This Easy Vegan Biryani Is Perfect For Dinner

Biryani recipe
Photo by Shreyak Singh on Unsplash

Biryani, a mixed rice dish originally from India’s Muslim cultures, is one of those meals that’s just perfect for vegans. Made with lots of Indian spices for flavor, rice for filling carbs, and plenty of veggies for nutrition, biryani is the kind of thing that makes perfect sense to add to your dinner rotation. This recipe is an easy version of the traditional dish, focusing on convenience so that you can pull it all together quickly on a weeknight. Here’s how to make it happen.

Ingredients

  • Basmati rice
  • Olive oil
  • Onion
  • Red bell pepper
  • Carrot
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Cumin
  • Coriander
  • Chili powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Cardamom
  • Turmeric
  • Bay leaves
  • Veggie stock
  • Salt
  • Chickpeas

Directions

Start by chopping up your onion, pepper, and carrot into small pieces and mincing your garlic and ginger. Additionally, soak your rice in a bowl of hot water.

In a large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until golden, about five minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the veggies, garlic, and ginger, cooking for five more minutes.

Add the spices and the bay leaf, stirring for about a minute. Add the drained rice, veggie stock, chickpeas, and salt. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then lower the heat down to low and cover the pan with a lid. You can wrap the lid in a thin dish towel to help the rice cook more quickly and evenly.

Simmer on low until the rice has soaked up all the liquid. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and serve. (Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf!)