Baked Jackfruit Biryani (Kathal Biryani, soy-free, gluten-free)

Fragrant jackfruit biryani uses spiced jackfruit instead of meat to veganize this favorite dish! Baked means less active time of standing and sautéing. Everything baked in just 1 Pan, and needs just 2 steps.

Biryani is a deep flavored fragrant rice dish flavored with whole spices and sometimes a sauce, paired usually with meats. To make traditional biryani, you need to cook the rice, toast whole spices, and just generally do a lot of mixing and stirring on the stovetop. This jackfruit biryani recipe skips all of that! You make the entire dish in the oven, stirring only a few times to ensure even cooking. It’s just 2 Steps, add aromatics, spices and jackfruit and bake, then add the rice and broth and bake. Done!

While the biryani baked in the oven, you have plenty of time to prepare a quick curry dish (you can even do a baked curry!) and some simple raita to serve with it.

This vegan biryani may cut down on time and work, but it doesn’t sacrifice any of the amazing flavors you associate with a biryani! It’s scented with cumin, cloves, cardamom, ginger, garlic, and more to give it just an amazing flavor with a fraction of the work.

Why You’ll Love Jackfruit Biryani

• fragrant, plant-forward rice dish with flavors of ginger, garlic, cardamom, and garam masala
• bakes in one pan in the oven. No standing over the stove!
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

More Vegan Biryani

• Mushroom Biryani
• Chickpea Cauliflower Rice Biryani
• Quinoa Cauliflower Biryani
• Lentil Biryani

Ingredients and Substitutions

• young green jackfruit – Make sure that you get this specific type of jackfruit. You don’t want the type canned in syrup as that is sweet. You’re going to use paper towel and a kitchen towel to get as much moisture out as possible.
• non-dairy yogurt – For creaminess . This is optional. For nut-free and soy-free, either omit or choose one that is nut- and/or soy-free.
• garam masala – You use this to season both the jackfruit itself and the whole rice dish.
• onion- Roasted red onion brings so much great umami to this jackfruit biryani!
• whole spices – Bay leaves, cloves, green and black cardamom pods, and cinnamon are your whole spices. You can omit the black cardamom, if needed.
• ground spices – You’ll also be using turmeric and either paprika or Kashmiri chili powder to season the rice.
• ginger-garlic paste – Adds spice and umami.
• basmati rice – Make sure that you rinse your rice well and soak it for the best texture!
• fresh herbs – Cilantro and mint add amazing freshness to the rice! You can omit the mint, if you want.
• garnishes – Top the baked biryani with roasted cashews, more garam masala, cilantro, lime juice, and crushed pepper flakes for even more amazing flavor. Omit the cashews for nut-free.

Tips

• Do not skip wringing out the jackfruit! If it’s too wet, it won’t pick up spices and flavors. Drying it out is the secret to getting a good texture.
• Rinsing and soaking the rice yields a more tender, fluffy texture, so don’t skip that step!
• To make this recipe with other ingredients instead of jackfruit, you can use up to 16 ounces of mushrooms or 6 to 7 ounces of rehydrated soy curls or a can of chickpeas or other vegan chicken of choice. You can also use 7 to 8 ounces of cubed and marinated tofu that has been baked along with the onion.

How to Make Baked Jackfruit Biryani

Preheat the oven to 400º F (205º C) and prepare your jackfruit. Keep the baking dish in the oven to heat up.

Drain the canned jackfruit and place it in a paper towel, then in a  kitchen towel, and roll it over. Wring it out to remove all the excess moisture. Open it up and break up any large pieces, if any, into halves. 

Add the jackfruit to a greased baking dish on one side. Add the garam masala, ginger-garlic paste, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and toss well to coat. the other side of the baking dish, 2 teaspoons of oil, and whole spices and mix ( the heat from the baking dish will warm the oil and help the whole spices bloom). Mix for a few seconds then add all of the spices. Then add the ginger garlic paste and onions. Mix really well, initially mixing just the onion and then mixing in the jackfruit as well. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the onion and jackfruit are golden. You can stir them both up after the 20-minute mark and continue to cook. If the onions are drying up too much at that point add a splash of water or oil and mix it up.

Now, you’re ready to make the rest of the biryani.

Remove the baking dish from the oven (remove a third or half of the jackfruit to add on top later, optional) Add the drained rice, water, cilantro, mint, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and mix well. Cover with parchment and continue to bake for 28 to 35 minutes. Check at the 28-minute mark, and if the rice is cooked remove it from the oven. If the rice is not yet cooked continue to cook for 5 more minutes or until the rice is cooked. 

Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes then open the parchment paper and fluff the rice really well.

Garnish with reserved jackfruit onion mixture, cilantro, lemon juice, some roasted cashews, and pepper flakes, and serve with raita or curries of choice. 

Frequently Asked Questions