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    Home > Indian Vegan Recipes

    Carrot Rice

    Posted: May 4, 2020 ยท Updated: Mar 26, 2022

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Carrot Rice, an Indian veg dish with rice and carrots sauteed with onions and spices. Easy, one-pot
    This easy and pretty carrot rice comes together quickly for a weeknight meal, and yet it's special enough for an occasion. Pair it with our coconut curry for a healthy and delicious meal that's also gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free. And vegan, of course.
    An overhead shot of a gray ceramic bowl with carrot rice scattered with scallions and tomato coconut curry.

    One of our favorite meals hereabouts is this quick and easy Carrot Rice paired with a creamy Coconut Curry with potatoes and tomatoes. It's a quick weeknight dinner that's bound to leave you licking your fingers.

    Close shot of carrot rice with scallions in a gray glazed bowl with scallions on a black background.

    The Carrot Rice is a few-ingredient wonder flavored with the sublime aroma of cinnamon and cloves, and I'd first shared it with you more than a decade ago. It is such a treat, I have a hard time stopping myself from just scooping it out of the pot with my fingers and eating it until it's gone.

    But as tasty as it is, it is also utterly nourishing, with the goodness of carrots, a veggie that makes just about everything you add it to both nutritious and beautiful.

    In fact, I love how this carrot rice looks, with those orange shards of carrots mixed in with the long grains of the basmati rice.

    A few whole spices give the rice a fragrance that's to die for.

    As simple as this recipe is, I don't have too many tips and tricks for making it perfect--it's already quite foolproof. And it comes together in just over 20 minutes, so what's not to love?

    Tips for making the best carrot rice:

    • Use the largest holes on your hand grater or food processor to grate the carrots. You want the carrots and the rice to be approximately the same size when they cook. Keep in mind the carrots will shrink as they express their juices, and the rice will expand as it absorbs them.
    • For the same reasons, slice the onions really thin. If the onion you use is big, cut the slices in half.
    • You don't need to soak the rice for this recipe, which makes it come together even more quickly, since there's no prep ahead of time.
    • Usually, when I share a rice recipe with you, I ask you not to stir the rice as it cooks. I will make an exception in this case. About halfway through the 20-minute mark when the rice is covered and cooked, give the rice a stir. This will help the carrots and rice mix better and cook more evenly.
    • I like adding a few cashew pieces to this recipe, but they are completely optional if you want it to be nut-free.
    Top shot of coconut curry and carrot rice in glazed ceramic bowls with silver spoons on a black dinner table.

    What do I serve with this carrot rice?

    I almost always make this carrot rice with a creamy and just as easy Coconut Curry. Together, they are magical.

    But you can also serve it with any vegetable curry, like this 20-minute Vegetable Curry or this South Indian Vegetable Curry.

    Looking for more vegan rice recipes?

    • Ven Pongal, a south Indian khichri
    • Veg Tehri, a rice and vegetable pilaf
    • Vegan Dirty Rice
    • Lemon Garlic Rice
    • Jeera Rice or Cumin Rice
    • Lemon Rice
    • Vangi Bath (South Indian Eggplant Rice)
    This easy and pretty carrot rice comes together quickly for a weeknight meal, and yet it's special enough for an occasion. Pair it with a coconut curry for a healthy and delicious meal that's also gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free. And vegan, of course. #vegan, #Indian, #carrot, #rice HolyCowVegan.net
    Close up front shot of carrot rice with coconut curry with tomatoes and potatoes and scallions on a black background.

    Carrot Rice

    This easy and pretty carrot rice comes together quickly for a weeknight meal, and yet it's special enough for an occasion. Pair it with our coconut curry for a healthy and delicious meal that's also gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free. And vegan, of course.
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Main Course, Rice
    Cuisine: Indian, nut-free, One-Pot Recipe, Soy-free
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Carrot Rice
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 198kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • 2-inch piece cinnamon
    • 5 pods green cardamom pods
    • 5 cloves
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
    • 2 tablespoon raw cashew pieces (optional)
    • 2 cups carrots (grated. Approx 2 carrots)
    • 2 cups basmati rice
    • 4 cups water (or vegetable stock)
    • Salt to taste
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    Instructions

    • Heat the oil. Add the whole spices--cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf--and stir for a minute until fragrant.
    • Add the onions and cashews, if using, and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions become translucent but not brown.
    • Stir in the carrots and saute for another couple of minutes until they start to cook. Stir in the rice along with salt to taste and mix well. As soon as the rice starts to turn opaque, add the water and salt. Give everything a good stir and let it come to a boil.
    • Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook the rice 10 minutes. At the 10-minute point, open, give the rice a good stir, and cover and cook another 10 minutes.
    • Let the rice stand another 10 minutes before opening. Serve hot.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5346IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    I cook and eat simple, tasty and nutritious plant-based food in my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. Read more about me here.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Quadetra Baccus

      August 09, 2021 at 7:14 pm

      Hi there beautiful sunshine โ˜€๏ธ
      Can I use the seasonings in place of the following?
      โ–ข 2-inch piece cinnamon
      โ–ข 5 pods green cardamom
      โ–ข 5 cloves

      If so, what amount of each? If you donโ€™t recommend let me know.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        August 09, 2021 at 7:23 pm

        Hi, use 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon and a fourth of a teaspoon of the cardamom and cloves! Hope that helps.

        Reply
    2. Cecilia

      July 28, 2020 at 10:00 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe! I made it with 1/2 brown basmati and 1/2 white basmati rice as we are trying to move towards all whole grains. I soak the brown rice for about 1-2 hours and mixed and cooked together as indicated.

      Turned out great!

      Reply
    3. Erin

      June 22, 2020 at 8:51 pm

      5 stars
      I love this rice! It tastes delicious, smells amazing and looks pretty. Thank you for another wonderful recipe! I'm looking forward to making the potato curry that goes with it.

      Reply
    4. Morgan L

      May 05, 2020 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      This was terrific! I made it last night with a black-eyed pea curry and my family loved it. It's beautiful to look at at the spices were warm, fragrant and delicious. (My boys love eating the cardamom pods whole at the end also!)

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        May 05, 2020 at 6:45 pm

        So happy to hear!

        Reply
    5. Jane

      May 05, 2020 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      So good! I threw some raisins into the rice along with cashews for my vegan-skeptic husband. The coconut curry clenched the deal. Thank you for helping me on my vegan journey, and for delicious gentle persuasion for my husband.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        May 05, 2020 at 6:45 pm

        Amazing idea to add raisins. Carrots and raisins complement each other perfectly.

        Reply
    6. Jean Horrall

      May 04, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      Vausgali,

      Do you break the green cardamom pods or put them in whole?

      Jean

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        May 05, 2020 at 6:46 pm

        Hi Jean, add them whole!

        Reply
    7. Anusha

      March 14, 2018 at 5:41 am

      5 stars
      Hi Vaishali

      I made your carrot rice and a it was a great hit with my three year old daughter.

      I sent it for her pre school snack and she came home wanting more for lunch!

      Thank you so much...

      You have any other similar recipes here?

      Thanks again

      Anusha

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        May 05, 2020 at 6:46 pm

        So happy to hear you and your daughter enjoyed it!

        Reply
    8. swapna

      November 16, 2010 at 9:27 pm

      5 stars
      Made this last weekend and came out really good.it was so easy to put together and done in 1 hour.I posted about it in my blog.Thanks vaishali for this wonderful recipe.

      Reply
    9. laurakins

      August 24, 2009 at 3:56 am

      5 stars
      Just made this, and it's very YUM!
      It's surprisingly quick, as well- by the time the potatoes were finished boiling, I had the rice finished and within minutes the rest of the meal came together!

      I thought next time I might try adding some balsamic vinegar or lime to get a little extra brightess to balance out the coconut milk. But then again, I kind of liked the mellowness of it.

      Thanks for a super recipe! I'll be posting pics and hyperlinks to your blog later this evening. Thanks again!

      Reply
    10. Daisy

      June 17, 2009 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      It's lunch time here in Seattle and I'm eating carrot cake that I made following your recipe, some greens and a cauliflower curry that I learned in my Vegetarian Indian cooking classes. I think I can say that I never had such a tasty brown rice in my whole life. I simply love the combination of the cinnamon and the cloves, together with the carrots (I love carrots and I use carrots in almost everything I cook) and the onions.
      This is my number one recipe for brown rice, after trying so many for several years.

      Thank you! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    11. Pavithra

      May 01, 2009 at 12:53 am

      yummy .. looking gorgeous

      Reply
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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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