A perfectly delicious and easy palak rice recipe! You’ll fall in love with the mild flavors. This spinach pulao aka rice dish makes the great lunchbox for kids or adults.
Here in the step-by-step photos below, I have shared the stovetop version. I love my instant pot because it produces the same great results in a fraction of the time so we can enjoy the meal fast! So in the video here, I have shown how to make instant pot palak rice or pulao. Detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end.
There are two methods of making palak rice. The first one I shared here where spinach puree is cooked with rice hence the green-colored rice. The second method where chopped spinach and spices are sauteed and mixed with rice.
I like the first method. When rice and spinach puree is cooked together then rice has a chance to absorb the flavors. Also, green looking, eye-pleasing rice is the plus point.
I used to make it on the stovetop which takes 18-20 minutes of rice cooking time plus, prep time, cooking puree, etc. But nowadays I make it very quickly in my instant pot. This instant pot palak rice or pulao gets ready in only 15 minutes (start to finish). Yes, you read it right.
Ingredients needed for spinach rice:
Below is the pic and you can see we’ll need the only handful of ingredients. No spice powders except garam masala are used. For spicy taste green chilies are added. So adjust it as per your preference.
For the veggies part, I have added only peas and carrot. You can skip entirely or add your choice of veggies like potato, cauliflower, beans, corn, broccoli, baby corn, capsicum (bell pepper).
How to make Palak Rice (StoveTop)?
1) Wash the rice under running cold water till water runs clear. Or rinse 2-3 times till water is not cloudy anymore. Soak into enough water for 15 minutes.
2) Then drain the water and keep it aside.
3) While rice is soaking, do the prep work. Take an onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and spinach into the blender jar. Add only 2-3 tablespoons of water to make grinding easy.
4) Grind into the smooth puree.
5) Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once hot add whole spices (bay leaf, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick). Saute for 30-45 seconds or till you get the nice aroma of spices.
6) Add prepared spinach puree. Cook for 2-3 minutes or till it gets thicken sightly.
7) Now add peas, carrot, salt and garam masala.
8) Also, add drained rice and mix.
9) Now add water and bring it to a rolling boil (for that you can crank the heat to high).
10) Once it starts boiling lower the heat to LOWest possible. Cover with the lid and cook for 18-20 minutes. No need to peek through by opening the lid. Put the timer and forget it.
11) After the 18-20 minutes, turn off the stove. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes (do not open the lid yet). After the resting time, open the lid and fluff up the rice.
12) Serving suggestion: This tastes too good on its own. But sure it can be served with raita or homemade yogurt (topped with roasted cumin powder, salt, and a sprinkle of red chili powder)
Check out more Rice Recipes
Capsicum rice // Coriander rice // Methi rice // Corn rice // Carrot rice
Palak Rice (Instant Pot Spinach Pulao)
Ingredients
To make puree:
- ½ cup Red onion roughly chopped
- ½ inch Ginger
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 Green chilies
- 1 ½ cups Spinach (Palak)
To make the rice:
- 1 cup Long grain rice or basmati rice
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Green cardamoms
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- ½ cup Carrot cubed
- ½ cup Green peas
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 ¾ cup Water (1 cup for Instant pot)
Instructions
- Wash the rice under running cold water till water runs clear. Or rinse 2-3 times till water is not cloudy anymore. Soak into enough water for 20 minutes.
- Then drain the water and keep it aside.
- While rice is soaking, do the prep work. Take an onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and spinach into the blender jar. Add only 2-3 tablespoons of water to make grinding easy.
- Grind into the smooth puree.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once hot add whole spices (bay leaf, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick). Saute for 30-45 seconds or till you get the nice aroma of spices.
- Add prepared spinach puree. Cook for 2-3 minutes or till it gets thicken sightly.
- Now add peas, carrot, salt and garam masala.
- Also, add drained rice and mix.
- Now add water and bring it to a rolling boil (for that you can crank the heat to high).
- Once it starts boiling lower the heat to LOWest possible. Cover with the lid and cook for 18-20 minutes. No need to peek through by opening the lid. Pu the timer and forget it.
- After the 18-20 minutes, turn off the stove. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes (do not open the lid yet). After the resting time, open the lid and fluff up the rice.
How to make Instant pot palak rice?
- Wash the rice really well. Soak in the water while you prep the rest of the ingredients. The soaking step can be skipped.
- Make the puree from onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and spinach with 2-3 tablespoons of water.
- Turn on the instant pot on saute mode. Once hot add oil. Then whole spices, saute for 30-40 seconds.
- Then add the prepared puree and cook for 2 minutes or till thickens slightly.
- Then add the rest of the ingredients (veggies, rice, salt, garam masala, water). Mix well.
- Cover with the lid, position the valve to seal, pressure cook (manual) for 5 minutes. The do QPR (quick pressure release) after 5 minutes.
- When pin drops open the lid and fluff up the rice.
Notes
- For spicy taste green chilies are added. So adjust it as per your preference.
- For the veggies part, I have added only peas and carrot. You can skip entirely or add your choice of veggies like potato, cauliflower, beans, corn, broccoli, baby corn, capsicum (bell pepper).
Neelesh Gupta
I tried this recipe today and my parents liked it. I have a couple suggestions to make the recipe better. First, I would cook the rice separately. This way, all the starch comes out. Next, I would sauté the onion and garlic beforehand. This way, you won't get a stomach ache due to kaccha (raw) onion. Next, I would first chop the spinach before putting in a food processor with sautéed onion and garlic, ginger and green chilies. After you put the puree in the pan and roasting the hole spices, then you put the cooked basmati rice and mix well. Them turn stove off and cover to steam the rice. That way, all the flavors will go in. Anyway, great recipes. I have used your recipes for most of my cooking. Everyt time, hthey turn out EXCELLENT!
Kanan Patel
Thank you for tips and suggestion. Your method will sure makes tasty rice.
In this recipe, I am trying to show easy, onepot and quick method. Because many of my readers looking for quick recipes as they are working or busy in the life.
If you have noticed, i have cooked the puree for some time, so it won't have raw onion taste. Plus, it will be cooking along with rice for 20 minutes. So for sure, you won't taste raw onion. About chopped spinach or adding whole leaves, it does not matter as long as the grinder/blender is good quality high power one.
Surabhi
I tried this recipe and substituted rice with foxtail millet. It turned out to be really good. This has become a regular lunch box dish. It feels so good to know that you are eating healthy and this dish is tasty as well. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Kanan
Very glad to know recipe works for you.
Thank you for detailed feedback