This Veg Soya Keema Biryani is a rich, layered, packed with flavor, high-protein veg biryani that’s 100% vegetarian! Once you try this one, you will never say, “there’s no such thing as veg biryani” ever again!
I’ll be honest, most veg biryani recipes have never really done it for me. No matter how well you make them, they don’t have that richness that a good keema or mutton biryani brings to the table. So when I started working on this recipe, the goal was simple: make a veg biryani that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
And this soya biryani recipe is a winner! The soya granules, once cooked down in the masala, have this incredible meaty texture that soaks up every bit of spice. I made this for a few friends, and not one of them could guess that it wasn’t mutton! If my veg biryani or paneer biryani has worked for you before, this one’s going to be an absolute hit.
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Ingredients for Soya Keema Biryani
- Soya Granules: The star of the dish. Once soaked and cooked down in the masala, they take on a texture that’s surprisingly close to keema.
- Basmati Rice: Use aged extra long-grain basmati; it stays fluffy and holds its shape beautifully after layering.
- Oil: Any neutral-flavoured oil, like sunflower, works well.
- Aromatics: Onions, ginger, garlic paste, and green chilli for the base of the gravy.
- Spices: Kashmiri chilli, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, meat masala, and kasuri methi to build that deep, layered flavor.
- Tomato Puree & Curds: These two form the body of the gravy, tomato for tang, whisked curds for richness.
- Whole Spices: Bay leaf, dalchini, cloves, cardamom, and stone flower is used in both the gravy and the rice.
- For Layering: Birista, freshly chopped mint, and coriander leaves, saffron soaked in warm milk, and a tablespoon of ghee to finish it off.
- Lemon Wedge: Added while cooking the rice to keep the grains white and separate.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Squeeze out the soya granules well. They tend to hold a lot of water, which can make your gravy too watery and dilute the masala.
- Cook the gravy until the oil separates. This is what gives the biryani its deep flavor. Don’t rush this step.
- Cook your rice to only 70%. The rice finishes cooking during the dum, so if it’s fully cooked before layering, it’ll turn mushy.
- Let the biryani rest for half an hour before serving. This gives the rice time to firm up, so the grains don’t break when you fluff it.
- Use a tawa under the pot while steaming. This distributes the heat evenly and prevents the bottom layer from burning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soya keema is made from soya granules (also called soya mince or textured vegetable protein). Once soaked and cooked in the masala, they break down into a texture that closely resembles minced meat.
Granules work much better here because they mimic the texture of keema. Chunks won’t give you the same mince-like feel and won’t absorb the masala as well. We’ve tried soya chunks in this recipe but just did not enjoy the way it cooks in this biryani – we could clearly taste the soya and they did not absorb the masala as well so we recommend sticking to granules. If you can’t find soya granules, use hydrated/soaked soya chunks and run them in a food processor till they resemble granules.
Honestly, very close to a keema biryani. The soya takes on the flavour of whatever it’s cooked in, so with the right masala and layering, it’s hard to tell the difference.
Biryani can be both. Traditionally, it’s made with meat, but vegetarian versions like this one, when done right, are just as yummy.
You can cook the gravy in an Instant Pot, but for the layering and dum, a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove will give you much better results.
Storage Tips
- In the fridge: Store leftover soya keema biryani in an airtight container for up to 2–3 days. The rice will firm up slightly as it cools.
- Freezing: Freezing is not recommended, as the rice can lose its texture and the soya granules tend to become chewy once thawed.
- Reheating tip: Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to loosen the rice. Cover while reheating so the layers stay moist and don’t dry out.
Serving Ideas
If you’re serving this Soya keema biryani it for a weekend lunch or have people over, a few raita sides make it even better:
- With Onion Raita: The classic biryani pairing. The crunch of raw onions and the coolness of the curd cut right through the spice.
- With Cucumber Raita: Light, creamy, and refreshing, just four ingredients and five minutes is all it takes.
- With Boondi Raita: If you want something with a little more texture, this one adds that nice crunch and soaks up all the curd beautifully.
Did You Know?
Soya granules are made from defatted soy flour, meaning the oil has already been extracted from the soybean. What’s left is almost pure protein, which is then processed under high heat and pressure into those small, textured pieces. This process is what gives them their sponge-like structure, which is why they absorb liquid and flavour so aggressively.
Gram for gram, soya granules contain nearly twice the protein of chicken, making them one of the most protein-dense vegetarian ingredients in an Indian kitchen.
Once you try this, I have a feeling it’ll become your go-to biryani for weekends and family get-togethers. If you end up making it, share a picture with me on Instagram @my_foodstory. Nothing makes my day more than seeing you guys cook these recipes at home.
Watch Veg Soya Keema Biryani Recipe Video
Veg Soya Keema Biryani
Ingredients
Biryani gravy
- 1 cup soya granules
- 4 cups water divided
- 3 tablespoons sunflower or any neutral flavoured oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch dalchini
- 4 cloves
- 2 cardamoms
- 1 ¼ cups finely chopped onions
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 green chilli finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kashmiri chilli powder
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons meat masala
- ⅛ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted & crushed kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup tomato puree
- ½ cup curds whisked
Biryani rice
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice 270gms, soaked for 30 minutes
- 6 cups water
- 1 ½ tablespoons salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch dalchini
- 4 cloves
- 2 cardamoms
- 1 piece stone flower pathar ke phool
- ½ lemon wedge note 3
For Biryani
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons birista golden fried onions
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
- A pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tablespoons of warm milk
- 1 tablespoon ghee
Instructions
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Take soya granules in a bowl, add 3 cups of boiling water and soak for 15 – 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze excess water from the granules. See note 1.1 cup soya granules, 4 cups water
Biryani gravy
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Heat oil in a deep pot or kadai (to be used for layering biryani), add whole spices – bayleaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, and saute for a few seconds till fragrant. Add onions and saute on low till they turn golden. Add ginger garlic paste, saute for a few seconds till the rawness goes, add spice powders – coriander, cumin, kashmiri chilli, turmeric, meat masala, garam masala & salt and saute for a few seconds. Add tomato puree, 2 teaspoons of the marinade and cook for 7-8 minutes on low until oil separates from the masala. Add whisked curds and cook for 6-7 minutes on low till oil separates. Add soya granules, 1 cup of water and cook covered for 8-10 minutes till it absorbs the masalas. Take off the heat & reserve ½ portion of the soya gravy separately in a bowl.3 tablespoons sunflower or any neutral flavoured oil, 1 bay leaf, 1 inch dalchini, 4 cloves, 2 cardamoms, 1 ¼ cups finely chopped onions, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, 1 green chilli finely chopped, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1 ½ teaspoons kashmiri chilli powder, ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 ½ teaspoons meat masala, ⅛ teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup tomato puree, ½ cup curds, ½ teaspoon roasted & crushed kasuri methi
Layering Biryani
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add 2 tablespoons of birista to the soya gravy in the pot, 2 teaspoons of chopped mint & coriander leaves.¼ cup + 2 tablespoons birista, 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves, 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
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Heat water in a pot, add salt, spices, lemon and bring to a boil on high heat. Drain the soaked rice and add to the pot and bring to a boil. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes just until the rice is cooked 70%. Using a slotted spoon take out ½ portion of cooked rice and spread evenly on top of the gravy.6 cups water, 1 ½ tablespoons salt, 1 bay leaf, 1 inch dalchini, 4 cloves, 2 cardamoms, 1 piece stone flower, ½ lemon wedge, 1 ½ cups basmati rice
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Spread the reserved ½ portion of the soya gravy, add the remaining ½ portion of cooked rice. sprinkle 1 tablespoon of birista, 2 teaspoons of mint & coriander leaves. Rub the saffron in the milk to extract the fragrance and the color and sprinkle it evenly on top of rice. Drizzle ghee and cover with a lid. Heat a tawa and place the biryani pot on top and steam for 15 minutes on low and rest for half an hour before serving.A pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tablespoons of warm milk, 1 tablespoon ghee
Video
Notes
- It is essential to squeeze out excess water from the soaked soya granules as they tend to make the gravy too watery.
- Use aged extra long-grain basmati rice for the most authentic flavor and texture.
- Soya gravy is added in layers to the biryani to ensure even distribution of flavours.
- Lemon wedge added while cooking biryani rice to ensure that rice stays white.
- Before serving, allow the biryani to rest for half an hour. Gently fluff the rice using a fork or a silicone spatula. This will help the delicate rice grains to firm up a bit, preventing them from breaking.
Nutrition
This article was researched and written by Harita Odedra.
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