Healthy, inexpensive, and delicious, this pressure cooker Indian Vegetable Rice is a perfect side OR main dish, and thanks to the almighty Instant Pot, it is easy as can be!

Huge fan.

I’m a huge fan of this Indian Vegetable Rice.

Not only is it healthy and extremely tasty, but it is ridiculously easy.

A white plate full of rice with peas and carrots sprinkled throughout, and an Instant Pot in the background.

Over the last year or so, I’ve transitioned from making rice on the stovetop to almost exclusively making all the rice we eat in the Instant Pot.

Using the IP is fast and hands-off and makes perfect rice every time.

I have a recipe for a delicious Brown Rice Pilaf in the Instant Pot; it’s wonderful…

But most of the time, this is me around 4:47 p.m.: frantically throwing handfuls of rice in the Instant Pot, adding broth or water, sealing the lid, and letting it go (while I most likely finish piano lessons with the kids or run someone to a soccer practice).

An Instant Pot bowl full of yellow-tinted rice with peas and carrots throughout.

My general rice ratio for the Instant Pot (be it white or brown rice) is 1 cup of rice to 1 1/4 cups liquid. I add a pinch of salt and usually use low-sodium chicken broth for the water, and that’s about it.

Nothing terribly fancy, as you can tell, but it does the job for rice that’s going to get smothered with stroganoff or Indian butter chicken or red beans chicken sausage.

Sometimes, though, a deliciously quick and tasty rice dish that can stand on its own (no gravy or sauce needed!) like this Indian Vegetable Rice can really make one feel like a rock star.

And on a week where I’ve been feeling a little insecure and doubtful and failure-ish with many things in my life, I’m embracing the fact that Instant Pot Indian Vegetable Rice can make me feel kind of awesome.

Even if it’s a temporary awesomeness lasting only until the final spoonful of rice is gobbled up, I’ll take it.

A spoon with a big scoop of yellow-tinted rice and peas and carrots sprinkled throughout.

This Indian vegetable rice is one of those dishes where the yummy factor comes largely from it’s simplicity.

Simple, every day ingredients are tossed into the Instant Pot, and a little over 30 minutes later, you have a wonderfully healthful side (or main) dish staring you in the face!

I use brown basmati rice in this recipe, but you could definitely use long grain brown rice OR sub in long grain white or white basmati rice (just make sure to read the notes of the recipe, because the cooking time is drastically different for white rice vs brown rice).

My favorite brand of curry powder (I’m a broken record about this, I know) is the Sweet Curry Powder from Penzey’s Spices. Best ever.

But if you don’t have it, no worries. You can use any brand of curry powder here as long as it’s a flavor you love, of course.

Lately, I’ve been making this Indian Vegetable Rice in the Instant Pot almost every time we have grilled chicken (particularly delicious with the coconut milk grilled chicken I posted last week) or grilled pork chops.

It is such a tasty side dish! It will elevate your side dish game without hardly any effort on your part, and it will get a few extra veggies in your (and your kids’) diet.

I can’t be mad about that.

A white platter full of yellow-tinted rice with peas and carrots throughout.

One Year Ago: Doubletree Hotel Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Instant Pot {Pressure Cooker} Indian Vegetable Rice

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 22 mins
Total Time: 27 mins
4.63 stars (100 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup chopped shallot, can sub yellow or white onion
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • 1 ½ cups brown long grain or basmati rice
  • ½ cup chopped carrot, small diced, about 1-2 medium carrots
  • 1 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder (see note)
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil using the Saute function of the Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker; can also use a stovetop pressure cooker).
  • Add the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the edges start to turn translucent. Add the garlic and rice. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
  • Add the carrots, salt, curry powder and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
  • Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 22 minutes (select Manual and then dial up or down to get to the correctly number of minutes; the IP will start on it’s own).
  • Let the pressure naturally release (or if you are in a hurry, let it naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure).
  • Fluff the rice. Add the peas and give a little toss/stir action to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Curry Powder: ah, curry powder. I talk about it a lot on every recipe I post using it. As a recap, my favorite brand of curry powder is the Sweet Curry Powder from Penzey’s spices. I buy it in bulk, and it is what I use in this recipe. It is a yellow curry powder, and it is not spicy. If you are using a spicier version of curry powder (every brand is different!), adjust the amount in the recipe to taste. 
Rice: you could definitely use white rice instead of brown. If doing so, make sure the carrots are chopped very small since the cooking time is much shorter (maybe even consider adding potatoes, too, which don’t fare well with the longer cooking time of the brown rice). All other quantities can stay the same, but the white rice only needs to cook for about 4 minutes on high pressure. 
Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 239kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 423mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g

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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (inspired by this recipe at Weelicious; converted it to the Instant Pot and changed quantities/method)

A white platter full of yellow-tinted rice with peas and carrots throughout.

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