Breakfast and tiffin
Calories in Idli
One idli has about 34 kcal, with 1.2 g of protein, 7.1 g of carbohydrate and 0.1 g of fat. The figure is from the Indian Nutrient Databank and describes a small idli: its recipe steams 8 idlis from 60 g of rice and 20 g of urad dal. A full-sized idli holds more batter and has more calories.
Nutrition in 1 idli
| Nutrient | 1 idli | 2 idlis |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 34 kcal | 68 kcal |
| Protein | 1.2 g | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 7.1 g | 14.2 g |
| Total fat | 0.1 g | 0.2 g |
| Dietary fibre | 0.6 g | 1.2 g |
| Sugars | 0.1 g | 0.2 g |
Of this energy, about 83% comes from carbohydrate, 3% from fat and 14% from protein.
1 idli is about 2% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 2% of a sedentary adult woman's (ICMR-NIN, 2020).
For comparison, ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians list 2 idlis at about 150 kcal.
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 comes from a standard recipe in which 60 g of rice and 20 g of urad dal are soaked, ground, fermented and steamed into 8 idlis. Each idli therefore holds only 7.5 g of rice and 2.5 g of dal, which is a small piece, nearer to a mini idli than to the thick one served at a tiffin counter. ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians give about 150 kcal for 2 idlis, against 68 kcal for two of these. The figures do not contradict each other: the guideline's idli is simply made from far more batter. Nothing is fried, so an idli's calories follow its batter almost exactly.
Carbohydrate supplies 83% of the energy, protein 14% and fat only 3%. Nearly all of it is rice starch, with the urad dal contributing a good part of the protein. That makes a plain idli about as lean as a breakfast item gets, and also one of the least filling when eaten alone: 0.6 g of fibre and 1.2 g of protein in a piece is very little. What usually decides the calories of an idli breakfast is what surrounds the idli: the coconut chutney, the oil mixed into the podi, the ghee poured over the top.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 8 idlis. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 idli |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 60 g | 7.5 g |
| Black gram (urad) | 20 g | 2.5 g |
What changes the number
- 01
How much batter fills the mould
The reference idli holds 7.5 g of rice and 2.5 g of urad dal. To judge your own, divide the dry rice and dal you soaked by the number of idlis the batter made. If each one took noticeably more grain than that, its calories are higher in the same proportion, and the ICMR-NIN figure will describe it better.
- 02
Ghee, podi and oil on top
A steamed idli has almost no fat, so anything fatty added afterwards changes it sharply. One teaspoon of ghee takes a 34 kcal idli to about 79 kcal, and a teaspoon of oil stirred into podi takes it to about 78 kcal. On an idli this small, the topping carries more energy than the idli.
- 03
Chutney and sambar alongside
Coconut chutney is rich in fat, and a generous helping can outweigh the idlis it is eaten with. Sambar is lighter and brings dal and vegetables, which the idli lacks. Neither is counted in the 34 kcal, so tally them separately.
- 04
What the batter is made of
This batter is 60 g of rice to 20 g of urad dal. A larger share of dal gives a little more protein for much the same energy. A rava idli in the same set of recipes comes to 61 kcal, because it holds slightly more grain along with curd and peanuts.
How idli 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idli | 1 idli | 34 | 1.2 |
| Rava Idli | 1 rava idli | 61 | 2.8 |
| Besan Chilla | 1 besan chilla | 71 | 4.1 |
| Pesarattu | 1 pesarattu | 76 | 3.3 |
| Dhokla | 1 piece of dhokla | 87 | 5.4 |
| Jowar Dosa | 1 jowar dosa | 97 | 2.8 |
| Egg Bhurji | 1 bowl of egg bhurji | 130 | 7.7 |
| Plain Dosa | 1 plain dosa | 138 | 3.7 |
| Omelette | 1 omelette | 144 | 6.8 |
| Upma | 1 bowl of upma | 157 | 3.5 |
| Semiya Upma | 1 bowl of semiya upma | 158 | 3.3 |
| Poha | 1 bowl of poha | 161 | 3.3 |
| Rava Dosa | 1 rava dosa | 167 | 5.4 |
| Uttapam | 1 uttapam | 174 | 4.2 |
| Oats Porridge | 1 bowl of oats porridge | 290 | 10.3 |
| Cornflakes With Milk | 1 bowl of cornflakes with milk | 326 | 10 |
| Meetha Dalia | 1 bowl of meetha dalia | 329 | 10.6 |
| Puttu | 1 puttu | 344 | 5.3 |
| Masala Dosa | 1 masala dosa | 345 | 6.9 |
| Vegetable Upma | 1 plate of vegetable upma | 345 | 11.1 |
| Namkeen Dalia | 1 plate of namkeen dalia | 346 | 9.7 |
| Stuffed Moong Dal Chilla | 1 stuffed moong dal chilla | 352 | 15.9 |
In a meal and in a day
Because the idli here is small, the plate matters more than the piece. Two come to 68 kcal and 2.4 g of protein, three to 102 kcal and 3.6 g, and a single idli is about 2% of a sedentary adult's daily energy requirement, man or woman. Even three leave plenty of room for sambar, which is where the protein and vegetables of this breakfast ought to come from. If the idlis on your plate are the large tiffin kind, the ICMR-NIN figure is the better guide.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Eat idlis with a full katori of sambar so the meal gains dal, vegetables and fibre.
- Keep ghee or podi oil to one measured teaspoon for the whole plate, not one for each idli.
- Go easy on coconut chutney, or alternate it with a tomato or coriander chutney.
- Stir grated carrot or chopped greens into the batter for a little more fibre in each idli.
- Count idlis by the batter that went into them, not by how many sit on the plate.
Before you rely on the number
The risk with idli is not the idli. Because one piece is so light, it is easy to eat five or six with chutney, ghee and podi and take in far more than the headline number suggests. The meal is also mostly rice starch, which digests quickly. Anyone managing diabetes should keep to the number of idlis and the accompaniments agreed with their doctor or dietitian.
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.
Idli: common questions
How many calories are in 2 idlis?
Two idlis of the size in the reference recipe have about 68 kcal, with 2.4 g of protein and 14.2 g of carbohydrate. These are small idlis. If yours come from a regular mould filled to the brim, each holds more batter, and the higher ICMR-NIN figure is the one to use.
How much protein is in one idli?
About 1.2 g in an idli of this size, and 3.6 g in three. Protein supplies 14% of the energy, from the urad dal and the rice. Idli is not a protein food by itself; sambar, a bowl of curd or an egg alongside raises the protein of the breakfast far more than extra idlis do.
How many calories are in idli with sambar?
The idli part is about 34 kcal for a small one, 68 kcal for two and 102 kcal for three. Sambar is not included in those numbers, and its calories depend on how much dal, vegetable and tadka oil is in the katori. Count the sambar and any chutney separately from the idlis.
Is idli good for weight loss?
A steamed idli is low in calories and has almost no fat, so it fits easily into a lighter breakfast. It is also low in protein and fibre, which means idlis with chutney alone may not keep hunger away for long. Sambar helps. What the scale does depends on everything eaten across the day, and no single breakfast decides it.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Idli Sambar (Steamed Rice Cakes with Lentil Vegetable Stew)
The recipe on this site, step by step.
Rice: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Black gram (urad): nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
The South Indian diet: what it gets right, and where it needs work
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian breakfast for weight loss: what to change and what to keep
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian food calorie chart: household portions, not per 100 g
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.