Peanut Free Vegan Vegetable Pulao
This fragrant rice dish is the kind of one-pot meal that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible — warm whole spices blooming in hot oil, golden onions, and a rainbow of vegetables all coming together in perfectly fluffy basmati. The technique here is deliberate and rewarding: soaking the rice before cooking helps each grain stay long and separate rather than clumping, and the layered spice process builds real depth without any complicated prep. Carrots, green beans, and peas give you color and texture in every bite, while turmeric, coriander, and garam masala keep things earthy and aromatic. Because every ingredient is a whole food or a pantry spice, there's no need to scan labels for hidden additives or worry about cross-contact from processed sauces. A squeeze of lemon and a handful of fresh cilantro and mint at the end brighten everything up and make it feel genuinely restaurant-worthy. It's a satisfying, plant-based main that works just as well for a quiet weeknight dinner as it does for feeding a crowd.
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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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