What To Eat With Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is very popular in the Indian cuisine. It is a flavorful long grain aromatic rice. It is used to make a variety of pulao or pilafs like peas pulao and mushroom pulao, biryani, fried rice, khichdi, cilantro lime rice, and other sweet rice dishes like rice pudding.

Plain basmati rice is served with Indian meals with dals, beans, curries, and sauteed veggies. I like cooking basmati rice in the Instant Pot and it turns out perfect.

This is an awesome list of vegetarian recipes to serve with basmati rice for dinner. You will also find healthy options made in the air fryer.

FAQ

What dish goes well with rice?

In the Indian cuisine dal rice is very popular served with sauteed vegetables. You can serve basmati rice with different types of dals and beans. In the Asian cuisine, Manchurian and Thai curries are very popular. Indian curries go well with rice too.

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Lentils and beans

Toor Dal

Toor dal or split pigeon peas is a lentil and is popularly used to make dal tadka. It is vegan, gluten-free, and served with Indian bread or rice dishes. This is a quick and easy recipe to make toor dal in an instant pot without soaking.

Instant Pot toor dal recipe

Chana Dal

Chana dal fry is an Indian lentil curry made with split chickpeas and cooked with tomato onion gravy and spices. Check out how to make this easy chana dal recipe in instant pot without soaking.

Instant Pot chana dal recipe

chana dal in a bowl garnished with cilantro.

Masoor Dal (Split Red Lentils)

Masoor dal is a vegan and gluten-free Indian red lentil curry. It is served with rice and Indian bread like roti. It is perfect for weekday meals and for meal planning. Check out how to make masoor dal in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot masoor dal recipe

Green Moong Dal

Green moong dal curry or split green lentil curry is a vegan and gluten-free Indian dish. It is served with rice or Indian bread. Check out how to make green moong dal without soaking in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot green moong dal recipe

Green moong dal served in a bowl, garnished with cilantro leaves.

Mixed Dal (Panchmel Dal)

This is a delicious, hearty, vegan and gluten free recipe of mixed lentils. It is popularly known as panchmel or panchratna dal. Serve it with Indian flatbread and rice for a satisfying meal

Instant Pot mixed dal recipe

Spinach Dal

Dal palak or spinach dal is a nutritious Indian lentil dish. It is vegan, gluten-free, and a kid-friendly dish served with Indian bread or rice. Check out how to make spinach dal in the Instant Pot using moong dal.

Instant Pot spinach dal recipe

Spinach Daal in a flat bowl and a rice plate on the side.

Whole Masoor Dal

Brown lentil curry or whole masoor dal is an Indian vegan and gluten-free dish. It is easy to make, nutritious, and high in protein and fiber. Check out how to make whole masoor dal in an instant pot.

Instant Pot whole masoor dal recipe

Whole Masoor Dal curry in a serving bowl.

Mung Beans

Mung beans curry is a vegan and gluten-free Indian dish made with whole mung beans. It is best served with Indian bread or rice. Check out how to make mung beans in an instant pot without soaking them.

Instant Pot mung beans

Dal Makhani

Dal makhani is a nutritious Indian lentil curry also known as Madras lentils. It is a vegan, gluten-free, and one-pot meal that is served with Indian bread or basmati rice. Check out this Instant Pot dal makhani recipe.

Instant Pot dal makhani recipe

Dal Makhani in a serving wok and garnished with cilantro and butter.

Indian Black Eyed Peas

Indian black-eyed peas curry also known as lobia masala can be made in an electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot without soaking the peas. It is vegan, gluten-free, and very easy to make. It is served with Indian bread and rice.

Indian black eyed peas recipe

Black eyed pea curry served in a metallic bowl and garnished with sliced lime and onion.

Vegan Mixed Bean Curry - Instant Pot

A delicious vegan mixed beans curry recipe cooked in tomato gravy in the instant pot. It goes well with Indian bread or rice. It is vegan and goes well for lunch, dinner, potlucks. It can be made ahead of time and works well for meal planning too.

Instant Pot mixed bean curry

Instant Pot Kala Chana

Kala chana is a famous Indian vegan and gluten free curry. Check out how to make Instant Pot kala chana with this easy recipe by soaking and without soaking.

Instant Pot kala chana recipe

Instant Pot Rajma

Rajma masala is a vegan and gluten-free Indian curry made with kidney beans, tomato onion gravy and spices. It is popularly served with rice as rajma chawal. Check out how to make rajma in Instant Pot and how to store it for meal planning.

Instant Pot rajma masala

Instant Pot Chana Masala

Chana masala also known as chole is an Indian vegan and gluten-free chickpeas curry cooked in onion tomato gravy and spices. It is served with bhatura, deep-fried puffy bread, and the dish is known as chole bhature. Check out this Instant Pot chana masala recipe by soaking and without soaking the chickpeas.

Instant Pot chana masala recipe

Instant Pot Black Beans | No Soak Recipe

Cook your black beans to perfection without soaking for your favorite burritos, tacos, and bowls with this easy instant pot Mexican black beans recipe. It is vegan, gluten-free, kid-friendly and goes well for potlucks too! Cooked black beans also store well and work perfectly for meal planning.

Instant Pot black beans recipe

Instant Pot Sambar

Sambar is an Indian lentil stew made with split pigeon peas, veggies, and spices. It is vegan and gluten-free. It is served with rice and Indian breakfast items like idli, dosa, and uttapam. Check out how to make sambar in the instant pot.

Instant Pot sambar recipe

Curries

Gujarati Kadhi - Yogurt Soup

Kadhi is a gluten-free Indian yogurt soup made with yogurt, chickpea flour, and spices. Gujarati kadhi is a light kadhi, slightly tangy, spicy, and mildly sweet in flavor. It goes well with khichdi, rice, and rice dishes. Check out how to make Gujarati kadhi in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.

Gujarati kadhi recipe

Besan curry and cooked rice served in copper bowls.

Matar Paneer (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

Matar paneer is a gluten-free, kid-friendly Indian curry made with peas and paneer. If you are looking for easy 30-minute meal ideas then matar paneer is one of the simple paneer recipes for lunch or dinner. Check out how to make matar paneer in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop.

Matar paneer recipe

Palak Paneer | Instant Pot and Stovetop

Palak paneer or spinach paneer is an Indian gluten-free curry made with spinach, Indian cottage cheese, and spices. This is an easy restaurant-style recipe to make palak paneer in Instant Pot or stovetop. It is kid friendly and can be made vegan by substituting paneer with tofu.

Palak paneer recipe

Methi Malai Matar Paneer

Methi malai matar paneer is a popular Indian curry made with fresh fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi, green peas, and paneer simmered in a cashew-based onion tomato gravy. It is served with rice or Indian bread. It is gluten-free and can be made vegan. Check out how to make methi malai matar paneer in the instant pot or on the stovetop.

Methi malai matar paneer recipe

Methi Malai Matar curry served in a serving wok.

Paneer Butter Masala (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

Paneer butter masala is a popular vegetarian Indian paneer recipe. It is gluten-free and can be made vegan. It is perfect to serve with Indian bread like naan and roti. Check out this quick recipe to make paneer butter masala recipe in the Instant Pot or stovetop.

Paneer butter masala recipe

Malai Kofta | Air Fryer

Malai kofta is a popular Indian curry and is usually served with naan. It is made of paneer dumplings served in a creamy cashew sauce. It is mild in spiciness and slightly sweet in taste. Check out how to make malai kofta balls in an air fryer and the cashew curry in the instant pot.

Malai kofta recipe

Dum Aloo In Instant Pot - Indian Potato Recipe

Instant pot dum aloo is a quick and easy Indian potato recipe to make at home. It is gluten-free and can be made vegan. It is best served with Indian bread and basmati rice. Check out how to make dum aloo in an instant pot with step-by-step instructions.

Dum aloo recipe

Dum aloo served in a bowl with roti and rice on the side.

Asian

Air Fryer Gobi Manchurian

Gobi Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish. It is vegan, gluten-free, and served with rice or noodles. Check out this easy recipe to make dry gobi Manchurian in the air fryer for parties and potlucks.

Air fryer gobi manchurian

Cauliflower Manchurian served in a bowl.

Veg Manchurian In Air Fryer

Veg manchurian is one of the popular Indo-Chinese recipes. It is vegan and can be easily made gluten-free. This cabbage manchurian is made by cooking vegetable balls in the air fryer and served in a savory and spicy gravy. Veg manchurian is served with fried rice, hakka noodles, or chowmein.

Air fryer veg manchurian

Vegan Thai Green Curry

This Instant Pot Thai green curry recipe with tofu is vegan, gluten-free, and loaded with veggies. It can be adapted to use vegetables of your choice. Thai curry is comfort food and can easily be made for lunch or dinner in the Instant Pot in under 30 minutes.

Thai green curry recipe

Side dish

Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites (Indian)

These air fryer Indian cauliflower bites are perfect as a side dish or an appetizer. They are marinated with spices and cooked to perfection. Check out how to make these vegan and gluten-free cauliflower bites in air fryer.

Air fryer Indian cauliflower recipe

Bowl full of cauliflower florets cooked in Air Fryer.

Stuffed Okra (Bharwa Bhindi) - Air Fryer

Stuffed okra or bharwa bhindi is an Indian vegan and gluten-free dish made with fresh okra and Indian spices. It is served as a side dish with Indian meals. Check out how to make stuffed okra recipe in the air fryer.

Stuffed okra recipe

Air fryer stuffed okra served in a plate.

Air Fryer Frozen Okra

Frozen okra is easy to make in the air fryer and that too without making them slimy. Checkout this easy, vegan, gluten-free, air fryer frozen okra recipe to make Indian style okra fry.

Air fryer frozen okra

Karela Fry - Air Fryer

Karela fry is an Indian vegan and gluten-free dish made with bitter melon. It is served as a side dish with Indian meals. Check out how to make karela fry in the air fryer.

Karela fry recipe

Air fryer cooked bitter gourd in a plate.

Stuffed Bitter Gourd | Bharwa Karela

Stuffed bitter gourd or bharwa karela is a vegan and gluten-free Indian dish. It is made with a filling of spices and besan stuffed into the karela. Check out this air fryer stuffed karela recipe.

Bharwa karela recipe

Air Fried Eggplant Slices (Begun Bhaja)

Baingan bhaja or begun bhaja is a savory Indian roasted aubergine dish made with sliced eggplants and spices. Check out this vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, air-fried sliced eggplant recipe with no breadcrumbs.

Air fryer eggplant slices

Roasted eggplant slices stacked in a serving plate.

Baingan Bharta - Air Fryer and Oven

Baingan bharta is a popular Indian aubergine dish made with roasted mashed eggplants and spices. It is vegan and gluten-free. It is served with Indian meals. Check out how to make baingan bharta using an air fryer or an oven.

Baingan bharta recipe