Spinach Garlic Rice or Lahsuni Palak Pulao is an aromatic and delicious Indian veg recipe. This rice recipe can be made in the Instant pot or on the stovetop.
This is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to consume spinach! Make it in under 30 minutes!
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My mom's favorite dish
This Indian spinach recipe has been on my mind for quite some time. I had eaten this pulao at one of my favorite restaurants in Bombay.
We would go there to dine on occasions like birthdays and our parents' anniversary. Being regulars, we always ordered the same things.
My mom would always order Spinach/palak rice. We too became attached to this green veg pulao over the years.
Then she started preparing it at home as well. So my association with this vegan rice dish goes way back!
We love rice
As a family, we love rice and devour it with great enthusiasm every time it's made. I cook some variety of veg pulao every weekend to satisfy our cravings.
Plus we are South Indians and rice is our staple diet. So I blame it on my genes!
This flavored rice recipe is my mother's and I still make it the way she used to but now I make it in the Instant Pot.
Rice in Instant Pot
Before the Instant Pot, I used to cook rice in a rice cooker. But ever since the Instant pot came into our lives, things have changed.
It's so easy to cook rice-based dishes in it. Cooking dishes like a pilaf, pulao, biryani, or fried rice is tricky because the grains need to be separate and not turn mushy.
When making such recipes in the IP, it's important to remember the water to rice ratio. It's always 1:1. So 1 cup of rice would need 1 cup of water.
Also, if cooking with Basmati rice, it helps to soak it for 15 minutes prior to cooking. This step ensures that the grains are long, and separated after being cooked.
Cooking time for rice can range from 4 to 8 minutes. Using the pot-in-pot method, you can simultaneously cook something else along with it and save time.
Why make this
Palak rice a perfect meal for busy or lazy days. It's a healthy as well as a nutritious meal for kids and adults. Green food is always good food!
- This is a great recipe in which to sneak in some greens. Spinach itself is nutritious as it is rich in vitamins, fiber, and protein.
- It's a vegan and gluten-free one-pot meal.
- Can be made in the Instant pot or on a stovetop.
- Works great with leftover rice.
- Can be made in 30 minutes.
- Extremely flavorful and visually appetizing.
Ingredients needed 🧾
As you can see, this recipe calls for basic pantry essentials.
Rice - Basmati rice is best suited for this recipe. Select longer grains that have a slight golden hue.
Spinach - I have used baby spinach, but you can use regular spinach or even mixed greens.
Other veggies - Onions, tomato, and green peas. Feel free to add more veggies if needed.
Spices - Bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin seeds give this recipe an intense earthy and aromatic flavor.
Ginger, garlic, and serrano peppers for the required heat and flavor.
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How to make it 🔪
Wash basmati rice
under running water. Then soak it for 20 minutes before cooking it. Do this irrespective of whether you are making it in the Instant Pot or Stovetop.
Instant Pot
Here's what you need to do to make this Indian Spinach rice recipe in the Instant Pot:
- The first step is to blanch the spinach. Add spinach to boiling water and let it sit in it for 10 minutes.
- Then immediately transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice water. Let it be in there for another 10 minutes.
- Transfer the leaves to a blender and blitz to make a smooth puree.
- Turn on the Instant pot in Saute mode. Add oil to the pot and saute cumin seeds, bay leaf
, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
- Then add minced green chilies, onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
- It's time to add the tomatoes and green peas.
- Then add the spinach puree along with salt. Drain the water from the rice and add it to the pot.
- Add water, give it all a good stir. Turn off the saute mode. Close the lid and make sure the vent is in a sealing position.
- Cook in manual/pressure mode for 4 minutes. Allow to naturally release the pressure for 4 minutes and then do a manual pressure release.
- Fluff the rice lightly with a fork. Garnish with lemon juice and chopped cilantro.
, cinnamon stick
, and cloves
.
Stovetop
It's also very easy to make this veg pulao on the stovetop!
- Cook rice in a rice cooker. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cloves to it. This helps infuse the flavors of these whole spices into the rice.
- Meanwhile, blanch the spinach and prepare the puree. (refer to steps above)
- Heat oil in a pan. Temper cumin seeds, and then add minced green chilies, onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Next, add the tomatoes and green peas. Saute till the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.
- Then add the spinach puree along with salt. Fry for a minute.
- Lastly, add the cooked rice and mix it all together. You can discard the whole spices in the rice. Garnish with lemon juice and chopped cilantro.
. Add bay leaf
Serving suggestions 🍽
Serve it warm with some papad
, pickle
, plain yogurt, or raita on the side. This pulao can also be paired with some stir-fries, Dal, or curries.
This green veg pulao can be prepared for lunches, dinner, brunches, family get-together, etc. You can even pack it in lunchboxes.
No matter what the occasion, this garlic-flavored Indian spinach rice recipe is hearty, comforting, and appetizing.
Add this palak rice to your St.Patrick's Day menu and watch your loved ones go crazy over it! BTW, while we are on this topic, here is a fun collection of non-alcoholic drinks to serve on this day!
Top recipe tips 💭
You can also use frozen spinach in this recipe. If using, then no need to blanch. You can directly puree them.
Another way to cut cooking time is to skip blanching the spinach. Just chop them and add them along with the other veggies. The dish will not have vivid green color though.
Instead of water, you can also cook this with coconut milk. Or use water and coconut milk in equal proportions.
For a different flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of sambhar powder along with the spices. Feel free to use a combination of spices and experiment to suit your taste.
This green veg pulao works great with leftover rice as well. Instead of the Instant pot, you can make this in a regular pressure cooker as well.
Recipe FAQs 📖
To make this Instant pot rice recipe more nutritious, you can more veggies like broccoli, corn, potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, edamame, moong sprouts, etc.
Even paneer/tofu cubes can be added. To increase the protein content, add some beans like black-eyed peas, chickpeas, black beans, or even kidney beans.
For leaner versions, swap rice with alternate grains like quinoa or even use cauliflower rice. You can also use brown rice. Just adjust the cooking time in the Instant pot accordingly.
Leftovers stay well in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also freeze it. Did you know that you can also use leftover Palak Paneer to make this spinach rice? Genius right?!
Instant Pot rice recipes
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram @cookilicious with the hashtag #cookiliciousveg. I love hearing your feedback!
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Recipe 📖
Spinach Garlic Rice/Lahsuni Palak Pulao
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 16 oz spinach
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-3 cloves
- 2-3 green chillies
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 8-10 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 2 tomatoes
- ¼ cup green peas
- Salt
- 2-3 tablespoon Cilantro
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash basmati rice under running water. Then soak it for 15- 20 minutes before cooking it. Do this irrespective of whether you are making it in the Instant Pot or Stovetop.
To make in the Instant Pot
- Meanwhile, blanch the spinach. Add spinach to boiling water and let it sit in it for 10 minutes.
- Then immediately transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice water. Let it be in there for another 10 minutes.
- Transfer the leaves to a blender and blitz to make a smooth puree.
- Turn on the Instant pot in Saute mode. Add oil to the pot and saute cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
- Then add minced green chilies, onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
- It's time to add the tomatoes and green peas.
- Then add the spinach puree along with salt. Drain the water from the rice and add it to the pot.
- Add water, give it all a good stir. Turn off the saute mode. Close the lid and make sure the vent is in a sealing position.
- Cook in manual/pressure mode for 4 minutes. Allow to naturally release the pressure for 4 minutes and then do a manual pressure release.
- Fluff the rice lightly with a fork. Garnish with lemon juice and chopped cilantro.
To make on the Stovetop
- Cook rice in a rice cooker. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cloves to it. This helps infuse the flavors of these whole spices into the rice. Or you can use leftover rice.
- Meanwhile, blanch the spinach and prepare the puree. (refer to steps above)
- Heat oil in a pan. Temper cumin seeds, and then add minced green chilies, onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Next, add the tomatoes and green peas. Saute till the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.
- Then add the spinach puree along with salt. Fry for a minute.
- Lastly, add the cooked rice and mix it all together. You can discard the whole spices in the rice. Garnish with lemon juice and chopped cilantro.
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We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
Wendy says
This looks delicious, but I have a silly question. If I don't have cumin seed can I just use ground cumin? What is the difference? Why the seed vs. the powder or visa versa?
Thanks in advance for clarifying.
Priya says
Yes, you can swap them. If you want a bold flavor and aroma, use cumin powder. If you want a softer, sweeter, slightly citrusy cumin flavor use the seeds. Hope this helps.
Anupama Antony says
Tried your recipe today, was awesome. My non vegetarian food loving husband was thinking it’s chicken biryani and was hunting for pieces in it . I cooked the rice with half water and half coconut milk, took the flavor to another level. It was very easy to make . Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Priya says
This makes me so happy! Thank you so much for the kind encouraging words. So glad you loved the recipe. Loved the idea of mixing milk and water to cook the rice. 🙂
Nandhini says
Hi Priya,
Absolutely loved your recipe!!
The cilantro and lemon at end took it to another level.
I made this in instapot.. instructions were simple and easy to follow.
I'm excited to try other rice recipes.
Priya says
I am so happy to hear that. Thank you Nandhini for the feedback. It means a lot.
Vijay Nayar says
Excellent dish try adding few mint leaves and coconut also soaked rice remove water rub ghee on rice then cook after 5 minutes 😋
Yummier
Vijay
❤️ Yr dish
Priya says
Thank you so much. Nice tips..will try next time.
Julie says
I just made this tonight after printing the recipe a couple weeks ago. When I came to adding water to the instant pot at the end it does not say how much! Very frustrating, so I had to guess and put too much water in (20 ounces). And it does not say how much salt to use! Again, I just had to guess and I put in 2 teaspoons, which seems good. Also, this is way more than 4/servings!! More like 8. But I have to say this is very delicious. The recipe just needs to be reworded.
Priya says
Hi Julie, Thank you for giving this detailed feedback. I am glad you liked the recipe but found certain things a miss. If you read the recipe card, I have mentioned how much water to add. Salt is always as per taste. I never give salt measurements because everyone adds according to their taste. For serving size, I use a standard measurement - 1/2 cup rice per person. Hope this clarifies. Thank you.
Mike says
for step 8 when adding water to the instant pot for the rice, do you follow the 1:1 ratio here? recipe sounds delicious, cant wait to try it!
Priya says
Add 1.5 cups of water. I will also update that in the recipe. Thank you.
Charles Howlett says
In the first step, do I boil the spinach for 10 minutes? Or add it to boiling water and set it aside off of heat for 10 minutes?
Priya says
You can do it either way. Both work.
Bhupendra Patel says
Lahsuni palak rice,Very interesting recipe, will definitely try to make tomorrow.
Priya says
Thank you so much.