Paneer Pulao – Easy, Simple, Delicious, Aromatic, Gluten-free and perfect Vegetarian Instant Pot rice dish for busy weeknight dinner, for a potluck or your kid’s lunchbox!
Paneer Pulao tastes best with Boondi Raita or Cucumber raita but can also be consumed with Vegetable Kurma.
Pulaos and biryanis are our favorite weeknight dish, be it Vegetable biryani, Beetroot, and spinach pulao or this Paneer Pulao. They are easy to make and comfort meal.
This vegetarian Pulao recipe comes together very fast, under 30 minutes and is perfect to please everyone at the dinner table.
This recipe is easily scaled up to feed a larger crowd for parties or potlucks.
Today, I am sharing 3 ways of making Paneer Pulao.
Instant Pot
Making Pulao in instant pot is very easy. It is a foolproof method of cooking rice. Everyone loves pulao with separate grains of rice and without mushiness. Isn’t it?
If we are preparing rice items for potlucks or party, I often afraid that I might end up overcooking rice. Honestly, I got in trouble many times.
But now thanks to Instant Pot. My rice dishes come out perfect every single time.
Stove-top
For stovetop version, you need to cook the rice first in hot boiling water until perfectly cooked, drain the water and let it cool down.
Heat ghee/oil in a pan, add whole spices, curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and onions. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add masalas, rice, and pan-fried paneer. Mix them gently. Now finish it with a sprinkle of some Kasuri methi and cilantro.
Traditional Pressure cooker.
For traditional Pressure cooker, follow the same steps of Instant Pot and take 2 whistles.
Ingredients required to make the Paneer pulao recipe
Rice
Always use aromatic and good quality Basmati rice to make Pulao and biryanis. My personal favorite is Dawaat basmati rice. You may also use Sona masoori.
Ghee/oil
I love to temper my pulao with ghee. Ghee gives a very nice aroma. But you can use oil too.
Spices –
I prefer a well-spiced pulaos. So for whole spices, I have used cloves, cardamom pod, cinnamon, dry red chilies and bay leaves. And for other spices, I have used turmeric powder, a little bit of garam masala, red chili powder, and salt.
If you like mild pulao, use spices accordingly.
Ginger-Garlic-Onion and curry leaves.
These are the base ingredients for most Indian cooking. They give a nice aroma and texture.
Vegetables
The key to getting perfect Instant Pot Paneer Pulao, using the right kind of vegetables. And cut them in the right size, in big pieces so that they all cook in 6 minutes without getting vegetables overcooked and mushy.
I have used peas, carrots, green beans, and bell peppers. You may use other vegetables like cauliflower, potatoes, mushrooms or corn. But maintain the ratio as vegetables play a major role for moisture.
Paneer
Paneer is the main and heart of this easy meal. Use good quality and creamy paneer. I have used homemade paneer. To make this Instant pot paneer rice, I pan fried paneer cubes in 1 tablespoon oil so that it holds its shape in Instant Pot and doesn’t split apart. Plus pan-fried paneer tastes better than the plain paneer.
Use a well-seasoned pan to pan fry the paneer. Or else it will stick to the bottom.
If you wish, you can use plain paneer too.
For final touch up, I have sprinkled Kasuri methi, cilantro, and some fried onions.
Kasuri methi is completely optional. But I would recommend you to use it as it makes this paneer rice extra delicious.
How to make Instant Pot Paneer Pulao/Paneer Biryani?
First, in a pan (preferably cast iron), heat oil. Add paneer Cubes and saute from both the sides until golden brown color.
A most important step is to soak good quality Basmati rice for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the water and keep the rice aside.
Next step, Turn on the saute mode, heat ghee, add whole spices, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, and onion. Saute them for a minute.
Now add vegetables, rice, water, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala. Mix them very well. Make sure all of the rice is under the liquid.
Add paneer cubes. DONT stir.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook and adjust the cooking time to 6 minutes.
After 6 minutes, Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the pressure.
Open the lid, sprinkle some Kasuri methi, cilantro, and fried onions. Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve it hot with Boondi Raita.
Some variations and add on.
To make shahi paneer pulao, add some cashews, raisins and Saffron.
You can also substitute rice with quinoa. Don’t soak the quinoa for this recipe.
Make this simple rice dish vegan by sub paneer with tofu and ghee with oil.
You may also add some mint leaves to give that special biryani effect.
If you try this recipe, we love to read your feedback. Share your feedback in the comment box below and click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.
Instant Pot Paneer Pulao
Ingredients
- 1 cup - Long grain Basmati rice
- 250 - Paneer Cubes
- 2 ¼ - Vegetables Used beans, bell pepper, carrots, and peas
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon Grated ginger
- 7-8 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon - Ghee
- 1 tablespoon - Oil for pan frying the paneer
- 1 ½ cup - water
- 3 - cloves
- 1 inch - cinnamon sticks
- 2 - small red dried red chilies Optional
- 1 - Bay leave
- 1 - Cardamom pod
- Salt to taste
- ½ tablespoon - Red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon - Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon - Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon - Kasuri methi optional
- ¼ cup - fried onions Optional
- Chopped cilantro for garnishing
Method
- First, in a pan (preferably cast iron), heat oil. Add paneer Cubes and saute from both the sides until golden brown color. Keep them aside.
- Soak Basmati rice for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the water and keep the rice aside.
- Next step, Turn on the saute mode, heat ghee, add whole spices, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, and onion. Saute them for a minute.
- Now add vegetables, rice, water, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala. Mix them very well. Make sure all of the rice is under the liquid.
- Add paneer cubes. DONT stir.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook and adjust the cooking time to 6 minutes.
- After 6 minutes, Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the pressure.
- Open the lid, sprinkle some Kasuri methi, cilantro, and fried onions. Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve it hot with Boondi Raita.
- Enjoy!
- For stovetop version, you need to cook soaked rice first in hot boiling water until perfectly cooked, drain the water and let it cool down.
- In a pan (preferably cast iron), heat oil. Add paneer Cubes and saute from both the sides until golden brown color. Keep them aside.
- Heat ghee/oil in a pan, add whole spices, curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and onions. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add masalas, rice, and pan-fried paneer.
- Mix them gently. Now finish it with a sprinkle of some Kasuri methi, cilantro, and fried onions.
- Follow the same 1 to 5 steps (instant pot version), close the pressure cooker, take 2 whistles and let the pressure release.
- Open the pressure cooker, add kasuri methi, cilantro, and fried onions.
- Fluff the pulao with a fork and enjoy it hot with Cucumber Raita.
Nutrition
Notes
Private Notes
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Comes out excellent tried it multiple times. Thank you for quick yet tasty recipe.
So glad to know. Thank you 🙂
Recipe says to add “ginger, garlic, and onion” but none of them are listed in the ingredients or recipe.
Same with “Curry leaves” – no amounts or other mention except to add them.
Very tasty and quick recipe! Instant pot makes the rice so tender and delicious and all the veggies can be catered to your tastes. It is my go-to recipe from now on for instant pot pulao. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the feedback.