Fragrant, comforting, and easy to serve as a complete meal, Instant Pot Potato Biryani (Aloo Biryani) is a vegetarian, dairy-free Indian, South Indian main course made with oil, potato (aloo), and onion in about 20 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Ingredients

  • 2-3 tablespoons oil ((or ghee))
  • 3 large potato (aloo) (cut into large cubes)
  • 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1/2 cup mint (pudina)
  • 1/2 cup coriander leaves
  • 1/2 cup curd (yogurt) (dairy free can be used)
  • 1 tablespoon biryani masala powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
  • 2 green chilies
  • 1.5 cups basmati rice
  • 2.5 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Whole Spices

  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 2 cardamom

Method

Instant Pot Method:

  1. Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil, and once it's hot, add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaf.
  2. Add potatoes and saute them for 2 minutes till they turn light golden brown.
  3. Then add sliced onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn light brown -stir regularly.
  4. Add tomato and cook for 2 minutes till tomatoes turn mushy.
  5. Then add curd (yogurt), mint, coriander leaves, biryani masala powder, turmeric powder, and cook for another minute.
  6. Add rinsed basmati rice, water, salt, and give a stir.
  7. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
  8. Once the pot beeps, Wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
  9. Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Aloo or Potato Biryani is ready. Serve with Onion raita or plain yogurt.

Indian Pressure Cooker Method

  1. Heat a pressure cooker with oil on medium flame, add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaf.
  2. Add potatoes and saute them for 2 minutes till they turn light golden brown.
  3. Then add sliced onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn light brown in color - stir regularly.
  4. Add tomato and cook for 2 minutes till tomatoes turn mushy.
  5. Then add curd, mint, coriander leaves, biryani masala powder, turmeric powder, and cook for another one minute.
  6. Add rinsed basmati rice, water, salt, and give a stir.
  7. Cover the cooker with a lid and cook for two whistles.
  8. Aloo Biryani is ready. Serve with Onion Raita or plain yogurt.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.