Air Fryer Veggie Biryani

Name: Air Fryer Veggie Biryani
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 37 min
Total time: 1 h 2 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3 cups (300 g) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) florets; 1 medium (about 4 oz) (120 g) red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 1 medium (about 4 oz) (120 g) green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 1 large (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; ⅔ cup (150 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, thick, at room temperature; 2 tbsp (14 g) biryani masala powder; 1 tbsp (15 g) ginger-garlic paste; 1 tsp (3 g) Kashmiri chili powder or mild red chili powder; ½ tsp (1½ g) ground turmeric; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or sunflower oil; 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt; 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, halved and sliced into very thin half-moons (⅛ inch / 3 mm); 1 tsp (5 ml) neutral oil; 3 cups (480 g) cooked basmati rice, cooled completely, fluffed with a fork; ½ cup (65 g) frozen green peas, thawed; ½ cup, loosely packed (15 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; ½ cup, loosely packed (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; ¼ tsp (a generous pinch) (0.1 g) saffron threads, lightly crushed between your fingers; 2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk, warmed until hot to the touch; 2 tbsp (28 g) ghee, melted, divided: 1 tsp to grease the pan, the rest for drizzling

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Yogurt-marinated cauliflower, bell peppers and carrots roast in the air fryer until charred at the edges, then get layered with fluffy basmati, saffron milk, herbs and crisp onions and steamed to a fragrant, one-pan biryani with far less oil than the traditional version.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 37 min
Wait: 35 min
Total: 1 hr 37 min
Makes: 1 biryani (4 main-course servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the marinated vegetables
3 cups (300 g) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) florets
1 medium (about 4 oz) (120 g) red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 medium (about 4 oz) (120 g) green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 large (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
⅔ cup (150 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, thick, at room temperature
2 tbsp (14 g) biryani masala powder
1 tbsp (15 g) ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp (3 g) Kashmiri chili powder or mild red chili powder
½ tsp (1.5 g) ground turmeric
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or sunflower oil
1 tsp (6 g) fine salt
For the crisp onions
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, halved and sliced into very thin half-moons (⅛ inch / 3 mm)
1 tsp (5 ml) neutral oil
For layering
3 cups (480 g) cooked basmati rice, cooled completely, fluffed with a fork
½ cup (65 g) frozen green peas, thawed
½ cup, loosely packed (15 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup, loosely packed (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
¼ tsp (a generous pinch) (0.1 g) saffron threads, lightly crushed between your fingers
2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk, warmed until hot to the touch
2 tbsp (28 g) ghee, melted, divided: 1 tsp to grease the pan, the rest for drizzling

Equipment (8)

Air fryer, 5.5–8 qt (5–7.5 L) with a basket
8-inch (20 cm) round metal or oven-safe pan with 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides
Large mixing bowl
Small microwave-safe bowl
Aluminum foil
Sharp knife and cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons
Fork for fluffing rice

Steps

Before you start

Cook the basmati rice ahead (about 1 cup / 190 g dry rice makes 3 cups cooked) and let it cool, ideally chilled for an hour or overnight. Cold, dry grains stay separate and won't turn mushy.
Check that an 8-inch (20 cm) round pan with 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides fits in your air fryer basket with at least ½ inch (1 cm) of space around it. This recipe suits 5.5–8 qt (5–7.5 L) air fryers.
Use thick, plain, full-fat yogurt. Thin or low-fat yogurt makes the vegetables steam instead of char.
Plan on about 95 minutes in total, including a 30-minute marinade.

1
Prep the rice
- Turn the cooled cooked basmati out into a large bowl.
- Gently fluff it with a fork, breaking up any clumps without mashing the grains.
- Set aside uncovered at room temperature while you prepare everything else.
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Ready when: Grains are separate, dry on the surface and no longer stick together.
Tip: Warm, freshly cooked rice is too wet and turns gluey in the pan. Chill it first if you can.
2
Cut the vegetables
- Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch (2.5 cm) florets, the bell peppers into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and the carrot into ½-inch (1 cm) dice.
- Slice the onion into very thin half-moons.
- Chop the mint and cilantro and keep them together in a small bowl.
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Ready when: Pieces are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Tip: Cut the carrot smaller than the cauliflower because it is denser and needs the same time to soften.
3
Marinate the vegetables
- In a large bowl whisk the yogurt, biryani masala, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, turmeric, lemon juice, 1 tbsp oil and the salt into a thick paste.
- Add the cauliflower, bell peppers and carrot and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
- Meanwhile, put the saffron and hot milk in a small bowl and let it steep.
- Leave the vegetables at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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Ready when: The marinade clings in a thick coat and the saffron milk is deep orange.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 2 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate it if you need longer.
4
Crisp the onionsOven 350°F / 175°C
- Toss the sliced onion with 1 tsp oil.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C), then spread the onion in the basket in a loose layer.
- Air fry for 8–10 minutes, shaking the basket every 3 minutes, until deep golden brown.
- Tip onto a plate; they crisp more as they cool.
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Ready when: Onions are deep golden brown and crisp at the edges, with no black spots.
Tip: Watch closely in the last 2 minutes. Thin onions go from golden to burnt very quickly.
5
Air fry the vegetablesOven 400°F / 205°C
- Raise the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Lift the vegetables from the bowl with a spoon, letting excess marinade drip back, and spread them in the basket in a single layer, working in two batches if crowded.
- Air fry for 12 minutes, shaking the basket at 6 minutes.
- Return the vegetables to the bowl and scrape in any marinade left behind.
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Ready when: Cauliflower is browned in spots and a knife slides in with slight resistance; peppers are softened and lightly charred.
Tip: A crowded basket steams the vegetables. Use two batches if pieces overlap.
6
Mix in peas and herbs
- Add the thawed peas, half of the chopped herbs and half of the crisp onions to the roasted vegetables.
- Toss gently, leaving the rest of the herbs and onions for the top layer.
- Taste a piece of cauliflower; add a pinch of salt if needed.
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Ready when: Herbs and peas are evenly distributed through the vegetables.
7
Layer the biryani
- Brush the inside of the 8-inch (20 cm) pan with 1 tsp melted ghee.
- Spread one third of the rice (about 1 cup / 160 g) across the bottom.
- Spoon in all of the vegetable mixture and level it.
- Cover with the remaining rice, pressing lightly but not packing.
- Drizzle the saffron milk over the top in streaks, scatter on the remaining onions and herbs, then drizzle with the remaining melted ghee.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil.
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Ready when: Pan is filled about three-quarters full with an even top and the foil is crimped tightly around the rim.
Tip: Press the foil down toward the rice and tuck the edges under the rim so the hot air fan can't lift it.
8
Steam in the air fryerOven 350°F / 175°C
- Set the pan in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes.
- Carefully lift a corner of the foil (steam is hot) to check that the rice is hot throughout.
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Ready when: Steam rises strongly when the foil is lifted, and the center of the rice is steaming hot to the touch (165°F / 74°C).
Tip: Use oven mitts or tongs to lift the pan out. The pan and the basket are very hot.
9
Rest and serve
- Leave the pan covered on a heatproof surface for 5 minutes so the steam settles.
- Remove the foil, fluff gently with a fork, working from the edges to the center to mix the layers lightly, and serve straight from the pan.
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Ready when: Rice is fluffy and separate, fragrant with saffron, with streaks of yellow and white.
Tip: Serve with cucumber raita and a squeeze of lemon.

Good to know

Tips

Dry cooked rice is the key: wet rice turns the biryani sticky. If your rice is freshly cooked, spread it on a tray for 20 minutes.
Don't skip the foil. The seal traps steam to perfume and heat the rice. Without it the top grains dry out and harden.
If your air fryer is small, assemble in a 7-inch (18 cm) pan and keep leftover vegetables for serving on the side.
Adjust heat by choosing mild Kashmiri chili powder, or add 1 finely chopped green chili to the marinade for more fire.

Make ahead

"Cook and chill the rice up to 2 days ahead. Marinate the vegetables in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours (return to room temperature for 20 minutes before air frying). The onions can be crisped a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Assemble and steam just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cool quickly, then store airtight for up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 2 months in a sealed container. Reheat single portions covered with a splash of water in the microwave for 2 minutes, or in the air fryer at 325°F (160°C) for 5–6 minutes covered with foil, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C). Reheat only once."

Substitutions

plain whole-milk yogurt → unsweetened thick coconut or cashew yogurt. Makes the recipe dairy-free. Use ghee-free swaps for the ghee too.
ghee → unsalted butter or neutral oil. Butter gives a similar richness; oil makes it vegan when paired with plant yogurt.
biryani masala powder → 1 tbsp garam masala plus ½ tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp ground coriander. Gives a similar warm, aromatic profile, though less complex.
saffron threads → ¼ tsp ground turmeric in the warm milk. Provides color but not saffron's floral aroma.