Recipe · North-Indian / Hyderabadi-veg · verified 2026-09-01
Paneer Biryani
The vegetarian dum biryani built around soft paneer cubes — spiced basmati, a creamy paneer-and-vegetable gravy, and a saffron-ghee top, sealed and slow-steamed.
At a glance
- Heat
- Medium
- Style
- North-Indian / Hyderabadi-veg
- Total
- ~1 h 15 min
- Method
- Pakki — 3-layer dum
- Serves
- 4
- Protein
- Paneer (+ light veg)
- Signature
- Soft paneer, creamy gravy, saffron top
What makes it distinctive
Paneer biryani is the vegetarian celebration dish where the star is the paneer: soft cubes folded into a creamy, tomato-yogurt gravy with light vegetables, layered with spiced basmati and finished with saffron milk, ghee and fried onions. It's the most-requested veg biryani in Indian restaurants and a natural protein substitute when you want the richness of a meat biryani without the meat.
Ingredients
Paneer + light veg
- 200 g (7 oz) firm paneer, cubed, soaked in hot water 20 min then drained
- ½ cup each: peas, diced carrot, baby corn, diced potato, French beans (to taste)
- 1 cup (250 ml) mixed vegetables total
- Ghee or oil, for sautéing the paneer
The gravy
- 3 Tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp ginger–green-chili paste
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp biryani masala
- ¼ cup yogurt
- ½ cup milk
- A pinch of sugar
- Salt to taste
Rice
- 2½ cups (500 g) aged long-grain basmati, rinsed + soaked 30 min
- Heavily salted water + bay, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves
- 1 tsp oil
Layering / garnish
- 1 Tbsp ghee (over the top)
- ½ cup fried onions (birista)
- Chopped cashews + raisins
- A pinch of saffron in 2 Tbsp warm milk
Method
- Prep the paneer: soak the cubes in hot water 20 min, drain. Lightly sauté them in 1 Tbsp ghee until golden on the edges. Parboil the mixed vegetables until just tender; drain.
- Make the gravy: heat 3 Tbsp oil; add cumin seeds, then the chopped onion and fry to golden. Add the ginger–chili paste, turmeric, coriander, chili, garam masala and masala; sauté. Add the tomatoes + a splash of water; cook until pulpy. Add the parboiled vegetables, the sautéed paneer, salt and milk; cook 2–3 min. Stir in the yogurt + sugar; cook 1 min.
- Parboil the rice to 70–75% in salted spiced water; drain.
- Coat the rice with ¼ cup yogurt, the saffron milk and half the fried onions; divide into two portions.
- Layer (3 layers): ½ the rice in a handi → spread the paneer gravy evenly → the other ½ of the rice → drizzle the ghee over the top.
- Seal + dum: lid on, on a tawa/griddle, slow flame 25 min.
- Serve hot; garnish with the remaining fried onions, cashews, raisins.
Pro tips
- Sauté the paneer before layering — a light golden crust keeps the cubes from dissolving into the gravy.
- The creaminess comes from the milk + yogurt in the gravy; don't skimp either.
- Keep the gravy slightly loose so it perfumes the rice during the dum.
Troubleshooting
- Mushy rice — parboiled too far, or the gravy was too watery.
- Paneer falls apart — don't over-sauté it; parboil the veg less.
- Flat flavour — more salt + saffron; veg biryani needs a touch more seasoning.
Variations
- More veg: add cauliflower, baby corn and French beans to make it a mixed-veg biryani.
- Spicy: add a few slit green chilies to the gravy for a Hyderabadi-veg heat.
- Vegan: swap paneer for firm tofu, ghee for neutral oil, yogurt for non-dairy, and soak the saffron in non-dairy milk.
FAQ
- What is paneer?
- Indian cottage cheese (fresh, unaged). It holds its shape when cooked, which is why it's the go-to vegetarian protein for biryani.
- Can I make this vegan?
- Yes — tofu for the paneer, neutral oil for the ghee, a non-dairy yogurt and non-dairy milk for the saffron soak.
- How long is the dum?
- 25 min on a slow flame, on a tawa/griddle to protect the bottom. Everything is pre-cooked; the steam just melds the layers.