Subtly flavored with whole spices and packed with veggies, this one pot ghee vegetable pulao is a wonderful easy meal to whip up when you’re short of time, but still want something that’s delicious and flavorful.
The pulao can be customized based on what you have at hand, and with just a few key ingredients and a fairly simple cooking process, this is one recipe you can’t go wrong with.
Ready to give it a shot? Here’s all you need to know about it before you do.
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Ingredients For the Recipe
To make the one pot ghee vegetable pulao, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients.
- Ghee: 5 tbsp
- Bay leaf: 1
- Cloves: 2-3
- Green cardamom (crushed): 2
- Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
- Star anise: 1
- Dry red chillies: 1-2
- Carrots (diced): ¼ cup
- Peas: ¼ cup
- Onions (sliced): ¼ cup
- Rice: 1 cup
- Water: 2 cups
- Salt: A pinch
- Coriander leaves (chopped): For garnish
How to Make the One Pot Ghee Vegetable Pulao
Once your ingredients are ready, here’s what you’ll need to do to make the pulao.
Soak the rice in water for at least 15 minutes.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and mix.
Next, add the chopped vegetables and saute. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the rice next and mix well. Pour water and add salt.
Close the pressure cooker and pressure cook the mixture for 2-3 whistles. This step will depend on the type of pressure cooker you have.
Once the rice is done, transfer the rice out in a serving bowl.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, and 1 tablespoon of ghee.
Serve hot with curry of your choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve added peas, carrots and onions into the pulao, but you can also add a lot of other veggies of your choice, based on what you can get your hands on. Chopped potatoes and sweet potatoes can be great options, and so can veggies like bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli and green beans. 
There are two factors that determine the texture of your ghee vegetable pulao- the kind of rice you’re using and the amount of water you use to cook it.
Adding too much water to the pulao can cause the rice and the vegetables to get over cooked and eventually turn lumpy.
Also, choosing long grained rice, ideally Basmati rice, is the best choice for pulaos and other one pot meals. 
Your leftover pulao can be allowed to cool down and then transferred to an airtight container. You can then refrigerate this for 2-3 days, and then reheat it in the microwave or in a pot with a little splash of water to lend it that bit of moisture. 
Tips & Tricks to Make the One Pot Ghee Vegetable Pulao
While putting this pulao together is incredibly easy, you might want to keep these little tips and tricks handy.
- A teaspoon or two of chopped garlic, added into the tempering along with the spices can really take the flavors of this dish up a notch.
- The whole spices are a key ingredient in this dish, but if you don’t have them, you can just use a teaspoon of allspice powder instead.
- To lend some extra richness and deliciousness to the ghee vegetable pulao, you can also add some raisins into the mix.
- Another great idea is to saute some cashews and almonds in a bit of ghee in a separate pan and add them to the pulao. This will also lend a bit of crunchiness to the dish.
- A good tip to reduce the stickiness of the rice is to wash it thoroughly- ideally 3-4 times until the water runs clean. This will remove all the excess starch and make the rice fluffy.
- Pan fried paneer or tofu can also be a great addition to the dish, especially if you want to lend it some protein.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
This fragrant pulao can be enjoyed on its own as a meal, or with any of your favorite curries or stews. This dish can also be paired with any grilled meats and with a little salad on the side.
To make this Indian meal complete, you can also whip up some Indian buttermilk to go with it.
If you loved this delicious Indian recipe, and are inspired enough to try some more such recipes, you might want to give these a look.
📖 Recipe
One Pot Ghee Vegetable Pulao
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2-3 Cloves
- 2 Green Cardamom, (crushed)
- 1 inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Star Anise
- 1-2 Dry Red Chilies
- ¼ cup Carrots , (diced)
- ¼ cup Peas
- ¼ cup Onions , (sliced)
- 1 cup Rice
- 2 cup Water
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 sprig Coriander Leaves, (chopped)
Instructions
- Soak the rice in water for at least 15 minutes.
- Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and mix.
- Next, add the chopped vegetables and saute. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the rice next and mix well. Pour water and add salt.
- Close the pressure cooker and pressure cook the mixture for 2-3 whistles. This step will depend on the type of pressure cooker you have.
- Once the rice is done, transfer the rice out in a serving bowl.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, and 1 tablespoon of ghee.
- Serve hot with curry of your choice.
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