Vegetable Dum Biryani (In oven)

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Nothing like a good plate of aromatic Vegetable Dum Biryani!! It hits all the right spots with its wonderful exotic flavors and is a delight to the taste buds in every bite!! It is the perfect dish for parties, festivals, gatherings, or family dinners, combining fragrant basmati rice, fresh vegetables, saffron, ghee, fried onions, and aromatic spices for a delicious experience.

It’s best served with raita or salan. This authentic yet easy recipe takes just over an hour to prepare, and with my top tips, you can achieve that restaurant-quality taste at home! And because it’s made in the oven, you don’t have to worry about burnt bottoms or constant supervision, just set it, forget it, and let the magic happen! This Diwali, don’t miss the chance to impress your friends and family with the best Veg dum biryani made right in your oven!

Vegetable Dum Biryani in kansa bowl, curd on the side.

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Benefits of oven-cooked biryani
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Serving suggestion
Storage
Top tip
FAQ
Related
Vegetable Dum Biryani (In Oven)

Biryani is perhaps the most famous Indian dish in the world. However, you’ll find different versions of biryani depending on which region or country you’re eating it in because each has its own “signature” biryani.

Traditionally, biryani is typically made with meat or fish. However, it’s easy to make a vegetarian version.

Some people call Veg biryani a “pulao” and say that an authentic biryani must include meat. Its not true. You can make an excellent vegetable biryani that is quite different from a pulao.

To me, pulao is a quick one-pot meal, like my beetroot and spinach pulao, that I prepare when I want an easy dinner. In contrast, I make biryani on weekends or for special occasions. Biryani requires multiple steps, takes time, and is not something I would cook on a busy weekday.

Traditionally, biryani is cooked in a sealed pot on the stove over a low flame for approximately an hour. Making traditional biryanis requires practice, and there is a possibility that you can burn them; I have experienced this a couple of times.

I absolutely can’t get enough of this homemade biryani recipe! I’ve been making it so many times, and it’s always a winner! It’s just bursting with flavors, colors, and freshness!

In making biryani, Rice is always cooked in two parts. First, we boil it until it’s partially cooked, and then we layer it with vegetables before steaming it until it’s fully cooked. This helps infuse the Rice with flavour and aroma from the vegetables.

Today, I would like to introduce you to a convenient, hassle-free, easy-to-make oven-baked biryani recipe that you can make without having to stand over the stove and babysit. Plus, the best part is that it tastes just like the traditional style biryani. Because the process is the same, the only difference is that we are slow-cooking it in the oven instead of cooking it on the stove.

Benefits of oven-cooked biryani

One of the great advantages of making biryani in the oven is that you can prepare a large quantity all at once in a big aluminium foil tray, which is perfect for feeding a group of people.
The biryani cooks thoroughly from top to bottom because of the even oven heat.
The slow heat and steam trapped in the oven blend all the ingredients, creating rich flavors.
The oven makes it easy to use the traditional “dum” method. This means you can simmer the biryani without needing to watch it constantly.
A controlled oven temperature prevents the Rice on the bottom from sticking and burning.
After placing the biryani in the oven, it needs little attention, allowing you to relax instead of standing over the stove.
You can cover the oven-safe dish with foil or a lid. This helps create steam and pressure for “dum” cooking, similar to traditional methods.
This vegetable dum biryani recipe is super versatile and can be cooked for many occasions. This dish looks and tastes really fancy, so I love to make it when we have guests over or during festivals like Diwali.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice: You can use any Rice for pulao, but for biryani, basmati rice is a must. Good basmati rice has long grains, is aged, and has a strong aroma. Look for Rice labeled as ‘basmati’ since not all long-grain Rice is basmati. My favorite brands are Daawat, Tilda, Zebra Sella, and India Gate.
Veggies: Traditionally, biryani includes meat, but for veg biryani, use a mix of vegetables. I used green beans, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, green peas, and bell pepper. You can also add mushrooms or paneer.
Curd: Use a little bit of sour curd for marination.
Fresh Herbs: Add herbs like mint and cilantro for authentic flavor.
Saffron in Milk: Soak saffron in hot milk to add aroma and flavor, and give the Rice a beautiful orange tint. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
Spices: Use a mix of whole and ground spices for good biryani. I use whole spices like cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, black peppercorns, star anise, and a cinnamon stick while cooking the Rice. For marinating vegetables, I use homemade biryani masala, turmeric powder, kasuri methi, salt, cumin-coriander powder, and chili powder.
Fried Onions: Fried onions, or Birista, are an important ingredient. You can fry them at home or buy them from the store.
Aromatics: Add ginger and garlic for flavor.
Ghee: Ghee is essential for biryani for the depth of the flavors.
Oil: You’ll need oil for frying the onions and for marination.
Lemon Juice: Use lemon juice to keep the Rice fluffy.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

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Step 1: Frying Onion

Peel and wash the onions, then slice them thinly and evenly. This helps them fry evenly. Spread the onion slices on a large paper towel to soak up extra moisture.
Heat oil in a pan until it’s hot. Add half of the sliced onions and fry them over high heat for about 5 to 6 minutes until they turn light golden brown and crispy. Stir occasionally.
Once done, place the fried onions on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat with the remaining onion slices. Let the fried onions cool on the plate for 10 minutes.

Marinating vegetables in curd, indian spices, biryani masala, birista, mint, cilantro.

Step 2: Marinating the vegetables

In a bowl, mix yogurt with all your diced vegetables and spices: homemade biryani masala, salt, turmeric powder, cumin-coriander powder, chili powder, half of the mint leaves and cilantro, ginger, garlic, green chilies, lemon juice, 80% of the fried onions, and three tablespoons of the oil used for frying the onions.
Mix everything well and set it aside for 15 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Step 3: Cooking Vegetables

Heat 2 tablespoons of the birista(fried onion) oil in a pan. Once hot, add your marinated vegetable mixture and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the oil starts to separate from the mixture. You just want to cook the spices, not the vegetables completely.
After that, add one cup of water to the mixture and stir. It should look semi dry but have a bit of gravy. Keep it aside

adding Indian whole spices in boing water along with basmati rice, salt and lemon juice.

Step 4: Cooking rice

In a big pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add salt and spices like cardamom, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, black peppercorns, bay leaf, and lemon juice. Let it boil for 2 minutes.
Drain the soaked rice and carefully add it to the boiling water. Stir gently and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the rice is about 75% cooked.
Once cooked, drain the rice in a colander.

Step 5: Assemble

Preheat oven to @350 degrees F.
Now take a 9×13-inch baking tray. Add cooked vegetable gravy to the baking tray. Spread it evenly. Then add the rice into the baking dish on the vegetable gravy. Spread it out evenly.
Pour the saffron milk over the rice and drizzle some hot ghee on top. Then sprinkle the leftover mint, cilantro, and fried onions.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the oven. Bake at 350°F (about 175°C) for 40 to 45 minutes.

Step 6: Serving

After baking, take the dish out of the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil.
Your delicious Vegetable Dum Biryani is ready! Use a spoon to serve it, ensuring each serving has both vegetables and rice. Serve with yogurt sauce (raita), pickles, or a salan on the side. Enjoy!

Variations

For those following a vegan lifestyle, transforming this dish is simple: replace the ghee with your choice of oil, and use dairy-free yogurt and non-dairy milk to soak the saffron, ensuring the dish remains rich in flavor.
To boost its protein content, consider adding ingredients like tofu, paneer, or soy chunks.
You can also incorporate your preferred vegetables or mushrooms for added texture and nutrition.
If you enjoy a kick of heat, finely chopped fresh chilies or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes can be added along with the spices to elevate the flavor profile.

Serving suggestion

This biryani can be enjoyed on its own, but it reaches new heights when paired with traditional sides such as cucumber raita and boondi raita, which enhance its flavor and provide a refreshing contrast. In Hyderabad, known for its exquisite biryani, it is typically served alongside a rich and flavorful salan, a spiced gravy that complements the dish beautifully.

Storage

For freshness, store any leftover biryani in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you wish to store it for a longer period, freeze the biryani in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag to maintain its quality for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, simply thaw the biryani in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat, use a microwave, or place it in an oven-safe pot or bowl covered with foil, and set the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) until heated through.

Top tip

One of the great advantages of making biryani in the oven is that you can prepare a large quantity all at once, which is perfect for feeding a group of people. If you’re cooking for a party, consider using an aluminum foil tray instead of a ceramic or glass baking dish. Just follow the same instructions as you would normally, and you'll have a delicious meal ready for everyone to enjoy!
A good biryani should be moist and slightly greasy. It shouldn’t be too dry or mushy, and the Rice should be separate.
Soak the Rice. It will speed up the cooking process and make soft and fluffy Rice, so don’t skip this step.
Use long-grain basmati rice for the best results.
Parcook the Rice, leaving a little bite in the grains. If you cook the Rice all the way through, it will become mushy.
Make sure to use fresh ginger, garlic, and chilies.
Add plenty of fresh cilantro and mint leaves for flavor.
At the end, drizzle some ghee on top of the biryani to enhance the taste.
Use a heavy-bottomed pan to cook the biryani evenly and to prevent it from sticking.
Cut the vegetables into the same size for even cooking. Well-roasted vegetables will soak up the spice flavors well.
Avoid stirring the Rice often while it boils. Frequent stirring can break the rice grains.
Finish with saffron milk for an extra layer of flavor in your vegetable dum biryani! Don’t skimp on oil and ghee, as fat is important for good flavor and cooking.
You can add nuts like cashews and flavor it with rose or kewra water. Let the biryani rest for at least 15 minutes after removing it from the oven.

FAQ

Can we use Brown Basmati Rice?

Absolutely! Brown basmati rice can be used as a healthier alternative. However, it’s important to note that brown Rice requires a longer cooking time compared to white basmati. Be sure to factor in this additional time during the cooking process. When layering the almost fully cooked brown Rice over the vegetable masala, it will complete the cooking while absorbing the aromatic flavors of the dish.