Instant Pot peas pulao- fluffy, fragrant, and balanced rice pulav or pilaf that can be perfect for every occasion, be it a solo dinner, family night, or a quick meal prep win. It's the ultimate people-pleaser, in one warm, satisfying bowl.
When you’re racing out the door or staring into your fridge wondering what even is a meal, pulao swoops in like a total superhero. It’s quick, cozy, and checks all the boxes.
You sauté the aromatics, toss in your rice, spices, and water or broth, and then press a button. That’s it. Go sip your chai or scroll your feed—I've got this.
You can make it the traditional way, but the Instant Pot is just easier without all that maths with careful timing, and pointless stove-hovering.Plus, it stays warm till you actually serve it.
It's a mild rice dish that's made to go with others.It's sort of a lighter version of a biryani but fancier than jeera rice. Like this simple boondi raita or a dahi tadka. As an accompaniment to palak paneer, rajma ,dal makhani or chicken curry, like in the picture. This dish can be made at sad events, weddings, random Tuesday after-school lunches, and whatnot. It's a great sidekick to have on your table.
So next time you’re staring into your fridge like it owes you an answer, just remember: You only need one pot and a little love, frozen peas and some rice to make this ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients for Instant Pot Rice Pilaf
Here is what we need-
Basmati Rice- Use white basmati rice for special events and sona masoori rice for everyday.
Peas- A bag of frozen peas is all you really need. I like the petite peas from trader joes. They are just so tender. Sometimes I also add carrots, beans, corn and potatoes too.
Spices- I have used a combination of whole spices and ground spices. They add a lot of flavour and depth to the pulav. Though if you can't get your hands on spices, you can skip them.
Onions- White or yellow will work great here. If you are in India, regular pink color onions work well. They are cut lengthwise into slices.
Mint Leaves- You can substitute these with cilantro( coriander) or dill leaves. Though the flavour will change, it will be delicious. I always have a bag of dried crushed mint leaves in my pantry for such situations.
How to make peas pulao in instant pot.
The actual cooking of Instant Pot Pulao is quite simple. A few steps and that's it.
Step 1: Prep
Always wash your rice before cooking it. You don't want to end up with muddy rice.
Prep the vegetables- If you use frozen vegetables, add them straight to the pot. If you use fresh vegetables, cut them slightly chunky, especially if you want them to hold their shapes.
Slice the onions as thin as you can. This will make the browning process faster.
Step 2: Saute
Heat the Instant Pot in the SAUTE mode. Once the HOT message is visible, Add ghee. Ghee will bring a lot of flavour to the rice but if you do not have it, add butter or oil.
Along with the ghee, add the whole spices- Cardamom, Cloves and Bay leaf.
Add the onions and saute them till they are brown. This step adds oodles of flavour.This is the only hands on step in making the Rice pilaf.
Step 3: Pressure Cook
Once your onions are the colour you want, add water, Ginger and garlic, salt, ground Garam Masala and mint leaves.
Add the rice and give it a mix.Top this with vegetables and DO not mix.Close the pot.Select PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL at LOW pressure and set the timer for 5 minutes.
Once the time is up,Let the pressure release naturally for 5-6 minutes, before Quick Releasing it.
Carefully give it a mix. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
Serving Pulao
Pulao is great served warm. Though, it's great for packed lunches too. Just toss it in a lunchbox with some yogurt and a little pickle on the side, and boom—you’ve got yourself a fuss-free, feel-good meal that’ll keep you going.
But wait—pulao isn’t just a weekday warrior. If you’re serving it for guests or a fancier meal, here’s how to turn it into the main event:
✨ Raita, please!
Go classic with boondi raita or give dahi tadka a try.
🍛 Veggie Curries to Cozy Up With
Paneer butter masala, methi malai paneer, or palak paneer—pick your favorite veg buddy!
🍗 Meaty Mains for Extra Wow
Butter Chicken or a simple, homestyle Chicken Curry = instant applause.
🥗 Crunch + Tang
Add some papad and a medley of pickles to bring that perfect contrast.
🍮 Sweet Finishers
Keep it simple yet special with kheer, phirni, or a sassy mango pannacotta.
Whether it’s a grab-and-go lunch or a fully decked-out dinner, pulao plays well with everyone—and always leaves the table with compliments.
Storing & Leftovers
This pulao isn’t just a one-hit wonder—it’s got great leftovers game too!
📦 Fridge Life:
Pop it into an airtight container and stash it in the refrigerator—it’ll stay fresh and fabulous for up to 3–4 days.
❄️ Freezer Friendly:
Want to save it for a rainy day? Totally doable! Pack it into a freezer-safe airtight container or zip-lock bag, and it’ll hang out happily in the freezer for 2–3 months.
🔥 Reheating Like a Pro:
When you’re ready to eat, just thaw the pulao in the fridge overnight. To reheat, sprinkle a little water (or milk for extra richness), cover, and microwave until warm and steamy. It’ll taste just like day one—maybe even better.
If you make this delicious Instant Pot Vegetable Pulao , do leave me a comment.I would love to know your thoughts on it!
Instant Pot Peas Pulao
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil
- 1 Onion sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste grate 1 inch ginger and 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 Cup Peas can also add beans, carrots, cauliflower & potatoes
- 1 Cup Basmati Rice** washed
- 1.25 Cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Garam Masala***
- Salt to Taste
- ½ Cup Mint Leaves Optional but add loads of flavour
Instructions
- Wash and soak the rice till you need it.
Saute
- Heat the instant pot in saute mode.
- Add ghee when hot. Add the whole spices- cloves, bay leaf and cardamom.
- To this, add onion and saute till it's brown/golden. This will take 8-10 minutes. cancel saute.
Pressure Cook
- Add ginger and garlic paste,salt,garam masala, mint leaves, drained rice and water. Give it a mix. Make sure the rice is under the water.
- Place the peas on the top.
- Close the lid. Select Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes with the Pressure valve at sealedition
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
More Indian Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Here is a handy list of some more Indian Rice Recipes. These are made in our house on repeat! Some every couple of days.
Instant Pot Pulav - FAQs
Not absolutely required, but soak it for the 15–20 minutes till you gather all your ingredients and saute the vegetables.
Basmati rice is the choice in most northern indian houses, where as in south indian houses, sona masoori is often preferred.
Yes, but increase cooking time and water ratio.
Carrots, peas, beans, potatoes, cauliflower—you name it!
Absolutely! You can add sautéed paneer, tofu, chicken, or shrimp after the pressure cooking step—get creative.Here is a shrimp pulao recipe.
Not unless you add green chilies or chili powder—easy to adjust.
You can! Use asafoetida (hing) for a flavor boost if needed.
Yes, just make sure you don’t go past the max fill line.
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