Deluxe Vegetable Biryani

This website has been up and running since 2007 with a focus on vegetarian Indian creations, but up until now I have yet to feature a biryani recipe. For those unfamiliar with this classic dish that is often served on special occasions, the main elements are rice, meat or vegetables, and a thick sauce or gravy, all layered on top of each other, covered, and then cooked. Biryanis are found all through India and Pakistan, and beyond, and there are countless combinations of ingredients that can be used to assemble the dish, depending on where you are or what traditions you've learned from. And although often featuring meat or fish, this vegetarian version is just as hearty and, I would dare say, tastier than most that you'll ever find in a restaurant.

This biryani features a colorful array of root vegetables, chickpeas, and paneer cheese roasted with tomatoes, all layered for an attractive assembly of wonderful flavors, and has a creamy coconut cilantro sauce in place of the gravy. And although not traditional in the least, this biryani is also topped with puff pastry for an added feeling of being a centerpiece of an elegant meal. This biryani is a hearty meal in itself, so you really don't need much with it, though you may wish to serve it with raita, Indian pickles, and a simple salad.

Deluxe Vegetable Biryani

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Adapted from Fresh India by Meera Sodha
Cuisine: Indian
Published on December 9, 2025

A gorgeous biryani with layers of colorful vegetables, chickpeas, and paneer cheese in a coconut cilantro sauce, topped with puffed pastry

Preparation: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked in water for at least 1 hour
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small wedges
3 medium beets, scrubbed and cut into small wedges
4 medium tomatoes, cut into eighths
12 oz (350 g) paneer cheese, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 cups cooked chickpeas (from 2/3 cup dried chickpeas or use 1 19 oz/540 mL can)
6 tablespoons + 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2/3 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)
1 large onion, diced
1 egg, beaten
2 sheets frozen and thawed (but still cold) puff pastry
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon nigella (black onion or kalonji) seeds

Coconut Coriander Sauce:

13 1/2 oz (400 mL) can coconut milk
small handful of fresh cilantro, trimmed and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 fresh red or green chili, seeded and minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced or grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)

Instructions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Line three baking sheets with foil. Distribute the sweet potato and beets over two of the baking sheets. Put the tomatoes, paneer, and chickpeas on the remaining baking sheet.
In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons of the olive oil with the chili powder, turmeric, cumin, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice. Spoon this mixture over the vegetables and the paneer and chickpeas. Toss to coat. Place the trays in the oven, placing the sheet with the paneer on the top rack, and bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time. Remove from the oven and set aside, but leave the oven on.
While the vegetables are roasting, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and sauté for 15 to 20 minutes until golden. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Make the coconut coriander sauce by blending together the coconut milk, cilantro, garlic, chili, ginger, salt, and lemon juice. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.
Drain the rice, and rinse. Transfer to a large saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to heat to a fast simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, until the rice is just tender. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt.
To assemble the biryani, spoon half of the tomato, paneer, and chickpea mixture into the bottom of a round or square casserole dish. Top with a quarter of the rice, a quarter of the onion, and then half of the coconut cilantro sauce. Top with half of the beetroot and sweet potatoes, and another quarter of the rice and onion. Repeat the steps, finishing with a final layer of rice and onions.
Roll out the puff pastry to fit over the casserole dish. Press tightly around the edges and brush liberally with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with the nigella and sesame seeds. Bake in the still-hot oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
To serve, cut away the pastry and scoop out the layered mixture onto serving plates.