Food and protein
Calories in idli, dosa and sambar: a South Indian breakfast, counted
Idli is one of the lightest breakfasts there is: 138 kcal per 100 g with almost no fat. A small 25 g idli has about 35 kcal. The calories in a South Indian breakfast come mostly from the dosa’s oil, the potato filling and the coconut chutney.
Calories per piece and per katori
From the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), using its standard weight for one piece:
| Serving | Weight | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 idli | 25 g | 35 kcal | 1.2 g | 7.1 g | 0.1 g |
| 1 rava idli | 30 g | 61 kcal | 2.8 g | 10.0 g | 1.0 g |
| 1 plain dosa | 36 g | 138 kcal | 3.7 g | 23.1 g | 3.0 g |
| 1 rava dosa | 73 g | 167 kcal | 5.4 g | 24.1 g | 5.2 g |
| 1 masala dosa | 210 g | 346 kcal | 6.9 g | 41.1 g | 16.4 g |
| 1 pesarattu (moong dosa) | 27 g | 76 kcal | 3.3 g | 8.5 g | 3.1 g |
| 1 uttapam | 68 g | 174 kcal | 4.2 g | 24.7 g | 6.1 g |
| Sambar, 1 katori | 150 g | 146 kcal | 5.1 g | 15.9 g | 6.6 g |
| Coconut chutney, 1 tbsp | 25 g | 67 kcal | 0.9 g | 2.1 g | 6.3 g |
| Rava upma, 1 katori | 150 g | 222 kcal | 4.9 g | 24.5 g | 11.2 g |
Pieces vary. INDB’s standard idli is small (25 g); a home or restaurant idli is often 40 to 50 g, which is 55 to 70 kcal. Weigh your usual idli once, or use the per 100 g values: idli 138 kcal, plain dosa 381 kcal, masala dosa 165 kcal, sambar 97 kcal.
Idli, dosa and sambar, explained
Idli is a steamed cake usually made from fermented rice and black-gram batter. Dosa is a thin pancake from a related batter; masala dosa usually adds a potato filling. Sambar is a pulse-and-vegetable stew, and chutney is a condiment. They are separate foods when logging a meal.
The INDB piece sizes are reference portions, not standard restaurant sizes. A large restaurant dosa can weigh much more than the 36 g plain-dosa entry. Do not apply “one dosa” from this table to a much larger one.
Calories in 2 idli and 4 idli
| Idli only, at 40 g each | Total weight | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 idli | 40 g / 1.4 oz | 55 kcal | 1.9 g |
| 2 idli | 80 g / 2.8 oz | 110 kcal | 3.7 g |
| 4 idli | 160 g / 5.6 oz | 220 kcal | 7.4 g |
All these estimates scale the same recipe by weight. Butter, ghee, podi seasoning, sauces and fried fillings need their own entries. For frozen supermarket idli, follow the nutrition label and check whether it describes the product before or after preparation.
A typical plate
Four medium idlis (about 40 g each, 220 kcal), a katori of sambar (146 kcal) and two tablespoons of coconut chutney (134 kcal) come to about 500 kcal and roughly 14 g of protein. Swap the chutney for a second katori of sambar and the calories stay about the same (about 510 kcal), but the plate has more protein (about 18 g) and fibre and less fat.
More protein at breakfast
- Pesarattu is made from whole moong, so gram for gram it has more protein than a rice dosa: 12.3 g per 100 g against 10.3 g for plain dosa and 4.6 g for idli.
- Sambar is your protein. The dal in it gives 5 g per katori; have two.
- Add curd, eggs or a paneer filling (INDB’s paneer masala dosa has 10.3 g protein per 100 g).
Logging it
Idli, every dosa in the table, sambar and chutneys are in Bodyvault’s food database from INDB, with pieces and katoris as portions. Ordered from a restaurant? Pick a screenshot of your Zomato or Swiggy order and Bodyvault reads the dishes for you.
Questions
How many calories are in 1 idli?
About 35 kcal for a small 25 g idli (INDB), and 55 to 70 kcal for a 40 to 50 g idli. Idli has almost no fat.
How many calories are in a masala dosa?
About 346 kcal for a 210 g masala dosa, with 16 g of fat (INDB). Restaurant dosas made with more oil or butter can have more.
Is idli good for weight loss?
Idli is low in fat and calories, but also low in protein. Pair it with sambar, and add curd or eggs, so the meal keeps you full.
How many calories are in 2 idli?
Two 40 g idlis have about 110 kcal and 3.7 g protein, calculated from INDB Idli ASC144. Sambar and chutney are additional.
How many calories are in 4 idli?
Four 40 g idlis have about 220 kcal and 7.4 g protein before accompaniments. Four smaller 25 g idlis are about 138 kcal.
Does fermentation remove the calories in idli?
Use a nutrition entry for the finished cooked food. Fermentation does not make idli calorie-free, and water content and serving size still matter.
Sources
General information about fitness and nutrition, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication, talk to your doctor before changing your diet or training.