Vegetable and paneer dishes
Calories in Aloo Gobi
One bowl of aloo gobi has about 187 kcal, with 3.3 g of protein, 10.5 g of carbohydrate and 14.3 g of fat. The figure is from the Indian Nutrient Databank and describes a bowl cooked from 100 g of cauliflower, 50 g of potato and 1 tablespoon of oil. A smaller katori, or less oil, gives a lower number.
Nutrition in 1 bowl of aloo gobi
| Nutrient | 1 bowl of aloo gobi | 2 bowls of aloo gobi |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 187 kcal | 374 kcal |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 6.6 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 10.5 g | 21 g |
| Total fat | 14.3 g | 28.6 g |
| Dietary fibre | 5.3 g | 10.6 g |
| Sugars | 0.8 g | 1.6 g |
Of this energy, about 23% comes from carbohydrate, 70% from fat and 7% from protein.
1 bowl of aloo gobi is about 9% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 11% of a sedentary adult woman's (ICMR-NIN, 2020).
These figures are from the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), which calculates each dish from a standard recipe using Indian food composition data. They describe that recipe and that serving: a larger portion, or more oil, ghee or sugar, gives more. Source: Vijayakumar A, Dubasi HB, Awasthi A, Jaacks LM. Development of an Indian Food Composition Database. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2024;8(7):103790 (Indian Nutrient Databank, INDB).
What this figure covers
The figure is worked out from a standard recipe in the Indian Nutrient Databank, not weighed from a home kitchen or a restaurant plate. That recipe makes a single bowl from 100 g of cauliflower, 50 g of potato and 1 tablespoon of oil, so there is more cauliflower in it than potato. It is a full bowl of dry sabzi. A katori served beside dal, roti and rice at home may hold less than this, and a dhaba portion shining with oil holds more fat. Read 187 kcal as the number for this recipe and this serving size.
Neither vegetable is where the calories are. Fat supplies 70% of the energy in this bowl, and practically all of that fat is the tablespoon of cooking oil; carbohydrate from the potato and cauliflower supplies 23% and protein 7%. The cauliflower brings most of the bowl's 5.3 g of fibre for very little energy, which is the real strength of aloo gobi. The potato adds starch, but with only 50 g in the bowl it is the minor partner.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 1 bowl. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 bowl of aloo gobi |
|---|---|---|
| Cauliflower | 100 g | 100 g |
| Potato | 50 g | 50 g |
| Oil | 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp |
What changes the number
- 01
Oil in the kadai
A teaspoon of oil is about 44 kcal, and this recipe uses a tablespoon for one bowl. One extra teaspoon takes the bowl to 231 kcal. Cauliflower florets that are deep-fried before going into the masala, as many restaurant kitchens do, absorb more still.
- 02
The balance of gobi and aloo
The recipe uses more cauliflower than potato. Tip that balance towards potato and the carbohydrate rises, because potato is the starchier of the two. More cauliflower cooked in the same oil makes a bigger, more filling bowl for almost the same energy.
- 03
How much the katori holds
The figure is for the recipe's whole bowl. If the katori on the thali holds half of it, count about 94 kcal; if aloo gobi is the main dish and two bowls are eaten, count 374 kcal.
- 04
Ghee or butter to finish
A teaspoon of ghee stirred in at the end brings the bowl to 232 kcal, and two teaspoons bring it to 277 kcal. Butter melted over a restaurant aloo gobi works the same way.
How aloo gobi compares
Other dishes of the same kind, one serving each, lightest first. Serving sizes differ, so read the serving before the number.
| Dish | One serving | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bharwa Bhindi | 1 bowl of bharwa bhindi | 104 | 2.3 |
| Cabbage Matar | 1 bowl of cabbage matar | 106 | 5.4 |
| Sookhe Aloo | 1 bowl of sookhe aloo | 109 | 1.7 |
| Sarson ka Saag | 1 bowl of sarson ka saag | 124 | 4.3 |
| Aloo ki Sabzi | 1 bowl of aloo ki sabzi | 181 | 3.1 |
| Bhindi Sabzi | 1 bowl of bhindi sabzi | 184 | 3 |
| Soya Chunks Curry | 1 bowl of soya chunks curry | 184 | 6.8 |
| Aloo Gobi | 1 bowl of aloo gobi | 187 | 3.3 |
| Aloo Palak | 1 bowl of aloo palak | 192 | 5.5 |
| Beans Thoran | 1 bowl of beans thoran | 197 | 3.9 |
| Baingan Bharta | 1 bowl of baingan bharta | 212 | 4.5 |
| Masala Arbi | 1 bowl of masala arbi | 215 | 3.5 |
| Dahi Aloo | 1 bowl of dahi aloo | 227 | 5.9 |
| Paneer Butter Masala | 1 bowl of paneer butter masala | 228 | 11 |
| Palak Paneer | 1 bowl of palak paneer | 230 | 11.9 |
| Bharwa Karela | 1 bowl of bharwa karela | 231 | 1.4 |
| Matar Mushroom | 1 bowl of matar mushroom | 259 | 10.7 |
| Aloo Methi | 1 bowl of aloo methi | 276 | 4.6 |
| Aloo Matar | 1 bowl of aloo matar | 280 | 9.7 |
| Kadai Paneer | 1 bowl of kadai paneer | 344 | 13.8 |
| Matar Paneer | 1 bowl of matar paneer | 374 | 18.3 |
| Paneer Tikka | 1 plate of paneer tikka | 412 | 22.4 |
In a meal and in a day
One bowl is about 9% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 11% of a woman's, which is modest for a main vegetable dish. Two bowls come to 374 kcal and 28.6 g of fat, so a second helping adds more oil than anything else. What aloo gobi does not bring is protein: 3.3 g a bowl. Dal, curd or paneer alongside fills that gap, and the 5.3 g of fibre helps a meal of roti or rice feel complete.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Cook the bowl with 2 teaspoons of oil in place of the tablespoon, using a lid and a splash of water to soften the florets.
- Steam or parboil the cauliflower first so it needs less time frying in the kadai.
- Raise the share of cauliflower and cut back the potato, which lowers the starch without shrinking the bowl.
- Avoid recipes that deep-fry the florets and potato before adding them to the masala.
Before you rely on the number
Aloo gobi is salted as it cooks, and that salt adds up across a meal that also has dal, pickle and papad. Anyone asked by a doctor or dietitian to limit salt, for instance for blood pressure or a kidney condition, should cook it with less salt and keep to the portions in their own plan. Cauliflower also causes gas in some people, who may be more comfortable with a smaller helping.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
Aloo Gobi: common questions
How many calories are in 2 bowls of aloo gobi?
Two bowls of the size in this recipe have about 374 kcal, with 6.6 g of protein, 21 g of carbohydrate and 28.6 g of fat. Three bowls come to 561 kcal. A home katori is often smaller than the recipe's bowl, so a second helping of aloo gobi at home may add less than a full bowl's worth.
Is aloo gobi good for weight loss?
It can fit well. At 187 kcal a bowl it is the eighth lightest of the 22 sabzis compared here, and the cauliflower gives it 5.3 g of fibre. The catch is that 70% of the energy is oil, so a home version cooked with a measured amount suits the purpose far better than a restaurant one. What the rest of the day's plates hold decides the result more than this one sabzi does.
How much protein is in aloo gobi?
About 3.3 g in a bowl, which is 7% of its energy. That is low, as it is for most vegetable sabzis: aloo gobi is on the plate for fibre and bulk. Dal, curd, paneer or eggs have to supply the protein of the meal.
Aloo gobi or aloo matar: which has fewer calories?
Aloo gobi, in this set of recipes: 187 kcal a bowl against 280 kcal for aloo matar. Peas carry more starch and protein than cauliflower, so aloo matar gives 9.7 g of protein against 3.3 g. Among the other potato dishes, sookhe aloo is lightest at 109 kcal and aloo methi comes to 276 kcal.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Aloo Gobi (Potato & Cauliflower Dry Curry)
The recipe on this site, step by step.
Cauliflower: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Potato: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Indian food calorie chart: household portions, not per 100 g
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Which Cooking Oil Is Best in India? Mustard, Groundnut, Rice Bran and More
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian food calorie counter
Add up a whole plate in rotis, katoris and cups.
Calories in every dish
All the cooked dishes, with calories per serving.
Learn to read a plate
Certification in Nutrition
Estimating what is on a plate and turning it into a meal plan is taught in this NNWA course.