Fragrant, comforting, and easy to serve as a complete meal, Instant Pot Spinach Rice| Palak Rice is a vegetarian Indian, South Indian main course made with basmati rice, fresh spinach/palak, and green peas in about 16 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: 6 minutes
  • Total time: 16 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice (rinsed and drained)
  • 2-3 cups fresh spinach/palak
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 medium tomato chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger-garlic
  • 2-3 green chillies chopped
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 bayleaf
  • 2 cardamom
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin/jeera
  • 6-7 cashew-nuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • salt

Method

  1. Press saute mode on Instant Pot. Add oil and once it's hot, add whole spices, cumin and cashew-nuts.
  2. Saute till cashew nuts turn light brown in color.
  3. Then add sliced onions,ginger-garlic paste,green chillies.Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and light brown in color - stir regularly.
  4. Then add tomatoes.cook for 2 minutes till they turn soft.
  5. Add spinach leaves,green peas cook till the leaves wilt.
  6. Add rinsed Basmati Rice,water,turmeric powder,garam masala powder,coriander powder,coriander leaves,lime juice and give a stir.
  7. Close the lid on the pot, and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.
  8. Press CANCEL button on Instant Pot.Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK button (High Pressure) and set timer to 6 minutes
  9. Wait for Natural Pressure Release(NPR).BE CAREFUL OF THE HOT STEAM
  10. Remove lid away from you,Mix well
  11. Spinach Rice is ready.Serve with Raita or plain yogurt.

INDIAN PRESSURE COOKER METHOD:

  1. Heat a pressure cooker with oil on medium flame, Add oil and once it's hot, add whole spices, cumin and cashew-nuts.
  2. Saute till cashew nuts turn light brown in color.
  3. Then add sliced onions,ginger-garlic paste,green chillies.Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and light brown in color - stir regularly.
  4. Then add tomatoes.cook for 2 minutes till they turn soft.
  5. Add spinach leaves,green peas cook till the leaves wilt
  6. Add rinsed Basmati Rice,water,turmeric powder,garam masala powder,coriander powder,coriander leaves,lime juice and give a stir.
  7. Close the lid place a whistle and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame.
  8. After 10 mins Fluff up the rice gently.
  9. Spinach Rice is ready.Serve with 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.