An aromatic biryani is the most sumptuous Indian food there is, but this vegan kofta biryani elevates that experience further (and keeps it easy for the cook!). Juicy vegan koftas, flavored with Indian spices and herbs, are layered and cooked with long-grain basmati rice. My family couldn't stop eating and neither will yours!
I love a good vegetable biryani for dinner because it's so easy to make yet it makes me feel so pampered. Sometimes I riff on it with other versions of biryani like eggplant biryani, cauliflower biryani and dum aloo biryani. Of late my hands-down favorite has been this vegan kofta biryani.
A big part of this kofta biryani's allure is those delicious vegan kofta meatballs: so succulent and so full-flavored. The kofta slow-cooks in a simple tomato onion sauce perked up with spices and herbs like mint and cilantro. They absorb the flavors and moisture and become so plump and juicy! Biting into one of these meatballs as you spoon the biryani into your mouth is a gastronomic experience I simply can't put into words.
In India you'd make a kofta biryani with chicken meatballs, but I use my vegan kofta meatballs with results that are just as delicious and satisfying. These kofta balls are also loaded with protein, making the kofta biryani great eats for anyone looking to add more plant protein to their diet.
Table of Contents
Differently delicious, easy vegan biryani
- The kofta meatballs make this vegan kofta biryani recipe extra-special. They are so soft and succulent with just the right amount of texture, and they make every bite extra special.
- The recipe is different and easy. I add to this biryani some ingredients that I don't typically use in an authentic biryani, like tomatoes and turmeric, and I subtract others, like vegan yogurt. This gives the kofta biryani a different flavor, but it's just as yummy.
- Kid- and omnivore-friendly. Meatballs were one of my son Jay's favorite foods, and anything with meatballs in it was sure to go down swiftly, no questions asked. If you are cooking this biryani for children, be sure to adjust the spice. Some store-bought biryani masalas can be spicy.
- Soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free. My vegan kofta meatballs recipe is allergy-friendly, but if you use store-bought meatballs, which you certainly can, be sure to check labels if you have allergies. If you are on a low-carb diet, you can make this recipe with cauliflower rice (check out this cauliflower rice biryani).
Ingredients
- Basmati rice. This is the only variety of rice that should be used in biryani, because those long grains and aroma are essential to the luxurious experience of eating a biryani. You can find a vast array of basmati rice varieties and brands, some superior than others, at an Indian grocery store. But for everyday eats I just use basmati rice I buy at Costco and it works nicely.
- Onions and fried onions. You will need both a fresh onion and a cup of fried onions. You can fry the onions yourself, but for biryanis it's easier to use fried onions available at the Indian store or any regular grocery store (like the French's brand). The fried onions, mixed in or layered over the rice, add lots of flavor.
- Tomato paste. I like using tomato paste for its concentrated umami flavors in this kofta biryani--if I used fresh tomatoes I'd need many more tomatoes and I'd need to cook them much longer.
- Whole spices: cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon and cumin seeds. The whole spices cook with the rice, infusing it with lots of aroma.
- Powdered spices: turmeric, red chilli powder (like cayenne or Kashmiri chilli powder), ground coriander and biryani masala.
- Herbs: ginger garlic paste, fresh mint and fresh cilantro. The fresh mint, so seasonal this time of year, adds a wonderful flavor. You can use dried mint in winter.
How to make vegan kofta biryani
- Place basmati rice in a bowl and cover with water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Strain the rice and add it to a pot along with the whole spices--bay leaves, cloves, green cardamom and cumin seeds. Add salt to taste.
- Add 1 ½ cups water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water has boiled, cover the rice with a lid, lower heat to a simmer, and let the rice cook 10 minutes without stirring.
- The cooked rice will look a bit underdone, but that's okay. It will continue to cook with the biryani sauce.
- While the rice is cooking, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pot. Add sliced onions and ¼ teaspoon salt and saute until the onions brown.
- Add the ginger garlic paste, cilantro and mint to the onions. Stir to mix.
- Add the tomato paste, ground coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder or cayenne or paprika, and tomato paste. Mix well and saute for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the biryani masala.
- Add 1 ½ cups water to the pot and mix to form a curry sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and let it continue to simmer for a couple more minutes.
- Add the vegan kofta meatballs to the sauce and stir them in. Check salt and add more if needed. Turn off heat and layer the cooked basmati rice over the meatballs in an even layer.
- Scatter fried onions over the rice. I also like scattering a little bit of fresh or dried mint on top for more flavor. Turn heat back on to low, cover the pot with a tight lid, and let the biryani cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Let it continue to stand, without opening the lid, for 10 more minutes. Open, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve hot.
Top tips
- Give the onions time to brown, but they don't have to caramelize fully. You can stop once there are several brown spots on the onions. This helps develop flavor and the onions, cooked this way, will melt into the sauce.
- When you serve the biryani, don't just mix it all up and put it in a bowl. Those lovely layers have to be visible to your diners for an authentic experience! Serve it in the pot and ask everyone to serve themselves -- or serve them -- by digging with the ladle or serving spoon all the way to the bottom of the pot. That way everyone gets some of the rice, the sauce and the kofta.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, add two large tomatoes, finely diced, and cook them until they have broken down completely and there is no moisture in the pan.
You can, and the biryani will taste great, but you won't get the same authentic flavor if you use store-bought meatballs, which aren't infused with Indian flavor.
You can fish out the whole spices -- the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and the green cardamom pods -- before layering the rice over the biryani. Or you can leave them in and diners can separate them out at the dinner table. Some Indians love chewing on the whole spices, like the cloves and cardamom, which have amazing aroma and act as mouth fresheners.
Serving suggestions
The vegan kofta biryani is delicious with a cooling vegan cucumber raita. Or serve it with kachumber, the way biryani was usually served in my childhood home.
Serve a cooling glass of vegan mango lassi or watermelon smoothie with the biryani.
For dessert, my favorite pairing with the vegan kofta biryani is this vegan mawa cake.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Store the kofta biryani in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: The biryani can be frozen for up to three months in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Thaw and reheat the biryani in the microwave or in a saucepan. If you freeze the whole pot, you can reheat it in the oven preheated to 350 degrees until warmed through.
Recipe card
Vegan Kofta Biryani
Ingredients
For the basmati rice
- 1½ cups basmati rice (uncooked)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
For the biryani sauce
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 medium red onion (sliced thinly)
- ¼ cup fresh mint (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped. Replace with fresh dill if you don't like cilantro)
- 1 heaping tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder or cayenne or paprika
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 heaping tablespoon biryani masala
- 1½ cups water (or vegetable stock)
- 24 vegan kofta balls
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup fried onions (like French's)
Instructions
Cook the rice
- Place basmati rice in a bowl and cover with water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Strain the rice and add it to a pot along with the whole spices--bay leaves, cloves, green cardamom and cumin seeds. Add salt to taste.
- Add 1 ½ cups water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water has boiled, cover the rice with a lid, lower heat to a simmer, and let the rice cook 10 minutes without stirring. The cooked rice will look a bit underdone, but that's okay. It will continue to cook with the biryani sauce.
Make the sauce
- While the rice is cooking, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pot. Add sliced onions and ¼ teaspoon salt and saute until the onions brown.
- Add the ginger garlic paste, cilantro and mint to the onions. Stir to mix. Add the tomato paste, ground coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder or cayenne or paprika, and tomato paste. Mix well and saute for a couple of minutes. Stir in the biryani masala.
- Add 1 ½ cups water to the pot and mix to form a curry sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and let it continue to simmer for a couple more minutes.
- Add the vegan kofta meatballs to the sauce and stir them in. Check salt and add to taste. Turn off heat.
Assemble and cook kofta biryani
- Layer the cooked basmati rice over the meatballs in an even layer. Scatter fried onions over the rice. I also like scattering a little bit of fresh or dried mint on top for more flavor.
- Turn heat back on to low, cover the pot with a tight lid, and let the biryani cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Let it continue to stand, without opening the lid, for 10 more minutes. Open, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
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