Peas Pulao, also known as Matar Pulao, is a classic Pakistani and Indian rice dish made with basmati rice, green peas, and mild whole spices. It’s light, flavorful, and perfect for everyday meals or special family dinners. Whether you’re in Pakistan, India, or living abroad in the USA, this simple matar pulao recipe brings that nostalgic homestyle aroma right to your kitchen.
Learn how to make perfectly fluffy Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao) with basmati rice — ready in 30 minutes, cooked in traditional Pakistani & Indian style.
Serve it with chicken curry, kebabs, or raita for a complete comfort meal that never goes out of style. It’s quick to cook, beginner-friendly, and pairs beautifully with your favorite desi dishes — just the kind of wholesome food that warms hearts in every season.
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Thinking back, I remember my mom often made peas pulao in the winter because it features fresh, seasonal green peas that create the tastiest pulao. Its rich flavor and aroma make it a standout dish for either lunch or dinner. Personally, I enjoy pairing matar pulao with shami kabab and raita for lunch. For dinner, I suggest serving chicken curry alongside the peas pulao.
Why You’ll Love This Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao)
- Light, aromatic, and full of flavor.
- Perfect one-pot rice dish for lunch or dinner.
- A classic comfort meal from Pakistani and Indian homes.
- Great option for vegetarians and vegan meals.
- Quick 30-minute recipe for busy weekdays.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Description |
|---|---|
| Basmati Rice | Best to use aged and long grain rice. Soak before cooking. |
| Ghee/Oil | Used to cook the masala of pulao |
| Whole Spices | Black pepper, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, green cardamom, black cardamom, Bay Leaves, cloves, ani Seed |
| Onion | Best to use a medium size finely chopped onion. |
| Ginger Garlic | Use the freshly made ginger garlic paste. |
| Salt | For seasoning |
| Water | To cook the fluffy rice. |
How to Make Peas Pulao
Heat the ghee: In a pan, melt clarified butter (ghee) on medium heat. Once hot, add whole garam masala (like cumin, cloves, cardamom, and bay leaf) and let it sizzle for a few seconds to release its aroma.
Fry the onions: Add finely sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown. Sprinkle a pinch of salt while frying — it helps the onions cook faster and become crispy.
Add ginger-garlic paste: Stir in ginger garlic paste and cook for another minute until the raw smell disappears.
Add green peas: Now add fresh green peas (matar) and mix well. Fry for a minute or two until the peas slightly change color.
Add water: Pour in water and cover the pan. Let the peas cook for 5 minutes until they become soft and tender.
Add soaked rice: Gently add the soaked basmati rice and mix everything together. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Cook the pulao: Cover the pan again and cook for 20 minutes.
- Start with high heat for 5 minutes to bring it to a boil.
- Then reduce the heat to low and let it steam until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy.
Serve and enjoy: Fluff the rice gently with a fork. Your tasty and aromatic Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao) is ready to serve!
Serve it hot with raita, kebabs, or curry for a comforting meal.
Easy Tips
- Opt for aged basmati rice to achieve the best aroma and separation.
- Soak the basmati rice for 15 to 30 minutes, but not any longer.
- Always add the rice into hot boiling water. This ensures that the grains cook perfectly from the inside.
- Try to avoid stirring too much after adding the water during cooking — it can break the grains.
- For fluffy and non-sticky rice, always add the rice to hot boiling water. This helps the grains cook perfectly from within.
- You can use frozen peas straight from the freezer; there's no need to thaw them.
- Be careful not to overcook the peas, as this can cause them to lose their shape and color.
- To prevent mushy rice, avoid steaming it for too long.
- For a richer flavor, add a spoonful of hot ghee just before serving.
- Consider using vegetable stock instead of water for added depth of flavor.
- Don't remove the rice immediately after cooking. Allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Always run the spoon along the sides of the pan when serving the rice to prevent breaking. Stirring from the middle can damage the grains.
Serving Idea
Here are some ideas to to make a perfect serving of peas pulao:
- Gravy or Curry: Best to pair up with chicken shorba, Aloo gosht, Chicken Karahi, Korma, Stew, Chickpea curry, Lamb Saag (Palak Gosht)
- Grilled and BBQ: Best to make a combo with Gola kabab, Seekh kabab, Tandoori Chicken, tikka masala, or boti kabab.
- Kebabs: Shami Kebab are the best!
- Salad or Chutney: Chickpea salad, or fresh veg salad, Kachumber (biryani salad)
- Raita: Best is to go with Green raita that we serve with biryani.
- Dessert: Gajar ka halwa, gajrela and Kashmiri Chai
Q & A
Peas Pulao, also known as Matar Pulao, is a light and flavorful rice dish made with basmati rice, green peas, and mild whole spices. It’s one of the most popular Pakistani and Indian rice recipes, perfect for lunch or dinner. This pulao pairs beautifully with chicken curry, kebabs, and raita.
To make fluffy Peas Pulao, always soak basmati rice for 15–20 minutes before cooking. Use the correct water ratio (1 cup rice : 1½ cups water) and avoid stirring once the rice starts simmering. Rest it for a few minutes after cooking, then fluff gently with a fork for separate grains.
The freshest and most flavorful taste comes from seasonal peas, which are typically available only during the winter months. If you're cooking outside of this season, just go ahead and use frozen peas instead. I wouldn't suggest using canned peas for making matar pulao.
Yes, you can add medium size (2 to 3 inches) potato cubes to make this green peas pulao.
Veg pulao has mixed vegetables, while authentic matar pulao focuses mainly on green peas and light spices.
Best to pair with kebabs, curries, or raita for a complete festive meal.
Yes! To make Instant Pot Peas Pulao, use the same ingredients but reduce the water slightly (1¼ cups per 1 cup rice). Cook on the rice setting or manual mode for 5 minutes, then let it naturally release pressure. The result will be perfectly fluffy rice every time.
If your pulao turns sticky, it’s usually due to too much water or over-stirring. Always use aged basmati rice, follow the right rice-to-water ratio, and avoid mixing while it cooks.
Of course! You can add carrots, potatoes, capsicum, or corn to turn it into a colorful Vegetable Pulao. Just keep the spices mild so the flavor of green peas still shines through.
More Pakistani & Indian Rice Recipes to Try
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Peas Pulao Recipe (Matar Chawal)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Ghee/Clarified Butter
- Whole Garam Masala:
- 12 Black Pepper Kali Mirch
- 3" Sticks Cinnamon Darchini
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds Zeera
- 4 Green Cardamom Hari Illaichi
- 2 Black Cardamom Bari Illaichi
- 2 Bay Leaves Tez Patta
- 4 Cloves Laung
- 1 Ani Seed Badyan ka phool
- 1 Onion Pyaz (medium size) chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Paste
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 1.5 cups Rice Soaked
- 2 Glasses Water
Instructions
- Heat up the pan.
- Add Clarified butter/ghee.
- Now add the whole garam masala and let it pop for a few seconds.
- Add sliced onion. Fry the onion until it changes color.
- Add salt during frying the onion.
- Now add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few minutes.
- Add fresh green peas (matar) and mix well.
- As the peas starting frying and change the color instantly pour water.
- Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes to soften the peas.
- Now add soak rice and give it a good mix.
- Adjust the salt at this level.
- Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes.
- Initially cook on high heat for 5 minutes then turn the heat to medium to low until the rice get ready.
Video
Notes
- Basmati rice are recommended to make pulao.
- Make sure to the rice should not be soaked for long time. 10 to 15 minutes are enough for premium quality basmati rice.
- Overcooking of peas may deform the peas look in rice.
- Shallow frying of peas until it starts to change color will make the peas more delicious.
- Carefully add water to cook rice. For 1 cup soaked rice, 2 cups water will be enough.
- Initially cook rice on high heat for 5 minutes. It will increase the grain size.
- Over steaming can make the rice mushy in texture.
- Always take out rice from the sides of pan. Never run spoon in middle as it will break the rice texture.
Hinz
It's a traditional style Peas Pulao recipe with basmati rice that you can easily prepare at home kitchen.