This Spinach Rice is also known as Palak Rice or Palak Pulao in Hindi (Palak=Spinach). This Indian Spinach rice is easy, delicious, and adds beautiful color to your plate. It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare in an Instant Pot pressure cooker It is perfect for Kids Lunchbox that your kids and your family would love to have.

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Palak rice pulao is Indian style spinach rice made with basmati rice, fresh spinach, spices and herbs. This iron-rich dish is super quick and easy to make for a quick meal. Mildly spiced yet tastes delicious and uses nothing but pantry staples. It’s a meal in itself and you won’t need any sides. But you may serve it with a cucumber Raita or Vegetable salad to perk up the nutrition of your meal.

About Palak Rice

Palak rice also known as Spinach rice is an Indian dish where cooked rice is mixed with sautéed and spiced spinach and herbs. It is made in numerous ways and this palak rice is a family favorite and is made time and again. It goes well in the office and school boxes too.

If you have leftover cooked rice it takes only 15 minutes to make this delicious Palak Pulao. You can add as many veggies as you want or any choices of your veggies. I like to add whole dry spices, carrots, peas, corn and onions. You can add potatoes too.

Health benefits of Spinach

Spinach is a superfood. It contains tons of nutrients, high levels of vitamins K and A, protein, iron, and minerals.
Spinach improves athletic performance, reduces cholesterol levels, and lessens the risk of heart disease.
Spinach is important for skin, hair, and bone health.

Why You’ll Love this Instant Pot Spinach Pulao

Easy, quick, and wholesome.
One-pot recipe.
Perfect for kids or adult lunch boxes.
Vegan, vegetarian, and Gluten-free

Ingredients for Spinach Rice Recipe

These are the main ingredients needed for this healthy spinach rice recipe.

Rice: I have used long grain basmati rice, you can also use sona masoori.
Spinach: I have used fresh organic baby spinach.
Vegetables: I used onion, tomato, and green peas, carrots. You can also use other vegetables like green beans, and potatoes.
Garlic, ginger, and green chilies: I have used freshly minced ginger and garlic paste. You can use any green chili variety for this recipe.
Herbs: Used fresh-cut coriander leaves (cilantro).
Spices: For whole spices, I used bayleaf, cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. I used cashews too.
Oil: any cooking oil of your choice.
Lime juice: freshly squeezed lime/lemon juice gives the best flavor.

⏰Prep Time: 10 minutes
👩‍🍳 Cook Time : 10 minutes
🍽️ Cuisine: Indian
🍴Course: Main Course / lunchbox
✍️ Author: Shruti Naik

Method:

If you don’t have cooked rice then cook rice first or you can just make it as one pot meal.
Take ghee or oil into heavy bottom pan. Add cumin seeds and all whole dry spices.
Add asafetida. Add minced garlic ginger and chopped onions. Sauté it for few minutes.
Add green pepper, carrots, potatoes, peas and corn. Add salt to taste and let it cook for little bit.
Add rice and spinach purée. Mix it gently and let it be on low flame for few minutes.
Turn the flame off and serve this spinach rice with cucumber Raita or salad.

Spinach Rice in one Pot pressure cooker or instant pot!

Method:

Start the sauté option in instant pot or turn the flame on of stove and Heat the pressure cooker.
Add ghee or oil into it. Add cumin seeds and all whole spices. Add minced ginger garlic and chopped onions and sauté it for few minutes.
After that add all veggies like carrots, peas, corn and potatoes and chopped spinach. Add whole cashews.
Add soaked rice and spinach purée. Add salt to taste, garam masala and chili paste. Mix all together well. Turn off sauté option of instant pot and turn on the pressure cook button when you close the lid.
Add water not too much. Turn the lid off of pressure cooker or Instant pot. Let it cook. When it’s done turn off the flame and open the lid and garnish with cilantro.
Serve this delicious spinach pulav with cucumber Raita or vegetable salad with side of Papad.

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