Looking for a delicious, healthy and satisfying vegetarian dinner that’s anything but boring? This Skinnymixers Vegetarian Biryani is packed with vibrant spices, tender vegetables and perfectly fluffy rice—making it the ideal meat-free meal for both weeknights and entertaining.
Inspired by traditional Indian biryani, this Thermomix-friendly recipe delivers big on flavour without the complexity. Whether you’re vegetarian, feeding flexitarians, or just looking to add more plant-based meals to your week, this easy vegetarian biryani will become a staple in your home.
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Biryani
✅ Budget-friendly & family-approved
✅ Packed with vegetables & authentic Indian spices
✅ Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian
✅ Thermomix method – using layered cooking
✅ Freezer friendly & great for meal prep
✅ Perfect as a main or side dish
What is Biryani?
Biryani is a classic Indian rice dish known for its layers of aromatic rice, spices, and either meat or vegetables. While traditional biryani can take hours to prepare, this Vegetarian Biryani Thermomix recipe simplifies the process without compromising on taste.
Skinnymixers has created a flavour-packed vegetarian biryani that celebrates all the traditional elements—spiced vegetables, saffron-infused rice and a burst of fresh herbs—without the need for complicated steps or hard-to-find ingredients.
Key Ingredients
- Basmati rice for perfect fluffiness
- A mix of seasonal vegetables like carrots, peas, beans & cauliflower
- Authentic Indian spices like garam masala, turmeric & cumin
- Fresh coriander & mint for brightness
Serving Suggestions
This Thermomix Vegetarian Biryani is a complete meal on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with:
🍛 Skinnymixers Butter Chicken or Lamb Korma (for the meat-eaters in the family)
🥒 Cooling Palak Raita or plain yoghurt
🍋 A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
🥬 A side of Indian-style salad or steamed greens
Meal Prep & Storage Tips
📦 Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days
❄️ Freeze in single portions for easy lunches or dinner
🔥 Reheat gently in the microwave or Thermomix with a splash of water to loosen
Community Feedback ❤️
The Skinnymixers community has fallen in love with this Vegetarian Biryani for its simplicity and versatility. Many have shared photos of it being served at family dinners, BBQs and even as part of their meal prep routine.
Want to join the conversation? Share your creation in the Skinnymixers Facebook Group or tag #skinnymixers on Instagram—we’d love to see how you serve it!
Dietary Notes & Variations
🌱 Vegan? Just skip the ghee and yoghurt or sub with plant-based alternatives.
🌶️ Love heat? Add a fresh green chilli or increase the cayenne.
🍗 Feeding meat lovers? Serve as a side with grilled chicken or curry.
🥜 Add crunch with toasted cashews or flaked almonds on top.
Final Thoughts
This Vegetarian Biryani is a must-try for anyone looking to enjoy a comforting, healthy, and flavourful Indian-inspired dish. With a few fresh ingredients and your Thermomix, you can create a stunning biryani that’s sure to impress vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.
🧡 Happy cooking, Skinnies!
Ingredients
- 50 g butter or ghee
- 400 g basmati rice
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds - or 5 cardamom pods bruised
- 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds - optional
- 2 tbsp vegetable stock concentrate
Vegetables:-
- 100 g green beans - sliced diagonally in 1 inch pieces
- 100 g small cauliflower florets
- 2 carrots - small dice
- 100 g raw cashews
- 70 g sultanas
Gravy:-
- 100 g greek yoghurt
- 100 g reserved stock liquid
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp salt
Garnish:-
- Small handful of chopped coriander
- Decent squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Add butter or ghee to mixer bowl with rice, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom seeds and mustard seeds.
- Cook 5 min/100°C or 212°F/speed soft/reverse/MC on.
- Pour butter, spices and rice into internal steaming basket and rinse mixer bowl roughly.
- Add 900 g or 31.7 oz water, turmeric and stock to mixer bowl.
- Put internal steaming basket in place.
- Put steaming trays in place with vegetables, cashews and sultanas.
- Cook for 18 min/steaming temp/speed 3/MC on or speed 4 for TM5. Stir the rice occasionally.
- After cooking time, remove the vegetables to a thermal server pot. Check rice and keep cooking if needed.
- Remove the cinnamon and cloves and discard.
- Pour rice into thermal server pot with vegetables and gently combine.
- Don't drain the liquid stock completely, retain around 100 g or 3.5 oz.
- Add yoghurt, curry powder, garam masala and salt.
- Mix on 10 sec/speed 5.
- Pour over rice in thermal server pot.
- Garnish with coriander and lemon juice and let it sit, covered for 5 min before serving.
Notes