Egg Biryani - Instructions for Instant Pot Biryani (pressure cooker biryani)

Delicious Egg Biryani or Anda Biryani is a stress-free one-pot biryani that is made in the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Boiled eggs are cooked together with onions, biryani spices, and long-grained rice. A delicious a hearty meal that pairs well with most Indian recipes.

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• Ingredient list and notes
• Recipe Instructions
• Tips and Recommendations
• Looking for more Rice-based mains?
• Egg Biryani Recipe

Egg Biryani or Anda biryani, as it is called in India, is a tribute to the humble egg. If you, like me, love eggs, you will love this one-pot egg biryani. Egg Biryani is the perfect biryani recipe for beginners to try – especially if the thought of making biryani intimidates you. In this easy recipe, boiled eggs are cooked with rice and spices and herbs along with a rich gravy made with onions and tomatoes.

This one-pot egg biryani recipe is made easily in the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. You can make it on the stovetop as well. This meal is what I always make when I am craving a nice, hearty biryani, yet don't have time to make a chicken biryani (which, delicious though it may be, needs a little more time for marination, etc).

Make this one-pot biryani and pair it with Raita or if you are making it as part of a menu, pair it with Chicken Korma or even with Vegetable Korma if you are making a meat-free menu.

Ingredient list and notes

To make egg biryani, you will need the following ingredients:

(head to the bottom of this page for the detailed ingredient measures in the recipe card)

Eggs – Preferably free-range, organic eggs are best for this recipe.

Spices powders – To flavor the egg biryani, I have used a mix of red chili powder (Kashmiri chili powder), turmeric powder, garam masala, and biryani masala – this is optional, but recommended. Use any good brand of biryani powder such as MDH or Everest brands.

Whole Spices – All biryanis are just as good as their whole spice mix. I have used a whole cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, green cardamom, and black cardamom. If you don’t have these individual spices, check for a packed whole spice mix at your local Indian or Asian grocer.

Biryani rice – Use good quality long brain basmati rice to make biryani.

Herbs – Fresh coriander or cilantro leaves, and fresh mint leaves are used to add flavor to egg biryani.

Recipe Instructions

To make egg biryani in the Instant Pot:

Start by boiling the eggs. Add water to the Instant Pot and place a trivet inside. Place 6 eggs on the trivet. Pressure cook the eggs for 5 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Natural Pressure Release (NPR).

Then quick release pressure, to let the steam escape and let the vent drop. Open the lid of the Instant Pot and take out the eggs. Transfer the eggs to a bowl with ice water (ice bath) to cool (cold water works as well). Let the eggs cool for 5 minutes and then peel them. The shells should come off easily.

Make slits in the eggs and keep them aside.

In the Instant Pot, drain the water and hit ‘Saute’. Once hot, add ghee or oil and sliced red onions. Let the onions cook for 4-5 minutes.

Let the onions cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the spice powders, minced ginger garlic, and green chilies. Add the chopped tomatoes. Saute until tomatoes are soft. Season with salt.

Add the eggs to the spice mix and mix well.

Transfer the eggs along with half the tomato-onion masala onto a plate. Leave half of the masala back in the Instant Pot.

Add yogurt, followed by soaked and drained basmati rice to the Instant Pot.

Add water (head to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact measurements), and mix in the chopped cilantro mint. Cover with a lid (not the pressure cooker lid). Let this cook for 5 minutes. The idea is to cook the rice partially before we add the eggs.

After 5 minutes, open the lid, add the eggs, together with the onion-tomato masala.

Pressure cook for 5 minutes and quick-release pressure (QPR). Open the lid, the rice would have cooked through- Fluff up with a fork, and serve.

Tips and Recommendations

• I highly recommend using a good-quality long-grained basmati rice for all my biryani recipes - from Chicken Dum Biryani to Shrimp Biryani . Use rice that has been soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, and then drained. This helps in preserving the grains and keeping them intact.
  
• Use fresh mint and cilantro - this combination of mint and cilantro gives the biryani plenty of flavor.
  
• Egg Biryani pairs very will with Vegetable Raita and Green Chutney. You can also opt to serve it as part of a menu, and pair it with saucy curries such as kormas.
  
• For the aunthentic biryani taste, saute onions in ghee (see detailed steps below).

Looking for more Rice-based mains?

Here are more rice-based recipes for you to try:

Vegetable Pulao

Instant Pot Rice and Veggies

Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Thai Basil Fried Rice

Instant Pot Fried Rice