Looking for a delicious veg biryani recipe that you can make at home with fragrant basmati rice, fresh vegetables, aromatic spices and golden fried onions? This easy vegetable biryani is rich, flavorful and perfect for a family lunch, weekend dinner, party or special occasion.

This recipe uses 500 g basmati rice and 500 g mixed vegetables and produces approximately 2 to 2.2 kg of finished biryani, depending on cooking and moisture. The rice is partially cooked separately, layered with a flavorful vegetable masala and finished with slow dum cooking for beautifully aromatic biryani.

Whether you’re making biryani for your family or preparing a larger batch for a gathering, this method gives you fluffy rice, well-seasoned vegetables and the classic aroma associated with good Indian biryani.

What Is Veg Biryani?

Veg biryani is a rice dish made by combining aromatic basmati rice with vegetables, herbs, spices, curd, and fried onions. Unlike a simple vegetable pulao, biryani is generally prepared with partially cooked rice, a flavorful masala, and a final dum-cooking stage.

The combination of whole spices, mint, coriander, fried onions, and ghee gives the dish its distinctive aroma.

A good veg biryani should have:

• Long, separate grains of rice
• Properly cooked but not mushy vegetables
• Balanced spices
• A fragrant masala
• Golden fried onions
• Fresh mint and coriander
• A subtle richness from ghee
• A pleasant aroma from dum cooking

Veg Biryani Recipe at a Glance

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 50–60 minutes
Rice soaking time: 30 minutes
Resting time: 10–15 minutes
Total time: Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8–10
Yield: Approximately 2–2.2 kg cooked biryani
Cuisine: Indian
Course: Main Course
Cooking method: Stovetop / Dum
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients for Veg Biryani

For the Rice

• 500 g good-quality basmati rice
• 3–4 liters of water for boiling
• 2 tablespoons salt, approximately
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamoms
• 5–6 cloves
• 2 small pieces of cinnamon
• 1 star anise
• 1 teaspoon shahi jeera

For the Vegetables

Use approximately 500 g mixed vegetables:

• 100 g carrots
• 100 g potatoes
• 100 g French beans
• 100 g green peas
• 100 g cauliflower

You can change the vegetable combination according to seasonal availability. Bell peppers, sweet corn, and other suitable vegetables can also be added.

For the Vegetable Masala

• 200 g onions, thinly sliced
• 100 g tomatoes, chopped
• 150 g thick curd
• 25 g ginger-garlic paste
• 3–4 green chillies
• 25 g fresh mint leaves
• 25 g fresh coriander leaves
• 2 tablespoons biryani masala
• 1–1½ teaspoons red chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice

For Cooking and Layering

• 50–60 g ghee
• 30–40 ml cooking oil
• 50–75 g fried onions
• A pinch of saffron, optional
• 2 tablespoons warm milk, optional
• Additional mint and coriander for layering

How to Make Veg Biryani

Step 1: Wash and Soak the Rice

Place the basmati rice in a large bowl and wash it two or three times.

Wash gently rather than aggressively rubbing the grains. Continue until the water becomes reasonably clear.

Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.

After soaking, drain the rice completely.

Why soak basmati rice?

Soaking helps the grains cook more evenly and can help produce longer, fluffier rice. It also reduces the amount of time required for cooking.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables

Wash and cut the vegetables into approximately equal-sized pieces.

Potatoes and carrots take longer to cook, so avoid cutting them into very large pieces.

Keep the vegetables ready before beginning the masala.

The vegetables should eventually be cooked through but should still retain some texture. Overcooked vegetables can make the finished biryani soft and mushy.

Step 3: Prepare the Vegetable Masala

Heat 50–60 g ghee and 30–40 ml oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.

Add the sliced onions.

Fry over medium heat until they become golden brown.

Remove approximately one-