Easy Paneer Vegetable Biryani

Aromatic, fragrant and super delicious; this Paneer Vegetable Biryani is great to make at home. It is flavorful with all the spices and makes a great meal with some yogurt or raita on the side.

 

Rice is an essential part of our diet. We enjoy rice in various forms. From plain steamed rice to seasoned rice and dishes made using rice like dosa, idli and dhokla. 

Out of all the rice recipes we LOVE biryani the best. A mix of rice with vegetables or protein and LOTS of spices; biryani is truly a labor of love. 

The end result is obviously delicious and justifies all the efforts. One spoon of Biryani and you can tell how many complex flavors have combined in it! 

What is Paneer Biryani?

A vegetarian biryani recipe that is full of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and spices; Paneer Biryani is a delicious one dish meal. 

It has perfectly cooked fluffy rice, paneer cubes and vegetables all cooked in a flavorful mix of spices. 

A natural substitute for meat proteins, paneer biryani is super popular for vegetarians. Soft paneer cubes give the biryani a great texture and can be enjoyed with some raita or yogurt on the side.

This recipe of Paneer Biryani

• is a flavorful mix of long grain rice, vegetables, paneer and spices 
• is super delicious
• works perfectly for meal prep 
• makes a great recipe for a meal or a party

Paneer Biryani is a popular dish at Indian restaurants. Making it at home gives you the freedom to add in things you like and adjust the oil, spiciness etc.  

It takes a while to make it from scratch but it is super delicious for sure. We like to enjoy this spicy biryani with a side of yogurt. It does work like a charm! 

Ingredients

For this recipe you need a few ingredients for sure and there are some that can be skipped! Here is everything that would go into the recipe:

Rice: Long rice basmati rice works the BEST for the recipe. Each grain that is separate describes a well made biryani. 

Basmati rice is used very as it has a delicious taste and a great aroma. 

Paneer: An essential ingredient in the recipe, store bought paneer will work as great as homemade. 

I have used store bought paneer in the recipe that I soaked in hot water 20 minutes before using. This helps soften the paneer.  

Vegetables: I used some peas, carrots, onions and pepper in the recipe. These can be added or left out.

Using vegetables like baby corn, cauliflower, potatoes and beans is a great idea too. 

Spices: The recipe uses whole spices like cloves, cinnamon, star anise, mace, cardamom and bay leaves. Having them all is great but the recipe can be made even without a couple. 

Along with that there is Biryani Masala; an essential spice blend for the recipe. Any store bought brand or home-made version works well for the recipe. I have used Everest brand. 

Saffron infused in milk is used to give the biryani a rich taste, flavor and color.

Along with these, adding a few drops of Kewra essence imparts a delicious aroma to the biryani. 

Yogurt: An essential ingredient to season the vegetables and paneer. It also adds some tang to the recipe. 

Any dairy or non-dairy yogurt works here. 

Ghee: Ghee is used to temper the spices and vegetables in the recipe. If making a Vegan version, use oil. 

Step by Step Instructions to make

1- Wash and drain the rice. Soak it in water for 30 minutes. Soak the paneer cubes in hot water for 20 minutes. 

2- In a thick bottom pan add the rice, water and salt. Cook till about 70% done. 

3- Remove from flame and drain the water. Set aside.

4- In a large pan add half the ghee. Drain the paneer and arrange them in a single layer in the pan.

5- Brown them and turn them over. Brown them on all the sides and remove. Set aside.

6- Add the remaining ghee and heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds, cashews and whole spices. Sauté for a minute till the spices pop.

7- Add onions and peppers. Sauté till the onions are tender.

8- Next add the carrots and peas. Mix well. 

9- Add in the yogurt and mix well till the yogurt is cooked. 

10- Add in the paneer pieces. Mix well. Mix in salt and biryani masala.

11- Next goes the cooked rice. Mix without breaking the rice. Also add the saffron infused milk and kewra essence. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes on low flame. 

12- Serve topped with cilantro and mint leaves with some yogurt or raita on the side.

How to make a Vegan version?

The recipe uses paneer which is dairy based along with a some other dairy based ingredients. 

• Use neutral oil instead of ghee
• Substitute paneer for tofu in the recipe
• Use non-dairy yogurt instead of the dairy based one
• Soak saffron in non-dairy based milk to make it Vegan

Tips and Notes

• Cook the rice till only 70% done. Cooking them completely will result in super soggy biryani.
• Soak the paneer in hot water for 20 minutes before using. This helps soften the paneer and keep it soft in the biryani.
• Add some kewra essence or rose water. It is best to use either of these for the authentic flavor.
• Once the rice is added to the vegetable and masalas, try not to mix it too much. This might lead to the rice breaking apart.

More Rice Recipes to try

Yield: 4

Author: Smruti

Print

With ImageWithout Image

 

Easy Paneer Vegetable Biryani

Aromatic, fragrant and super delicious; this Paneer Vegetable Biryani is great to make at home. It is flavorful with all the spices and makes a great meal with some yogurt or raita on the side.

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 60 MinTotal time: 1 H & 19 M

 

Ingredients

 

• Basmati Rice 1 ½ cup
• Paneer cubes 1 cup
• Onion ½ cup, diced
• Peppers ½ cup, diced
• Green Peas ¼ cup
• Carrots ¼ cup, sliced
• Yogurt ¼ cup
• Saffron a pinch
• Milk 2 tbsp
• Kewra Essence 1-2 drops
• Mustard Seeds ¼ tsp
• Cumin Seeds ¼ tsp
• Cashews 8-10
• Biryani Masala 2 tsp
• Salt 2 tsp
• Ghee 4 tbsp

Whole Spices

• Cinnamon 2-3
• Green Cardamom 1-2
• Black Cardamom 1-2
• Bay Leaves 2-3
• Cloves 4-5
• Star Anise 1-2
• Mace 1-2

 

Instructions

 

1. Wash and drain the rice. Soak it in 3 cups water for 30 minutes. Soak the paneer cubes in hot water for 20 minutes. Mix saffron with warm milk and set aside.
2. In a thick bottom pan add the drained rice,  2 ½ cup water and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook till about 70% done.
3. Remove from flame and drain the water. Set aside.
4. In a large pan add half the ghee. Drain the paneer and arrange them in a single layer in the pan.
5. Brown them and turn them over. Brown them on all the sides and remove. Set aside.
6. Add the remaining ghee and heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds, cashews and whole spices. Sauté for a minute till the spices pop.
7. Add onions and peppers. Sauté till the onions are tender.
8. Next add the carrots and peas. Mix well.
9. Add in the yogurt and mix well till the yogurt is cooked.
10. Add in the paneer pieces. Mix well. Mix in salt and biryani masala.
11. Next goes the cooked rice. Mix without breaking the rice. Also add the saffron infused milk and kewra essence. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes on low flame.
12. Serve topped with cilantro and mint leaves with some yogurt or raita on the side.

 

Notes:

 

• Cook the rice till only 70% done. Cooking them completely will result in super soggy biryani.
• Soak the paneer in hot water for 20 minutes before using. This helps soften the paneer and keep it soft in the biryani.
• Add some kewra essence or rose water. It is best to use either of these for the authentic flavor.
• Once the rice is added to the vegetable and masalas, try not to mix it too much. This might lead to the rice breaking apart.