Mushroom biryani is quick and easy-to-make, flavorful, and classic vegetarian Indian rice dish made using mushrooms, basmati rice, and aromatic spices.
Don't miss to check out our popular and simple chicken biryani, healthy and nutritious vegetable biryani.
About the recipe
Mushroom biryani is a simple South Indian style rice recipe and the best variation to the traditional and authentic veg biryani, where the earthy taste of mushroom combines very well with the basmati rice and aromatic spices. If you want to get something close to the chicken biryani in a veg version for your vegetarian friends, I recommend you make this mushroom biryani.
Mushroom biryani is called kalan biryani in Tamil, puttagodugula biryani in Telugu, kumbh biryani in Hindi. This is also one of the best recipes for your office or school lunchbox, busy weeknight meals, potlucks, picnics, or any dinner party.
I love the stovetop dum biryani method. Instant pot mushroom biryani instructions are also shared, and you can use exactly the same steps for one pot or pressure cooker method.
While here, don't forget to check out some of the best vegetarian Indian recipes for lunch, lunchbox and dinner.
Ingredients
Rice: I highly recommend using basmati rice or biryani rice to make restaurant-style biryani at home. But feel free to use jeera rice, sona masuri, or seeraga samba rice.
Mushrooms: White mushrooms are what I have used, and you can use brown mushrooms and add more if required.
Ghee or oil: You can add only oil for the vegan version or combine the two to make it more flavorful.
Yogurt: It gives the base for your masala. If you want to make vegan mushroom biryani, use coconut cream or simply add lemon juice.
Spices: You cannot skip on the whole spices while making the biryani but also make sure you don't add too much, which will give the strong flavors and ruin your dish.
Herbs: Coriander leaves and mint (pudina) are a must. If you do not have them, then skip making biryani. It will taste more like pulao.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Mushroom dum biryani
Partially cook the rice for biryani
- Nicely wash the rice in water and soak it for atleast 20 to 30 minutes.
- You can start cooking the rice while you prep for the biryani. Bring 3 to 4 cups of water to boil in a pot with salt. Once the water starts boiling, add the rice, cook until it is 80 % cooked.
- Drain the rice, uncover the pot, or spread it on a plate to cool down and remain fluffy.
Simple Mushroom Biryani
Step 1: Heat oil and ghee in a pot. Add the spices - bay leaf, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, and cashews, and saute it for a minute.
Step 2: Now add the sliced onions, garlic, and ginger and continue to saute for another 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 3: Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.
Step 4: To this, add yogurt, turmeric, salt, chile powder, and garam masala powder.
Step 5: Mix and cook this for a minute. (Adjust all spices to taste, use coconut cream or coconut milk for the vegan version).
Step 6: Now add tomatoes, mint, coriander leaves, and green chilies and mix.
Step 7: Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
Step 8: Add the partially cooked rice and spread it gently in the pot. To this, add fresh herbs on top and drizzle one tablespoon of ghee or butter for extra flavor.
Step 9: Cover and dum cook on a low flame for 10 to 15 minutes until the rice is completely cooked.
Step 10: Fluff the rice and serve with your favorite yogurt salad or raita.
Pro Tips
- I love to make restaurant-style mushroom dum biryani with basmati rice. Feel free to use seeraga samba rice, jeera rice, keema rice, or sona masuri.
- We prefer white button mushrooms. You can add brown cremini mushrooms or combine the two.
- If you love your biryani packed with mushrooms, then feel free to double the quantity.
- To make biryani vegan, use coconut cream or coconut milk instead of yogurt.
- Adjust all the spices to taste.
- I have not added any water while dum cooking as the water released from the mushroom and masala was sufficient for me. If you feel the masala is dry, make sure to splash some water before adding rice.
- If the biryani rice is uncooked after dum cooking, splash some water and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Instant pot mushroom biryani
- Wash and soak the basmati or any variety of rice for 20 to 30 minutes and drain them.
- Turn on the SAUTE mode of your IP: heat ghee and oil. Add bay leaf, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, and cashews, and saute for a minute.
- Add chopped onions, garlic, and ginger, and saute for 5 to 6 minutes.
- To this, add sliced mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add yogurt, turmeric, salt, chile powder, garam masala powder, tomato, mint, coriander leaves, and green chilies, and saute for a minute. Scrape anything stuck to the bottom of your IP.
- Press cancel and turn off the SAUTE mode.
- Spread the rice over it. Do not mix.
- Add 1 ¼ cups of water around the pot's sides so the rice is just immersed. Again do not mix.
- Garnish with fresh herbs, and drizzle one tablespoon of ghee if needed. Close the lid with a vent in the sealing position.
- Select the manual or PRESSURE COOK at low for 5 minutes. After the instant pot beeps, quickly release any pressure.
- Open the lid of your IP, and fluff the rice. Serve with raita and enjoy.
Stovetop pressure cooker method
Follow the same steps as that of the instant pot. But here, mix after adding the rice once. Pressure cook for two whistles on medium flame. Let the pressure release naturally. Fluff the rice. Serve and enjoy.
One pot mushroom biryani
Follow the exact steps given for the instant pot and stir the mixture once. Cover your pot with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 12 to 15 minutes on your stovetop. Here you may need an additional ½ cup of water than the instant pot or pressure cooker method.
For one pot stovetop method, once the water is absorbed, check if the rice is cooked through thoroughly. If not, add more water and continue to cook.
Serving suggestions
Like any other biryani, even mushroom biryani tastes good when served alone, but you can serve it with yogurt salad, raita, papad, pickle, salan, etc.
Storage suggestions
- Leftover mushroom biryani can be stored in an airtight conatiner in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 days.
- You can also freeze the mushroom biryani in a freezer bag or zip-lock bag for up to two months.
- Add a splash of water and reheat the biryani in the microwave or stovetop until heated through.
Make ahead instructions
- Suppose you plan to take biryani for a potluck, picnic, or family get-together lunch. In that case, you can make the entire mushroom biryani ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 days. Just steam it with a splash of water and drizzle of ghee and herbs until heated.
- Prep the ingredients and keep them in a refrigerator a day before.
- If you are making mushroom dum biryani, then follow the steps until you add the rice. The biryani masala can be made ahead, cooled, and stored in an airtight conatiner for up to 2 days. Warm this before adding the par-cooked rice and dum cook for the best results.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, follow the same steps. Just skip yogurt and add lemon juice, coconut milk, or coconut cream.
Mushroom is one of the best options for vegetarians to have the benefits of meat without having to eat meat. Mushroom is high in protein with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential minerals required for your daily diet.
Yes, any type of mushroom can be used. White button mushrooms are easily available and commonly used. You can combine or use cremini mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, or any other edible seasonal mushroom-like thunder mushrooms from coastal regions.
The level of spiciness in any biryani will vary based on the amount of spices used. Based on your taste preference, adjust the amount of chilies and red chile powder.
Mushroom biryani is the best classic version of vegetarian biryani which tastes very close to biryani prepared using chicken because of the meaty mushroom flavor.
Using the best quality ingredients like basmati rice, fresh and firm mushrooms, using fresh ginger and garlic over the paste, and using onions, herbs, and basic aromatic spices will give you the best flavor.
More biryani recipes
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Recipe card
Mushroom Biryani
Equipment
- Pot or Instant pot or Pressure cooker
Ingredients
Mushroom Biryani Recipe Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon Ghee add oil for vegan biryani
- 1 Bay leaf
- 3 Cardamom pods
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 5 Cashews halved
- 3 Onions medium size thinly sliced.
- 1 inch Ginger chopped
- 5 Garlic cloves chopped
- 200 g Mushroom sliced (7 oz)
- ½ cup Yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon Red chile powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 2 Tomatoes chopped
- 2 to 3 Green chilies slit
- 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves chopped more for garnish
- 2 tablespoon Mint leaves chopped more for garnish
Instructions
Partially cook the rice for biryani
- Nicely wash the rice in water 2 to 3 times and soak it for atleast 30 minutes.1 cup Basmati rice
- You can start cooking the rice while you prep for the biryani. Bring 3 to 4 cups of water to boil in a pot with salt. Once the water starts boiling, add the rice, cook until it is 80 % cooked.
- Drain the rice, uncover the pot, or spread it on a plate to cool down and remain fluffy.
Simple Mushroom Biryani
- Heat oil and ghee in a pot. Add the spices - bay leaf, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, and cashews, and saute it for a minute.1 tablespoon Oil, 1 tablespoon Ghee, 1 Bay leaf, 3 Cardamom pods, 1 inch Cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds, 5 Cashews
- Now add the sliced onions, garlic, and ginger and continue to saute for another 5 to 6 minutes.3 Onions, 1 inch Ginger, 5 Garlic cloves
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.200 g Mushroom
- To this, add yogurt, turmeric, salt, chile powder, and garam masala powder. Mix and cook this for a minute. (Adjust all spices to taste, use coconut cream or coconut milk for the vegan version).½ cup Yogurt, ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 ½ teaspoon Red chile powder, 1 ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- Now add tomatoes, mint, coriander leaves, and green chilies and mix. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.2 Tomatoes, 2 to 3 Green chilies slit, 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves chopped, 2 tablespoon Mint leaves chopped
- Add the partially cooked rice and spread it gently in the pot.
- Add fresh herbs on top and drizzle one tablespoon of ghee or butter for extra flavor.
- Cover and dum cook on a low flame for 10 to 15 minutes until the rice is completely cooked.
- Fluff the rice and serve as needed.
Instant pot mushroom biryani
- Wash and soak the basmati or any variety of rice for 20 to 30 minutes and drain them.
- Turn on the SAUTE mode of your IP: heat ghee and oil. Add bay leaf, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, and cashews, and saute for a minute.
- Add chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and saute for 5 to 6 minutes.
- To this, add sliced mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add yogurt, turmeric, salt, chile powder, garam masala powder, tomato, mint, coriander leaves, and green chilies, and saute for a minute. Scrape anything stuck to the bottom of your IP.
- Press cancel and turn off the SAUTE mode.
- Spread the rice over it. Do not mix.
- Add 1 ¼ cups of water around the pot's sides so the rice is just immersed. Again do not mix.
- Garnish with fresh herbs, and drizzle one tablespoon of ghee if needed. Close the lid with a vent in the sealing position.
- Select the manual or PRESSURE COOK at low for 5 minutes. After the instant pot beeps, quickly release any pressure.
- Open the lid of your IP, and fluff the rice. Serve with raita and enjoy.
Stovetop pressure cooker method
- Follow the same steps as that of the instant pot. But here, mix after adding the rice once. Pressure cook for two whistles on medium flame.
- Let the pressure release naturally. Fluff the rice. Serve and enjoy.
One pot mushroom biryani (stovetop)
- Follow the exact steps given for the instant pot and stir the mixture once. Cover your pot with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 12 to 15 minutes on your stovetop. Here you may need an additional ½ cup of water than the instant pot or pressure cooker method.
- For one pot stovetop method, once the water is absorbed, check if the rice is cooked through thoroughly. If not, add more water and continue to cook.
Video
Notes
- I love to make restaurant-style mushroom dum biryani with basmati rice. Feel free to use seeraga samba rice, jeera rice, keema rice, or sona masuri.
- We prefer white button mushrooms. You can add brown cremini mushrooms or combine the two.
- If you love your biryani packed with mushrooms, then feel free to double the quantity.
- To make biryani vegan, use coconut cream or coconut milk instead of yogurt.
- Adjust all the spices to taste.
- I have not added any water while dum cooking as the water released from the mushroom and masala was sufficient for me. If you feel the masala is dry, make sure to splash some water before adding rice.
- If the biryani rice is uncooked after dum cooking, splash some water and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this recipe on Sep 2015. It has now been modified in July 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Calories, Recipe cards, Storage Instructions, etc.
Elizabeth
Such a delicious and flavorful dish! Making it in the instant pot is so quick and easy. Thanks for sharing!
Lubna
What a wonderful and delicious looking dish. Would love to try the instant pot version...