Vegan Biryani with Chickpeas and Veg
Featuring basmati rice, chickpeas, veg, and flavourful spices, this homemade vegan biryani recipe provides a filling and nutritious one-pot meal that's dairy-free, meat-free, and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1½ inch piece of ginger, chopped
- 1 red chilli, sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
- 3 whole cloves (optional)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1½ cups (270 g) basmati rice, rinsed/washed (see notes for ratio)
- 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (140 g) frozen peas, defrosted (see notes)
- 2¾ cups (650 ml) boiled water or vegan stock (see notes)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Using a large pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat one tablespoon of oil on a low-medium heat. Add the chopped onion and green pepper, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook gently for 6-7 minutes or until starting to soften.
- Once soft, add the garlic, ginger, and chilli. Cook for another couple of minutes to soften.
- Add another tablespoon of oil then add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, garam masala, ground turmeric, and ground coriander. Mix well and cook for a minute or so until aromatic.
- Add the final tablespoon of oil then stir in the rinsed rice, chickpeas, and green peas. Mix well and fry for a minute, making sure all the rice grains are coated in the oil and spices.
- Next, add the boiling water or vegan stock. Sprinkle with a little salt, give everything a gentle stir, bring back to a simmer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 12 minutes (don't remove the lid).
- After around 12 minutes, remove the lid to check that the water has been absorbed and the rice grains are tender with a little bit of bite. If not, you can add a splash more water and continue cooking for a few minutes on low heat.
- Once the rice grains are tender, remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for another few minutes with the lid on.
- Fluff up the grains gently using a fork and serve with vegan cucumber raita, sliced spring onions, chopped coriander, and red chilli.📸 Recipe steps >📖 Table of contents >
Notes
Top tip: Since you'll be rinsing the rice and chickpeas (and defrosting the green peas), you can do all this together in the same colander. The running water will help to defrost the peas, then these ingredients can go in the pan at the same time later.
Rice/liquid ratio: If you can't measure the rice and liquid accurately or don't have standard US measuring cups, you can literally use a teacup or small mug. These may work out slightly larger, but you can always store leftovers. Again, the ratio here is 1½ cups rice to 2¾ cups boiled water or stock (i.e. slightly less than double the amount of liquid).
Pan lid: To create an even tighter seal, cut a piece of aluminium cooking foil to sit in between the pan and the lid. Once the lid is on, use a cloth or oven glove to fold the foil that's sticking out down onto the sides of the pan.
Add protein: If you'd like to add more protein, try frying off tofu cubes and/or sliced mushrooms and adding these at the end. You could also simply increase the amounts of chickpeas and green peas, both of which tend to be affordable and readily available.
Less fat: If you'd like to reduce the amount of fat, simply use a little less coconut oil (note that it's harder to keep the rice grains separate without this oil).
Gluten-free: To ensure this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock that is labelled as such (or just use water).
Storage: Once cooled down, store the biryani in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days or freezer for a couple of months. Reheat thoroughly and don't reheat more than once.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
- Mushroom Biryani with Green Lentils
- Vegan Pilau Rice
- Aloo Palak (Potato and Spinach Curry)
- Easy Chana Masala (Chickpea Curry)
- Brinjal Masala (Aubergine Curry)
- Spicy Tofu Jalfrezi
- Chickpea Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce
- How to Cook Dried Chickpeas
Nutrition
Calories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 11gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 484mgPotassium: 447mgFiber: 8gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 512IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Biryani with Chickpeas and Veg
Amount Per Serving
Calories 466
Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 484mg21%
Potassium 447mg13%
Carbohydrates 77g26%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 512IU10%
Vitamin C 58mg70%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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