Beetroot rice recipe with step by step photos – easy lunch idea recipe of beetroot rice or beetroot pulao made with rice, finely chopped beetroots, onions, herbs and spices. Gluten-free and vegan recipe.
As I have mentioned in my previous posts, rice-based dishes are my go-to cook recipes. They get done quickly and taste good too. I often make Pulao recipe with mixed veggies or with just one veggie. In this recipe, its only beetroot that is used and is a highlight of this dish.
This beetroot pulao is slightly spicy with the sweetness of beetroot coming through in the spiced rice. Kind of a complex flavored dish. the recipe can be made quickly in a pressure cooker. The only time taken is the soaking time required for rice. You can also make this rice dish in a pot or pan.
Serve this lovely colored beetroot rice with some raita or a side salad. I served with potato roast and papads.
How to make beetroot rice
1. Rinse basmati rice in water very well. Then soak the rice in enough water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drain the rice and keep aside. Instead of basmati rice, you can even use any other fragrant rice or even regular or short-grained rice.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. Then add the whole spices – 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 cloves, 5 to 6 black peppers, ½ tsp mustard seeds and ½ tsp cumin seeds.
3. The oil should be hot enough so that the mustard seeds crackle as soon as you add them in the oil. Do keep the flame on a low to medium flame, so that the other spices do not get burnt.
4. Add ⅓ cup chopped onion and 7 to 8 curry leaves.
5. Stir and saute till the onion start to become light golden.
6. Then add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 to 2 green chilies (slit) and ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.
7. Saute for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
8. Now add 1 cup finely chopped beetroot. Do chop the beetroot finely. you can also grate beetroots and then add. Stir and saute for a minute.
9. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder and ½ tsp coriander powder. Mix and stir well.
10. Add rice.
11. Stir gently and saute for a minute.
Cooking beetroot rice
12. Add 1.5 to 2 cups water. Depending on the type and quality of rice, you can add water. for basmati rice, you can add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water. I added 1.5 cups of water.
13. Season with salt. Stir and mix. Taste the water and it should have a slightly salty taste.
14. Pressure cook on a medium flame for 2 whistles or for 8 to 9 minutes. You can also cook this beetroot pulao in a pan or pot. Then add water accordingly.
15. When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. Gently fluff the beetroot rice. Garnish the rice with 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Serve beetroot rice with a side veggie salad or raita. For more beetroot recipes, you can check this collection of 14 Beetroot recipes.
More rice recipes
Beetroot Rice
INGREDIENTS
prepping rice
- 1 cup basmati rice or 200 grams basmati rice
- enough water for soaking rice
whole spices
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 to 3 green cardamoms
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 5 to 6 black pepper
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
remaining ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped or 1/3 cup chopped onion or 50 to 55 grams onions
- 7 to 8 curry leaves or 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 2 small to medium beetroots or 1 cup finely chopped beets or 125 grams beetroots
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste or ½ inch ginger + 3 to 4 small to medium garlic cloves
- 1 green chili, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- 1.5 to 2 cups water, i added 1.5 cups water
- salt as required
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves for garnish (cilantro leaves)
INSTRUCTIONS
prepping rice
- Rinse basmati rice in water very well. Then soak the rice in enough water for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, drain the rice and keep aside. Instead of basmati rice, you can even use any other fragrant rice or even regular or short grained rice.
making beetroot rice
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. Then add all the whole spices.
- The oil should be hot enough so that the mustard seeds crackle as soon as you add them in the oil. Do keep the flame on a low to medium flame, so that the other spices do not get burnt.
- Add 1/3 cup chopped onion and 7 to 8 curry leaves.
- Stir and saute till the onion start to become light golden.
- Then add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 to 2 green chilies (slit) and ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.
- Saute for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Now add 1 cup finely chopped beetroot. Do chop the beetroot finely. You can also grate beetroots and then add. Stir and saute for a minute.
- Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder and ½ tsp coriander powder. Mix and stir well. Add the rice.
- Stir gently and saute for a minute.
cooking beetroot rice
- Add 1.5 to 2 cups water. Depending on the type and quality of rice, you can add water. For basmati rice, you can add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water. I added 1.5 cups water.
- Season with salt. Stir and mix. Taste the water and it should have a slightly salty taste.
- Pressure cook on a medium flame for 2 whistles or for 8 to 9 minutes. You can also cook this beetroot pulao in a pan or pot. Add water accordingly.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. Gently fluff the rice.
- Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Serve beetroot rice with a side veggie salad or raita.
Thank you for this healthy recipe and a tasty one, added beet root in my weekly veggie shopping
Tried this recipe on rose day for gf. She’s still in the ICU… Turns out she’s allergic to beetroot.
Great Recipe!! Tried this at home and did not think it will come out well. I had a lot of doubts but mainly whether the color of beets will overpower the rice.
The rice and beets got cooked to perfection and the taste was just right; spicy with bursts of sweetness from the beets coming in. This was perfect with a cooling boondi raita!!
Its a regular and often requested recipe at home now 🙂
Thanks Abhishek for this awesome feedback on beetroot rice. Yes this recipe has balance spiciness and sweetness. Glad to know that you liked it.
Tried it in home as a surprise for mom. Came very well and my mom enjoyed it. Thank u!! ????????
Welcome Dev. Nice to know this.
Hello…I just love all your recipes ..U make cooking so simple ???? for me.
Could you pls upload recipe for veg rissoto…
Thank you
Welcome Shruti. Thanks for your positive feedback. I will try to add this recipe.
Another one of your recipes done wonders for me ! Thank you again and always!
Welcome Sheetal. Glad to know that you liked the beetroot rice recipe.
I usually dislike beetroot. But your recipe is fantastic. Thank you !
welcome pankhuri and thnakyou glad you liked beetroot rice 🙂
I made it today…It turned out awesome…evryone liked it..Thank you so much for ur recipes …All of ur recipes r too good.
thankyou so much Nazia 🙂
It turned out to be yum. I added diced babycorns and it goes quite well in this rice (sweetcorn can also complement well here).. However the color of my rice was nowhere near to the pink beetroot color. It was orangish. Please let me know what can be done.
thankyou nandita glad you liked the beetroot rice surprisingly beet should impart red color don’t know how it’s given orange color. it’s okay just eat the rice the way it is as adding additional color is not preferable. hope this help’ you.
I follow your site regularly. Made this beetroot pulav for breakfast today and I must say it was too good. Added one potato and pigeon peas (togari kaalu in Kannada) also.
glad to know this megha 🙂 thankyou for sharing your input and for writing to us.
Could you please write a post on the kind of ovens you use (convection and otg). Because I own a convection oven and all my baking attempts have been a disaster. The cakes brown from the outside but in the centre they are doughy. Please please.
i plan to do so. what i suggest is that bake at a lower temperature than what is mentioned in the recipe, about 15 to 20 degrees celsius lower. also while baking, cover the bread or cake with aluminium foil or butter paper. this way the top does not get browned too quickly. towards the end then you can remove the foil or butter paper and brown the top for some minutes.
Thank you so much. Will give it a try 🙂
woww…loooks tempting!!!!!!!!
will definitely try…
surely try and let us know how it was? and thankyou.