• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Vegan Richa
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • (new) Recipe Filters
    • Popular Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch / Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Indian
    • Instant Pot
    • Burgers
    • Pizza
    • Recipe Index
  • Videos
    • Instant Pot
    • Dessert
    • Holidays
    • Easy Vegan Meals
    • All Recipe Videos
  • CookBooks
    • Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Cookbook(PREORDER NOW)
    • Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen (Print & Digital)
    • Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen (Print & Digital)
  • Resources
    • How To Start A Food Blog
    • Resources for Food Bloggers
    • Vegan Subs & Resources
    • Our Vegan Journey and FAQs
    • Indian Pantry
    • Indian Dal / Lentil Names
  • Shop
  • About / Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • CookBooks
  • Shop
  • About
  • NEW! Instant Pot Cookbook
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » main course:India

    Mushroom Biryani

    Published: Oct 18, 2022 by Richa 27 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    Delicious vegan mushroom biryani in the Instant Pot. Mushroom biryani is an amazing vegan version of chicken biryani made with meaty mushrooms, tender fluffy rice, and flavorful spices. Perfect for weeknight meal! Add some chickpeas or beans for added protein. Vegan Gluten-free Soyfree Recipe, Nutfree option. Stove top instructions included

    a plate with vegan mushroom biryani topped with toasted cashews and chopped cilantro

    This vegan Mushroom biryani is a delicious one-pot dish made with rice, sliced mushrooms, and a fragrant blend of whole and ground spices and herbs. Traditionally a biryani is made with meat, often chicken, that is marinated in yogurt and then layered with parboiled basmati rice and fresh herbs like cilantro and mint

    For this chicken biryani-style recipe we are using mushrooms instead of chicken but you can also use other chicken substitutes here. Great chicken alternatives are soy curls, seitan or store bought vegan chicken or other vegan chicken substitutes. Check the notes on how to use those.

    As for the cooking method, I am using an Instant pot. Hence just pot to wash up afterwards!  You will be amazed by how fluffy the rice will turn out. See recipe notes for stove top instructions.

    vegan mushroom biryani sprinkled with cilantro in an Instant Pot

    There are many ways to make Biryani. There are also variations in the recipe based on region, be it Hyderabadi biryani, Lucknowi biryani. Todays recipe is a generic Biryani recipe that I often use with vegan meats. The flavor and umami from the mushrooms make this Biryani delicious and meaty. You can add some veggies or protein along with the mushroom.
    I cook the mushroom first to get that browned Caramelized mushroom flavor. Mushrooms cooked under pressure get that flavor without having to stand around and sauté it for a long time! Just add to the instant pot with be try limited liquid and you get perfectly browned mushrooms. Then add the rice and water and spices and pressure cook.

    a plate with mushroom biryani topped with cashews and chopped cilantro

    More Instant Pot Recipes:

    Vegan Instant Pot Methi Chicken Curry

    Curried Chickpeas and Rice in a Jar (Instant Pot)

    Vegan Pumpkin Chipotle Fried Rice (Instant Pot)

    Vegan Cheese Sauce (Instant Pot Potato Carrot Cheese Sauce)

    Instant Pot Vegan Black Bean Soup

    Instant Pot Teriyaki Fried Rice

    Print Recipe
    5 from 8 votes

    Instant Pot Mushroom Biryani

    Delicious vegan mushroom biryani in the Instant Pot. Mushroom biryani is an amazing vegan version of chicken biryani made with meaty mushrooms, fluffy basmati rice, and flavorful spices. Vegan Gluten-free soyfree recipe. Nutfree option. Stove top instructions included
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time35 mins
    Course: dinner
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: vegan biryani, vegetarian biryani
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 334kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/3 cup (250 g) white basmati rice , wash really well and soak for at least 15 minutes

    For the spices and onion:

    • 2 teaspoons oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 3 cloves
    • 3 green cardamom pods, slightly opened
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 1 black cardamom. slightly opened, optional
    • 3 tablespoons cashews
    • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced or 1 ½ cup thinly sliced red onion

    For the mushrooms:

    • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
    • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala, use less or more to preference
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt divided
    • 8-10 ounces (230 g) of sliced mushrooms, 1/4 inch thick slices or quartered, use white or cremini or a mix
    • 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) water
    • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
    • 2 tablespoons chopped mint , optional
    • 1/4 cup (60 ml) non dairy yogurt or use coconut cream or cashew cream
    • For garnish: lemon juice and pepper flakes

    Instructions

    • Wash and soak the rice if you haven’t already, then heat up the instant pot on sauté mode. Add the oil, once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and cook for a minute or until fragrant. Then add the rest of the whole spices and mix in for a few seconds.
    • Add the cashews and cook stirring frequently, until the cashews are golden, this can take anywhere from 1-3 minutes. You want the cashews to get golden on most of the edges,
    • Remove most of the cashews and set aside for garnish.
    • Add the onion and a good pinch of salt and cook until golden. 4-6 minutes. Stir occasionally and deglaze with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water in between. The water helps in the conduction of heat as well and helps in quicker and even browning.
    • Once onion is golden remove half of the onion to use as garnish. Then add the ginger garlic paste, ground spices, that’s the Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, garam masala and add yogurt and mix really well.
    • Add the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix really well. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water depending on your instant pot. If using a large (8 qt or 10 qt) instant pot then use the 1/4 cup of water.
    • Close the lid and pressure cook for 9 minutes, once the pressure cooking is done let the pressure release for 5 minutes then quick release.
    • Open the lid and stir the mushrooms and even them out in the inner pot. Then drain the rice and sprinkle the rice all over the mushrooms, do not mix. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoons salt all over. (You can also add a cup of cooked chickpeas or beans here to make this into a meal, just put them over the rice and don’t mix)
    • Add in 1 1/2 cups of water, just drizzle over the rice and do not mix. Add half the cilantro and mint on the rice and close the lid and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Once the pressure cooking is done, let the instant pot sit for 7 minutes to naturally release then quick release using a spatula.
    • Open the lid, add lemon juice and fluff the rice. Remove the inner pot from the instant pot as the bottom plate stays hot and will continue to cook the rice. Once you remove the inner pot or transfer the rice to a serving dish, fluff really well then garnish with cashews, remaining reserved onions, cilantro and mint.
    • Add some pepper flakes and serve. Serve with raita, yogurt, chutneys, curries or crisped tofu or protein of choice.

    Notes

    Love this Recipe? Get my New Instant pot cookbook with 150 recipes, 400 pages!
    For flavour variations add in 1/4 teaspoon of black peppercorns, add in a little bit of mace. You can also add in some saffron milk( soak 4 to 5 strands of saffron in 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk) once soaked and the milk is yellow in colour drizzle all over the cooked biryani and fluff it and serve.
    Stove top: follow instructions in a saucepan over medium heat. after adding the mushrooms, mix, cover and cook for 12-15 mins, stir once in between. Then add the drained rice, water, salt and lightly mix. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook for 17-19 minutes. 
    Nutfree: omit the nuts
    No onion garlic: Use thin slices of zucchini instead of onion. Add 1/3 teaspoon fenugreek leaves instead of garlic 
    Brown Rice: Sauté the mushrooms for 2-3 mins, don’t pressure cook. Then add the soaked(30 min soak) and drained 1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice, salt and the water. Don’t mix. Close the lid and pressure cook 17-19 mins depending on the brown rice type and brand. 
    Oilfree: Dry Toast the cumin seeds on a skillet then add to the pot, all all spices, onion garlic and 2-3 tbsp broth and sauté until translucent. Then proceed with the recipe. Dry roast or bake the cashews for garnish, don’t add them to the pot. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Instant Pot Mushroom Biryani
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 334 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 7g11%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 466mg20%
    Potassium 397mg11%
    Carbohydrates 60g20%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 9g18%
    Vitamin A 406IU8%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Calcium 74mg7%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Ingredients

    • white basmati rice, wash really well and soak for at least 15 minutes
    • we temper cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves in oil
    • we use the seasoned oil to toast the cashews andr fry the onion
    • mushrooms – use white or cremini or a mix
    • seasoning: salt, ginger garlic paste  turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, or use paprika and garam masala
    • fresh herbs: chopped cilantro and mint
    • non dairy yogurt adds tanginess
    • Garnish, add lemon juice and pepper flakes

    Tips

    • If you don’t have black cardamom you can also use star anise or you can just omit it.
    • For flavour variations add in 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper corns, add in a bit of mace. You can also add in some saffron milk (soak 4 to 5 strands of saffron in 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk) once soaked and the milk is yellow in colour, drizzle all over the cooked biryani and fluff it and serve.
    • Biryanis usually have whole spices and they are obviously are not fun to bite into so you can remove all the whole spices , (the bay leaves and the cloves and the green and black cardamom) if you can find them, just before serving. You’ll want to leave them in if you’re storing the biryani because the spices will continue to infuse the dish with a lot of flavor.

    ingredients for vegan mushroom biryani on a marble countertop

    How to make Vegan Mushroom Biryani

    Wash and soak the rice if you haven’t already, then heat up the instant pot on sauté mode. Add the oil, once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and cook for a minute or until fragrant. Then add the rest of the whole spices and mix in for a few seconds.

    cumin seeds tempering in an Instant Pot

    spices tem

    Add the cashews and cook until the cashews are golden, this can take anywhere from 1-3 minutes. You just want the cashews to get golden on most of the edges, stir frequently.

    cashew nuts and spices frying in oil in an Instant Pot

    Remove most of the cashews and set aside for garnish. Add the onion and a good pinch of salt and cook until golden. 4-6 mins

    sliced onions sauteeing in an Instant Pot

    Stir occasionally and deglaze with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water in between.

    onions and spices in an Instant Pot

    The water helps in the conduction of heat as well and helps in quicker and even browning.


    onions and spices sauteeing in an Instant Pot

    Once onion is golden remove half of the onion to use as garnish. Then add the ginger garlic paste, ground spices, that’s the Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, garam masala and add yogurt and mix really well.

    ground spices and yogurt being added to an Instant Pot with sauteed onion

    spices, yogurt and onions in an Instant Pot

    Add the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix really well. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water depending on your instant pot. If using a large instant pot then use the 1/4 cup of water.

    sliced mushrooms tossed in Indian gravy in an Instant Pot

    Close the lid and pressure cook for 9 minutes, once the pressure cooking is done let the pressure release for 5 minutes then quick release.

    mushrooms cooking with Indian gravy in an Instant Pot

    Open the lid and stir the mushrooms and even them out. Then drain the rice and sprinkle the rice all over the mushrooms, do not mix. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoons salt all over.

    drained rice being added to mushrooms in spicy gravy in an Instant Pot

    Add in 1 1/2 cups of water, just drizzle over the rice and do not mix. Add half the cilantro and mint on the rice and close the lid and pressure cook for 5 minutes.

    mushrooms in Indian gravy and drained soaked rice with chopped cilantro leaves

    drained soaked rice being added to an Instant Pot with mushrooms and spices

    Once the pressure cooking is done, let the instant pot sit for 7 minutes to naturally release then quick release using a spatula.

    Base for mushroom biryani in an Instant Pot

    Open the lid, add some lemon juice and fluff the rice. Remove the inner pot from the instant pot because the bottom plate stays hot and will continue to cook the rice.

    cooked rice and mushrooms in an Instant Pot

    Once you remove the inner pot or transfer the rice to a serving dish, fluff really well then garnish with cashews, remaining reserved onions, cilantro and mint.

    mushroom biryani in an Instant Pot

    Add lemon juice and some pepper flakes and serve. Serve with some raita or yogurt or chutneys or curries or cropped tofu or protein of choice.

    vegan mushroom biryani in an Instant Pot

    Storage:

    Store in a closed container in the fridge for upto 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave.

    vegan mushroom rice topped with cashews and chopped cilantro

     

    Sharing is caring!

    Share on Pinterest Share on Facebook Share on WhatsApp Share on Twitter Share on Email
    « Vegan Kachori Pinwheels
    Indian Dinner Party Menu Ideas Vegan Dairyfree »


    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Jay

      January 01, 2023 at 5:56 pm

      5 stars
      Insanely good! I am a big biryani fan and this hits the spot. Another Vegan Richa dish to add to the household regulars!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 02, 2023 at 10:29 pm

        I’m thrilled to hear!

        Reply
    2. Laura

      November 19, 2022 at 4:33 pm

      5 stars
      I made this, added the chickpeas to make it a meal. It was fabulously delicious. Will definitely be making this again.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 21, 2022 at 8:45 pm

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    3. Ruby

      November 10, 2022 at 12:43 pm

      Hi, could you substitute the mushrooms with other vegetables?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 10, 2022 at 10:44 pm

        Certainly! Other hearty veggies will do well.

        Reply
    4. JoAnn

      November 02, 2022 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      Made this today and it was delicious. Thanks again for making cooking Indian dishes doable for me!
      I adjusted the amount of water cos the last time I made the briyani from your cookbook it came out a bit mushy. I think it may be due to the type/brand of basmati rice. Also added the peppercorn and saffron. I added raisins to balance the spices for my 7yo.
      It was a total hit! My best briyani so far.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 07, 2022 at 10:23 am

        So glad everyone enjoyed!

        Reply
    5. Tiffany

      November 02, 2022 at 10:14 am

      So, I would like to add soy curls. How would I do that?

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 02, 2022 at 11:12 am

        Add soaked in broth and squeezed soycurls after Mushroom are done. Sauté for a few seconds. Add more spices to account for the added volume, then add rice etc and proceed

        Reply
    6. Suzanne

      October 31, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      5 stars
      Another hit by Richa. Thank you 😋. I used the brown basmati modification and it was awesome. Also could not find cardomom pods so I subbed the powdered kind and it was fine (at least we could not tell the difference). Richa, your recipes are always amazing—the flavors shine!

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 31, 2022 at 9:20 pm

        Yay!

        Reply
    7. Rebecca

      October 26, 2022 at 5:57 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 26, 2022 at 7:14 pm

        Awesome

        Reply
    8. Rebecca

      October 26, 2022 at 1:02 pm

      How could you use brown rice in this recipe? Soak it? Par boil it? I find brown rice so much more flavorful than white. Thank you for the inspiration.

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        October 26, 2022 at 1:10 pm

        Sorry, just saw the notes on brown rice. Thank you for adding that in!

        Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        October 30, 2022 at 11:00 am

        Instructions in the notes section,

        Reply
    9. K

      October 22, 2022 at 11:17 am

      Can I substitute tahini for the yogurt? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 22, 2022 at 11:31 am

        Nope it will stick to the bottom, use non Dairy milk or cream

        Reply
    10. Stephanie

      October 19, 2022 at 11:42 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe delicious. The spices work so well. I added chickpeas which made it a hearty meal. An easy recipe that I cooked on the stove top. I will be making this again, thank you!

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 20, 2022 at 12:29 am

        Yay!

        Reply
    11. Maneesha

      October 19, 2022 at 6:18 pm

      5 stars
      Ah-mazing! Loved it Richa!! The flavor is too good!.

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 19, 2022 at 7:02 pm

        Right?!! It’s super delicious!

        Reply
        • Maneesha

          October 20, 2022 at 10:08 am

          For realz! I love your Indian recipes!

          Reply
          • Vegan Richa Support

            October 24, 2022 at 8:35 am

            Yessss!

            Reply
    12. Wanda

      October 18, 2022 at 2:26 pm

      I don’t have basmati rice. Would Jasmine rice work instead?

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 18, 2022 at 11:45 pm

        Yes

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

    More about me →

    Amazon // Barnes & Noble // BAM! // Chapter Indigo // International
    vegan richa cookbook flavor companion
    My exclusive 16 Spice Set
    Vegan Richa's Everyday Kitchen Cookbook Now Available everywhere where Books are Sold | VeganRicha.com
    Amazon // Barnes & Noble // BAM! // Chapter Indigo // International

    FOLLOW US

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Vegan Richa 's Indian Kitchen Cookbook

    Amazon || Barnes & Noble || BAM! || IndieBound || Details & International

    Popular

    • 18 Best Vegan Recipes of 2022
    • Vegan Tofu Nuggets
    • Best Easy Vegan Recipes of 2021
    • Restaurant Style Aloo Gobi

    Amazon || Barnes & Noble || BAM! || Indigo || Book Depository

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms Of Use
    • Copyright and Disclaimers

    Resources

    • Indian dals/lentils names
    • Indian pantry
    • Our vegan journey
    • Vegan Substitutes

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Twitter

    Contact

    • Recipe Index
    • My Favorite Things
    • Advertise, Work With Me

    Cookbooks

    • Vegan Richa’s Indian kitchen cookbook
    • Vegan Richa’s Everyday kitchen cookbook 
    • Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Book

    All content on this blog is owned by Vegan Richa LLC.  Links on some posts are affiliate links for e.g. we are participant in Amazon services LLC Associates program. Vegan Richa is monetized in part through the use of such affiliate links. More Details

    Copyright © 2021 Vegan Richa