. Veg Dum Biryani needs to be cooked for 15-20 minutes on low heat and if the pan is not heavy, it might burn.

    the rice must be cooked only 80%. It should have a bite.

    You can check the recipe to make golden fried onion or Birista here. They bring out the visual appeal in this dish and making them at home is the best way to go.

    Be very attentive while cooking the rice. Do not stir the rice much while cooking otherwise it will break the grains.

    Choose a pan with a tight fitting lid. This biryani cooks on dum or steam and we want to retain as much steam that is formed inside. Traditionally, a sealing of dough used to be put around the pan and the lid but I don’t think that it is required if the lid fits tightly.

    Do not skimp on ghee. Biryani is a dish for special occassions and we should definitely not worry about the exra calories when making it.

    You might also like

    • Hyderabadi Bagara Rice (Bagara Khana, Bagara Chawal)
    • Jeera Rice (Indian Cumin Rice)
    • Kerala Style Ghee Rice (Nei Choru, Neychoru)
    • Turmeric Rice

    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Hyderabadi Veg Biryani or Vegetable Biryani is a delicious medley of succulent vegetables, spices, ghee, saffron, and flavourful basmati rice which no one can resist. The best part is you can make a great restaurant-style version at home easily. Here is how to make it.

    Veg Biryani Recipe

    Hyderabadi Veg Biryani is a delicious medley of succulent vegetables, spices, ghee, saffron and flavourful basmati rice which no one can resist.
    3.83 from 23 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 459kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    For the vegetables

    • 2 tablespoon Ghee
    • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
    • ½ cup Potato (Peeled and cubed)
    • 1 cup Cauliflower (Cut into small florets)
    • ¼ cup Peas
    • ¼ cup Beans (Cut into small pieces)
    • ¼ cup Carrot (Peeled and cubed)

    For marinating the vegetables

    • 2 tablespoon Hung Curd
    • 2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
    • 1 teaspoon Green Chilli Paste
    • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
    • 4 tbsp Golden Fried Onion (Crushed)
    • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • 2 tablespoon Coriander (Chopped)
    • 2 tablespoon Mint (Chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

    For the rice

    • 2 cups Long Grain Basmati Rice
    • 1 tablespoon Ghee
    • 2-3 Cloves
    • 2 Bay Leaves
    • 1 inch Cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
    • 2 teaspoon Salt

    For Layering

    • 2 tablespoon Ghee
    • 1 tablespoon Corinader (Chopped)
    • 1 tablespoon Mint (Chopped)
    • 10-12 strands Saffron (Soaked in 2 tablespoon milk)
    • ¼ cup Golden Fried Onion
    • 10-12 Cashew Nuts (Fried)
    • 10-12 Raisins (Fried)
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    Instructions

    For the vegetables

    • Heat ghee and oil in a pan.
    • Fry the vegetables on high heat for 4-5 minutes.
    • Remove the vegetables in a bowl.

    For marinating the vegetables

    • Mix the ingredients for marinating in a bowl.
    • Add the sautéed vegetables in it and mix well.
    • Cover and keep aside for an hour.

    For the rice

    • Wash the rice and soak in enough water for 30 minutes.
    • Heat ghee in a pan.
    • Add cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and fry for a few seconds.
    • Drain the rice and add in the pan along with 4 cups of water, lemon juice and salt.
    • Cover and cook on low heat until 80 % done. The rice must have a bite.

    For Layering the Biryani

    • Add the marinated vegetables in a heavy bottom pan.
    • Fry for 3-4 minutes.
    • Top with cooked rice.
    • Drizzle ghee on top.
    • Sprinkle coriander leaves, mint leaves, saffron soaked in milk, fried onion, fried cashew nuts and raisins on top.
    • Cover the pan tightly with a lid.
    • Keep a griddle over low flame.
    • Keep the pan over the griddle and let the biryani cook for 15-20 minutes.
    • Fluff with a fork gently to mix the layers.
    • Serve hot with Onion Tomato Raita.

    Notes

    Use best quality rice to make Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani. Long grain basmati rice which is at least 2 years old is considered best.
    Use a heavy bottom pan to assemble it. Veg Dum Biryani needs to be cooked for 15-20 minutes on low heat and if the pan is not heavy, it might burn.
    the rice must be cooked only 80%. It should have a bite.
    You can check the recipe to make golden fried onion or Birista here. They bring out the visual appeal in this dish and making them at home is the best way to go.
    Be very attentive while cooking the rice. Do not stir the rice much while cooking otherwise it will break the grains.
    Choose a pan with a tight fitting lid. This biryani cooks on dum or steam and we want to retain as much steam that is formed inside. Traditionally, a sealing of dough used to be put around the pan and the lid but I don’t think that it is required if the lid fits tightly.
    Do not skimp on ghee. Biryani is a dish for special occasions and we should definitely not worry about the extra calories when making it.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 821mg | Potassium: 359mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1150IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2.4mg
    Pin this recipe for later use!I LOVE to see your creations so pin and mention @WhiskAffair!
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    More Rice Recipes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Divya

      May 22, 2017 at 3:16 pm

      I love love your blog!

      I wanted to ask do you use store bought fried onions or make them at home?

      Thank you

      Reply
      • msnehamathur

        May 23, 2017 at 2:16 am

        Thnx Divya. I make it at home. Here is the link. https://www.whiskaffair.com/make-perfect-birista-golden-fried-onions/

        Reply
    2. Carol

      November 18, 2017 at 2:34 am

      Delicious! Labor intensive but worth it, the raita really put it over the top. Now I’m thinking leftovers with chicken tandoori. Who has a good recipe?

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        November 23, 2017 at 3:00 am

        Oh yes. You can do sandwiches or tarts with leftover tandoori chicken.

        Reply
      • Archana

        July 25, 2020 at 6:47 am

        5 stars
        I have tried this recepie 3 times now and every time my family simple loved it..thank you for this

        Reply
        • Neha Mathur

          July 26, 2020 at 3:22 am

          Nice 🙂

          Reply
    3. HoReCa Food Supplier

      February 01, 2019 at 11:17 am

      One of my fried has suggested me to ad curd once the vegetables are backed. Is it true? Do we need to add curd?

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        February 03, 2019 at 4:42 am

        Vegetable Biryani is not a traditional recipes. It got developed later, so basically there are no rules. You can try and see which recipe and process works for you best.

        Reply
    4. harish kumar

      October 05, 2019 at 9:43 am

      I love this recipy

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        October 05, 2019 at 1:59 pm

        Thanks a lot 🙂

        Reply
        • Akshatha

          September 23, 2020 at 4:54 am

          Thank you, Neha, for all your efforts in putting these recipes together. I absolutely loved your kathal biryani and so did my family. I’m today looking forward to making your veg biryani and can’t wait to enjoy it for lunch 🙂

          Reply
          • Neha Mathur

            September 24, 2020 at 8:46 am

            Happy to hear!

            Reply
    5. Sunita Mathur

      January 19, 2020 at 2:57 pm

      Hi Neha,
      First, I really like and use your recipes a lot as they’re very authentic to the Mathur clan, so thanks. My question here is how much in advance can I make this Biryani before a get- together and how best to reheat it? Thanks in advance.

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        January 20, 2020 at 2:39 pm

        Thanks :). You can make it a day in advance. the way to reheat it is microwave. Just splash little water and then micro until warm.

        Reply
    6. VEG BIRYANI

      February 13, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      Hey, I thought your post was amazing.

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        February 17, 2020 at 3:10 am

        Thanks 🙂

        Reply

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