Instant Pot Vegetable Curry Rice

A black bowl is filled with curry vegetable rice.

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Vegetable Curry Rice

Instant Pot vegetable curry rice has veggies and extra spices for bursts of flavor with every bite for a savory plant-based side dish. Stovetop instructions included.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Denise Perrault

Ingredients

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds or yellow mustard seeds
1 medium yellow onion diced
1 medium carrot peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
2 teaspoons ginger minced
3 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon paprika smoked or sweet
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 ½ cups brown basmati rice rinsed
2 ¼ cups vegetable broth
2 cups frozen peas

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot on the sauté mode. Add the cumin seeds and black mustard seeds. Toast the seeds for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to toast the seeds.
Add the onions and carrots. Mix them into the spices and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, paprika, and chili powder. Mix with the veggies for about 30 seconds.
Pour in the rinsed rice. Mix with the rest of the ingredients and toast the rice for 2-3 minutes so the rice can collect the flavors.
Turn off the Instant Pot. Then add the broth and use a wooden spoon to clear the bottom of the pot.
Mix in the frozen peas. Then place the lid on the Instant Pot and close the steam handle to sealing.
Cook on High Pressure for 22 minutes. Turn off the keep warm button if necessary.
Once the Instant Pot has finished. Allow 10 minutes for a natural steam release.
Open the steam handle and remove the lid. Fluff the rice and serve.

How to Make Curry Rice on the Stove

Heat a heavy-bottom pot to medium heat. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and toast for 30 seconds.
Add the onions and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions soften.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, and the rest of the spices for 30 seconds.
Pour in the rinsed rice. Toast by stirring it for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat if necessary.
Mix in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pot. Stir the bottom to release any stuck-on ingredients.
Add the frozen peas and increase the heat until it starts to boil. Immediately reduce the heat and cover the pot.
Simmer for 35-45 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 10 minutes. Fluff and serve.

Video

Notes

Substitute ½ a teaspoon of ground cumin for cumin seeds and ½ a teaspoon of ground black pepper for the mustard seeds if needed. Add them with the rest of the spices in step 3.
Newer Instant Pots are very sensitive. Turning it off after sauteeing and using the vegetable broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot are important steps. Ingredients and spices on the bottom can trigger the 'food burning notice.'
Cooked rice is always best if eaten the day it is cooked. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The best practice for food safety is to eat cooked the next day and reheat it only once.
Curry rice can be frozen for 3 months. Thoroughly cool the rice first, then add it to an airtight freezer container or freezer bag. Thaw it in the refrigerator or add it directly to a steamer basket over boiling water to heat. Be sure all the rice is heated to boiling temperature.
The best way to reheat curry rice is to place it in a steamer basket and steam it for 10 minutes.
The best substitute for brown Basmati rice is long-grain brown rice, jasmine rice, white basmati, or long-grain white rice.
It’s possible to substitute white Basmati rice for brown in this recipe, but you need to make some adjustments. First, for 1 ½ cups of rice, use 1 ¾ vegetable broth and cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.

Nutrition