Breakfast and tiffin
Calories in Omelette
One omelette has about 144 kcal, with 6.8 g of protein, 0.3 g of carbohydrate and 12.8 g of fat. The figure is from the Indian Nutrient Databank and describes a plain omelette made from one egg of 50 g cooked in 10 g of butter. More eggs, cheese or extra fat in the pan raise it.
Nutrition in 1 omelette
| Nutrient | 1 omelette | 2 omelettes |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 144 kcal | 288 kcal |
| Protein | 6.8 g | 13.6 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0.3 g | 0.6 g |
| Total fat | 12.8 g | 25.6 g |
| Dietary fibre | 0.3 g | 0.6 g |
| Sugars | 0.1 g | 0.2 g |
Of this energy, about 1% comes from carbohydrate, 80% from fat and 19% from protein.
1 omelette is about 7% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 9% of a sedentary adult woman's (ICMR-NIN, 2020).
For comparison, ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians list 1 omelette at about 160 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 recipe could not be simpler: a single 50 g egg, beaten and cooked in 10 g of butter. That is a plain French-style omelette, not a masala omelette with onion and chilli, though those vegetables would add very little. The butter is generous for one egg; many home cooks use a smaller smear of oil. ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians put one omelette at about 160 kcal without stating the size of the egg or the fat used, so the small gap from 144 kcal is most likely a slightly larger egg or a little more fat in the pan.
Fat supplies 80% of the energy and protein 19%, with carbohydrate at 1%. That lopsided split is the butter at work. An egg contains fat of its own in the yolk, but the 10 g of butter adds a good deal on top, much of it saturated. The protein, 6.8 g, is all from the egg and is not changed by how it is cooked. So the egg sets the protein and the pan sets the calories: the same egg made with a light film of oil would be a leaner omelette with the same protein.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 1 omelette. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 omelette |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 50 g | 50 g |
| Butter | 10 g | 10 g |
What changes the number
- 01
Butter, oil or ghee in the pan
The recipe uses 10 g of butter for one egg. Adding a further teaspoon of oil brings the omelette to about 188 kcal, and a teaspoon of ghee to about 189 kcal. A non-stick pan with a few drops of oil goes the other way and is the biggest saving available.
- 02
The number of eggs
The figure is for one egg. Two one-egg omelettes come to 288 kcal and 13.6 g of protein, three to 432 kcal. A single omelette made from 2 eggs in the same pat of butter would be lower than 288 kcal, because the butter is not doubled.
- 03
Cheese and other fillings
Onion, tomato, chilli, capsicum and coriander add flavour and almost no energy. Cheese is different: it adds fat and some protein, and a cheese omelette is a noticeably richer dish. Mushrooms or spinach add bulk without much energy.
- 04
Bread, toast and pav
An omelette is often eaten between slices of bread or with buttered pav. The bread brings carbohydrate, which the omelette has almost none of, and the butter on it adds more fat. Count both separately from the 144 kcal.
How omelette 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
On its own, one omelette is about 7% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 9% of a woman's. It brings protein without carbohydrate, so it pairs naturally with roti, toast or a bowl of poha, each of which is short of protein. Two omelettes give 13.6 g of protein for 288 kcal. It has almost no fibre, at 0.3 g, so vegetables in the omelette or a fruit beside it make the plate more complete. In this set an egg bhurji is slightly lighter at 130 kcal.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Cook it in a non-stick pan with half a teaspoon of oil in place of the butter.
- Fill it with onion, tomato, capsicum or spinach for volume without many calories.
- Beat two eggs into one omelette, not two separate ones, so the fat in the pan is not doubled.
- Have it with a plain roti or unbuttered toast, not buttered pav.
Before you rely on the number
Two things stand out in an omelette of this kind: the cholesterol in the yolk and the saturated fat in the butter, with the salt beaten into the egg on top of both. The butter is the easier part to trim; the yolk's cholesterol comes with the egg. Anyone who has been told to limit cholesterol or saturated fat, or who has diabetes or heart disease, should ask their doctor or dietitian how many eggs suit them.
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.
Omelette: common questions
How many calories are in a two-egg omelette?
The source gives the figure for a one-egg omelette: 144 kcal. Two of those come to 288 kcal with 13.6 g of protein. A single omelette made from 2 eggs in the same amount of butter will be somewhat lower, since only the egg is doubled, but the source does not give that figure.
How much protein is in an egg omelette?
About 6.8 g in a one-egg omelette, all of it from the egg. Two give 13.6 g and three give 20.4 g. Cooking does not reduce the protein, and the fat in the pan does not add any, so a lightly oiled omelette has the same protein for fewer calories.
How many calories are in an omelette cooked with oil?
The reference omelette is cooked in 10 g of butter and has 144 kcal. The source does not give a separate figure for oil. As a guide, a teaspoon of oil carries about 44 kcal and a teaspoon of ghee about 45 kcal, so the amount of fat matters far more than which fat it is.
Is an omelette good for weight loss?
An omelette can fit well, because it supplies protein for a modest 144 kcal and protein makes a meal more filling. The butter is the weak point: 80% of the energy here is fat. Cooked with a little oil and filled with vegetables it is a useful breakfast item, though the day's total intake still decides what happens to weight.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Egg: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Protein and Calories in One Egg: Boiled, Fried, White and Yolk
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.