Dals and legume curries
Calories in Sabut Masoor Dal
One bowl of sabut masoor dal has about 185 kcal, with 7.8 g of protein, 18.4 g of carbohydrate and 8.6 g of fat. That is the Indian Nutrient Databank figure for whole masoor: 30 g of raw lentils cooked with tomato, onion and 2 teaspoons of oil. Red split masoor is a different dal, with no figure here.
Nutrition in 1 bowl of sabut masoor dal
| Nutrient | 1 bowl of sabut masoor dal | 2 bowls of sabut masoor dal |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 185 kcal | 370 kcal |
| Protein | 7.8 g | 15.6 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 18.4 g | 36.8 g |
| Total fat | 8.6 g | 17.2 g |
| Dietary fibre | 6.8 g | 13.6 g |
| Sugars | 2.3 g | 4.6 g |
Of this energy, about 40% comes from carbohydrate, 42% from fat and 17% from protein.
1 bowl of sabut masoor dal 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
Masoor is sold two ways: whole, as small brown lentils with the skin on, and split, as the familiar orange-red dal. The recipe behind this figure uses the whole kind, sabut masoor. One bowl takes 30 g of raw masoor, 38 g of tomato, 18 g of onion and 2 teaspoons of oil. That is a moderate home helping. A sabut masoor dal thinned for rice may put less lentil in each katori and a thick one for roti may put more, and the calories follow the lentils and oil, not the water. It ranks ninth from the lightest of the 20 dals and pulse curries compared here.
Fat supplies 42% of the energy, carbohydrate 40% and protein 17%. The lentils themselves carry very little fat, so nearly all of the 8.6 g comes from the oil the onion and tomato are fried in. Whole masoor earns its place for what sits beside the calories: 6.8 g of fibre in one bowl, because the skin is still on. The tomato and onion add flavour and bulk and very little energy.
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 sabut masoor dal |
|---|---|---|
| Whole masoor (lentil) | 30 g | 30 g |
| Tomato | 38 g | 38 g |
| Onion | 18 g | 18 g |
| Oil | 2 tsp | 2 tsp |
What changes the number
- 01
The oil under the masala
Two teaspoons of oil go into each bowl, and a teaspoon of oil is about 44 kcal. Frying the onion and tomato in one teaspoon keeps the taste and drops the total. A teaspoon of ghee poured over the finished sabut masoor dal does the opposite and takes it to about 230 kcal.
- 02
Whole masoor or red split masoor
The figure is for whole brown masoor. Red masoor dal is the same lentil with the skin removed, so it cooks faster and thinner and brings less fibre. It is a different dal in the pot, and this page gives no figure for it.
- 03
Thin for rice, thick for roti
A pot of masoor stretched with water fills more katoris from the same lentils, so each katori is lighter. Cooked down thick, the same pot fills fewer and each is heavier. Count the raw masoor that went in, then divide by the number of helpings.
- 04
Extras stirred in at the end
Butter, cream or coconut milk turn a plain sabut masoor dal into a richer one and add fat quickly. Lemon juice, coriander and green chilli change the taste without changing the number.
How sabut masoor dal 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasam | 1 bowl of rasam | 104 | 4.4 |
| Moong Dal | 1 bowl of moong dal | 139 | 7.4 |
| Kala Chana Curry | 1 bowl of kala chana curry | 169 | 6.8 |
| Rajma | 1 bowl of rajma | 172 | 7.1 |
| Lobia Curry | 1 bowl of lobia curry | 179 | 7.3 |
| Urad Dal | 1 bowl of urad dal | 182 | 7.4 |
| Mixed Dal | 1 bowl of mixed dal | 184 | 7.5 |
| Sabut Moong Dal | 1 bowl of sabut moong dal | 184 | 7.7 |
| Sabut Masoor Dal | 1 bowl of sabut masoor dal | 185 | 7.8 |
| Chole | 1 bowl of chole | 196 | 7.3 |
| Soyabean Curry | 1 bowl of soyabean curry | 196 | 12.5 |
| Kulthi Dal | 1 bowl of kulthi dal | 201 | 10.5 |
| Lauki Chana Dal | 1 bowl of lauki chana dal | 204 | 7.8 |
| Dal Palak | 1 bowl of dal palak | 213 | 8.3 |
| Dal Dhokli | 1 bowl of dal dhokli | 231 | 10 |
| Sambar | 1 bowl of sambar | 249 | 8.6 |
| Dal Makhani | 1 bowl of dal makhani | 262 | 11.7 |
| Chana Dal | 1 bowl of chana dal | 291 | 12.1 |
| Dalma | 1 bowl of dalma | 314 | 12.9 |
| Panchmel Dal | 1 bowl of panchmel dal | 335 | 13.9 |
In a meal and in a day
A bowl of sabut masoor dal takes up about 9% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 11% of a woman's. Two bowls give 370 kcal and 15.6 g of protein; three give 555 kcal and 23.4 g. Sabut masoor with rice is a classic pairing for a reason: lentil and grain together supply a more complete protein than either does alone. With 6.8 g of fibre the bowl is filling for its size, and a squeeze of lemon at the table helps the body take up the iron in the lentils.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Fry the onion and tomato for sabut masoor dal in one teaspoon of oil, not two.
- Skip the ghee on top; a teaspoon adds about 45 kcal to a 185 kcal bowl.
- Add more tomato, spinach or lauki to the pot to make each helping larger for almost no extra energy.
- Choose whole masoor over the split kind when fibre and fullness matter more than cooking time.
Before you rely on the number
The recipe includes salt, and a second bowl plus pickle adds up over a day. The other thing to watch is the tadka creeping upward, since fat is already the largest share of this dal's energy. People with kidney disease, gout or raised uric acid are often given specific advice on pulses, and they should ask their doctor or dietitian how much sabut masoor dal to eat.
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.
Sabut Masoor Dal: common questions
How much protein is in one bowl of sabut masoor dal?
About 7.8 g from 30 g of raw whole masoor, and two bowls give 15.6 g. Protein makes up 17% of the bowl's energy; it would be a larger share if the masoor were cooked with less oil, because the protein would stay and the calories would drop.
How many calories are in 2 bowls of sabut masoor dal?
Around 370 kcal, with 15.6 g of protein, 36.8 g of carbohydrate and 17.2 g of fat, assuming each bowl matches the reference recipe. A third bowl of sabut masoor dal takes the total to 555 kcal.
Is sabut masoor dal good for weight loss?
It is a reasonable choice. A bowl is 185 kcal with 7.8 g of protein and 6.8 g of fibre, both of which help a meal feel complete. Fat is 42% of those calories, nearly all of it cooking oil, so the masoor can be made lighter still. No single dish decides weight; the day's total intake does.
Does sabut masoor dal with ghee have more calories?
Yes. One teaspoon of ghee added to the bowl brings it to about 230 kcal and two teaspoons to about 275 kcal. The reference recipe already contains 2 teaspoons of oil, so ghee on top of sabut masoor dal is fat added to fat.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Whole masoor (lentil): nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tomato: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Onion: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Which Dal Has the Most Protein? Raw, Cooked and per Katori
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Iron-rich Indian foods, and why eating them is not enough
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
How Much Fibre Do You Need a Day, and Which Indian Foods Supply It?
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.