Rice dishes
Calories in Matar Pulao
One plate of matar pulao has about 514 kcal, with 18.4 g of protein, 86.9 g of carbohydrate and 9 g of fat. The Indian Nutrient Databank works this out for a plate made from 80 g of raw rice, 150 g of fresh green peas, 70 g of onion and 2 teaspoons of oil. Fewer peas or less rice lowers it.
Nutrition in 1 plate of matar pulao
| Nutrient | 1 plate of matar pulao | 2 plates of matar pulao |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 514 kcal | 1,028 kcal |
| Protein | 18.4 g | 36.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 86.9 g | 173.8 g |
| Total fat | 9 g | 18 g |
| Dietary fibre | 15.2 g | 30.4 g |
| Sugars | 6.2 g | 12.4 g |
Of this energy, about 69% comes from carbohydrate, 16% from fat and 15% from protein.
1 plate of matar pulao is about 24% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 31% 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
This figure describes a pulao that is unusually generous with peas. The recipe cooks 80 g of raw rice with 150 g of fresh shelled peas, 70 g of onion and 2 teaspoons of oil, and counts the whole lot as one plate. By weight there are more peas than raw rice in the pot. Most home matar pulao is the other way round, a pot of rice with a scattering of peas, and a plate of that kind has less protein and fibre than the numbers here, and usually fewer calories too. Read 514 kcal as the figure for a large, pea-heavy plate eaten as the main dish.
The peas shift the balance of the plate: protein supplies 15% of the energy, carbohydrate 69% and fat only 16%. Both the rice and the peas are starchy, so the carbohydrate comes from two places. The peas are also why this plate has 18.4 g of protein, the highest of the 13 rice dishes in the set, and 15.2 g of fibre. Fat is low because the recipe uses just 2 teaspoons of oil. So this is a heavy plate for a different reason from most: there is a lot of food on it, not a lot of fat in it.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 1 plate. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 plate of matar pulao |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 80 g | 80 g |
| Green peas (fresh) | 150 g | 150 g |
| Onion | 70 g | 70 g |
| Oil | 2 tsp | 2 tsp |
What changes the number
- 01
How many peas go in
Peas are the swing ingredient. At 150 g they add a real amount of starch and protein on top of the rice. A pulao with a small handful of peas sits much closer to plain pulao, which is 432 kcal in the same recipe set.
- 02
Fresh, frozen or dried peas
The recipe counts fresh green peas, and frozen peas behave much the same in the pot. Dried peas that are soaked and boiled are a different ingredient, and tinned peas often come salted, so a pulao made with either is not what this figure describes.
- 03
Oil at the start, ghee at the end
Only 2 teaspoons of oil are counted. Each further teaspoon of oil is about 44 kcal, giving 558 kcal with one more, and a teaspoon of ghee poured over the finished rice gives 559 kcal. A cook who starts with a ladle of ghee is making a richer dish than this one.
- 04
A full plate or a share
Everything in the recipe is counted as one serving, which is more than many people take when other dishes are on the table. Half of it is 257 kcal, and that is the fairer figure for a helping eaten next to a curry.
How matar pulao 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khichdi | 1 bowl of khichdi | 327 | 9.9 |
| Jeera Rice | 1 plate of jeera rice | 366 | 6.7 |
| Mutton Biryani | 1 plate of mutton biryani | 396 | 15.3 |
| Curd Rice | 1 plate of curd rice | 423 | 12.4 |
| Egg Fried Rice | 1 plate of egg fried rice | 424 | 14.2 |
| Plain Pulao | 1 plate of plain pulao | 432 | 7.2 |
| Tamarind Rice | 1 plate of tamarind rice | 477 | 9.5 |
| Vegetable Pulao | 1 plate of vegetable pulao | 496 | 11.9 |
| Sabudana Khichdi | 1 bowl of sabudana khichdi | 508 | 7.4 |
| Matar Pulao | 1 plate of matar pulao | 514 | 18.4 |
| Vegetable Biryani | 1 plate of vegetable biryani | 527 | 9.5 |
| Vangi Bath | 1 plate of vangi bath | 538 | 15.4 |
| Lemon Rice | 1 plate of lemon rice | 563 | 13.6 |
In a meal and in a day
A plate of matar pulao this size is about 24% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 31% of a woman's. With 18.4 g of protein and 15.2 g of fibre it can stand as a meal with nothing more than a bowl of curd or raita, which is not true of most rice dishes. Adding dal, roti and a second helping turns a complete meal into an oversized one: two plates are 1,028 kcal and 173.8 g of carbohydrate. If several dishes are being served, half a plate at 257 kcal is the sensible share.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Keep the peas and cut the rice, which lowers the calories while holding most of the protein and fibre.
- Serve it with plain curd or cucumber raita and skip the extra dal and roti.
- Stay with 2 teaspoons of oil and do not finish the pot with ghee.
- Plate half, about 257 kcal, when the pulao is one of several dishes.
Before you rely on the number
A plate with 15.2 g of fibre is a lot to eat at one sitting for someone who is not used to peas and pulses, and it can leave them feeling bloated; a smaller helping settles that. With 86.9 g of carbohydrate, this is also a starchy plate despite its protein. People managing diabetes should fit it into the carbohydrate plan agreed with their doctor or dietitian instead of judging it by the protein alone.
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.
Matar Pulao: common questions
How much protein is in a plate of matar pulao?
About 18.4 g in the plate described here, which is 15% of its energy. The 150 g of green peas and the rice share the work. A pulao with fewer peas will have less, so the figure only holds when the peas are as plentiful as they are in this recipe.
Does matar pulao have more calories than plain pulao?
Yes in this recipe set: 514 kcal against 432 kcal. The extra comes from the peas, which are added to the same amount of rice. In return the plate has 18.4 g of protein where plain pulao has 7.2 g, so the additional calories are not empty ones.
How many calories are in 2 plates of matar pulao?
About 1,028 kcal, with 36.8 g of protein, 173.8 g of carbohydrate and 18 g of fat. Since a single plate already holds a full measure of rice and a large amount of peas, two plates are more than most people need at one meal.
Is matar pulao good for weight loss?
It is one of the more filling rice dishes because of its protein and fibre, but a full plate is 514 kcal. A half plate with curd gives much of the benefit for 257 kcal. Whether weight comes off depends on the rest of the day's food as much as on this plate.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Rice: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Green peas (fresh): nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Onion: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Calories in a Bowl of Rice: White, Brown, and Does Rice Make You Fat?
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Vegetarian Protein Sources in India: Full Food List
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.