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This Tawa Pulao – Spiced Rice casserole needs just 1 Pan and 1 step! Dump and done bake with veggies and warming Indian spices. Serve as a main with added chickpeas or as a side with your favorite curry. 1 step 1 pan dump and bake! Gluten-free. Nutfree soyfree
Currently, I am obsessed with this Baked Spiced Rice Casserole aka. Tawa Pulao! Such an easy recipe that uses mostly pantry staples and can be made with frozen veggies, canned veggies or fresh ones. Use whatever you like and have available.
As for the spices – I know – the list is long but if you don’t have some of them, you can just use more of the others. Curry powder would be a great substitute for garam masala and paprika or cayenne pepper can be used intead of chili powder.
Feel free to serve this as a side alongside your favorite vegan protein or make it a main. Or just add some chickpeas or lentils to up the protein.
Why this will become a favorite!
- 1 Step 1 pan recipe
- Dump and bake!
- perfect rice texture
- low active time in the kitchen
- allergy friendly
More Rice Casseroles
- Tex Mex Rice Casserole
- Baked Vegan Mushroom Rice
- Baked Kitchari Casserole (Spiced Lentil Rice Casserole)
- Chana Pulao- Baked chickpea rice casserole
Baked Tawa pulao – Indian Spiced Rice Casserole 1 Pan 1 Step
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed really well and soaked for at least 10 minutes.
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1-2 teaspoon garam masala, or Pav bhaji masala
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon dried dill, or use oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika , , for extra heat also add ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup tomato puree
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ to 2 cups of vegetable of choice, you can use frozen vegetables, thaw them for at least 10 minutes before using
- Cilantro and lemon juice for garnish
Instructions
- Wash and soak the rice, if you haven’t already. Prep the rest of the ingredients. Brush oil in a 8×10 or a similar size baking dish, then add drained rice and the rest of the ingredients and mix well and even it out.
- Cover with parchment and bake at 400F (205C) for 30-35 minutes. Check at the 30 minute mark if the rice is done, if not then continue to bake it for another 5–8 minutes and then check again. Rice will continue to cook in the heat so you want it to be just about done.
- Then take the dish out of the oven, let it sit covered for another 3-4 minutes.
- Then fluff the rice with a spatula or fork. Taste and adjust salt and flavor, you can add salt while fluffing and then serve. Serve with non dairy yogurt raita Or serve it as a side with Indian curries or dal(lentils)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients:
- I like to make this recipe with Indian white basmati rice – it makes the fluffiest result. make sure to rinse it well and soak it for at least 10 minutes
- some oil is added to enhance flavor and to keep the rice grains from sticking together
- spices: ground coriander. Pav bhaji masala or garam masala, cumin, cardamom, dill, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Kashmiri chili powder and salt as well as bay leaves
- the rice is cooked in a mix of water with some tomato puree added for color and acidity
- we add 1 ½ to 2 cups of vegetables – fresh or frozen
- garnishes: lemon juice and cilantro
Tips & Variations:
- For variation, you can also add a can of chickpeas to the rice or add some veggie crumbles or top it with some toasted cashews for additional protein.
- You can use frozen vegetables, just thaw them for at least 10 minutes before using
- I like to sprinkle the casserole with fresh chopped cilantro and lemon juice for garnish
- for extra heat use ¼ teaspoon cayenne instead of paprika or add it additional to the paprika
How to make Baked Spiced Rice -Tawa Pulao:
Wash and soak the rice, if you haven’t already. Prep the rest of the ingredients.
Brush the oil in an 8×10 or a similar size baking dish then add drained rice and the rest of the ingredients and mix well and even it out.
Cover it with parchment and bake at 400F (205C) for 30-35 minutes. Check at the 30 minute mark if the rice is done, if not then continue to bake it for another 5–8 minutes and then check again.
The rice will continue to cook in the heat so you want it to be just about done.
Then take the dish out of the oven, let it sit covered for another 3-4 minutes.
Then fluff up the rice with a spatula or fork. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. You can add pinches of salt while fluffing up the rice, if needed. Garnish with cilantro and squeezes of lemon
What to serve with this Baked Masala Rice Casserole?
Serve with non dairy yogurt raita or serve it as a side with Indian curries or dal(lentils)
I subscribed to the site saying one day I will give it a try, today was the day….. no regrets absolutely delicious and fast to prepare. Did I say absolutely delicious?
Yay! So glad you liked it.
Really easy recipe which tastes great!
I was a little sparing with the Kashmiri chili pepper because I wasn’t sure how hot it was, but will probably be a bit more generous the next time I make this as my husband likes more spice.
Yay! so glad you liked it.
We had this for lunch today. I had all the ingredients except ground cardamom. There are just the two of us so I used the amounts for 2 people. My husband really liked it and we had no leftovers. I liked it as well but I am still trying to recover my sense of taste after a recent bout of Covid. I added garden peas, corn, carrots, and small-diced baby red potato.
Awesome
I have a dumb question. If you use parchment to cover it, how do you keep it in place? Do you use pie weights? Could I use tin foil since that can be crimped to the side? What do you think?
I just place it on top. You can put a baking sheet on it if you like. A tight seal is it needed.
Sorry it’s been a busy week but I am making this today so I came back to check hoping you’d had time and you had! Thank you! 🥰
Glad to help!
This looks divine, and I am excited to try this recipe. I do have two questions to ask beforehand, however. You reference Indian white basmati rice, and from the pictures, the grains appear to be noticeably longer, while still maintaining their individual shape, something that is rare in the basmati rice brands that I have used. Which brand(s) would have these characteristics and/or which do you use or recommend?
Second, although the liquid amounts and cooking time may have to be increased, would an Indian brown basmati rice work in this recipe, too? If so, would the same brand(s) offer this rice?
Thank you so much for such delicious recipes, and for your help in getting a rice that will deliver optimally fluffy, tender results! All the best to you, always and in all ways.
I use long grain Indian basmati like royal extra long or India gate xl. The true basmati are Indian brands. Regular grocery store basmati is much shorter grain.
brown rice takes much longer to cook and will need an hour or so bake time. Add hot boiling broth and bake, check at 50 minutes. Alternatively ,parboil the brown rice for 20 minutes, then add to the casserole dish, use 1 cup hot water/broth instead of 2 cups and continue recipe as written.
Can you use brown basmati rice instead of white rice?
You can. parboil the brown rice for 20 minutes, then add to the casserole dish, use scant 1 cup hot water/broth instead of 2 cups and continue recipe as written.
This looks like a wonderful recipe. If you want to use it with brown rice instead, should you precook the rice for half the time or just add more water and cook longer?
parboil the brown rice for 20 minutes, then add to the casserole dish, use 1 cup hot water/broth instead of 2 cups and continue recipe as written.