Nitrate & Nitrite Free Vegan Vegetable Pulao
This fragrant rice dish is the kind of one-pot meal that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible — warm with cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves bloomed in hot oil before a single vegetable hits the pan. Carrots, green beans, and sweet peas are folded in alongside turmeric, coriander, and garam masala, giving every grain of basmati something to soak up as it steams to fluffy perfection. For anyone avoiding cured or processed foods, this recipe is a natural fit — every ingredient is a whole spice, a fresh vegetable, or a pantry staple with nothing hidden in the label. There are no deli meats, no packaged broths with questionable additives, and no shortcuts that sneak in preservatives; just aromatics, produce, and rice doing exactly what they're supposed to do. Soaking the basmati before cooking is a small step that pays off big, keeping the grains long, separate, and light rather than clumpy. A squeeze of lemon and a handful of fresh cilantro and mint at the end brighten the whole bowl and make it feel genuinely restaurant-worthy. It's the kind of deeply satisfying, plant-based dinner you'll want on regular rotation.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado oil or sunflower oil)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches)
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 ¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 2 ¾ cups water
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, roughly torn (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the basmati rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
- 2
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and cloves and cook, stirring, until the cumin seeds sizzle and turn a shade darker and the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Watch closely — the spices can scorch quickly.
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