Rice dishes
Calories in Vegetable Pulao
One plate of vegetable pulao has about 496 kcal, with 11.9 g of protein, 76.7 g of carbohydrate and 14.6 g of fat. The figure comes from the Indian Nutrient Databank, for a plate cooked from 80 g of raw rice, peas, carrot, French beans, onion and 1 tablespoon of oil. Less rice or less oil on the plate lowers it.
Nutrition in 1 plate of vegetable pulao
| Nutrient | 1 plate of vegetable pulao | 2 plates of vegetable pulao |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 496 kcal | 992 kcal |
| Protein | 11.9 g | 23.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 76.7 g | 153.4 g |
| Total fat | 14.6 g | 29.2 g |
| Dietary fibre | 11.7 g | 23.4 g |
| Sugars | 5.9 g | 11.8 g |
Of this energy, about 63% comes from carbohydrate, 27% from fat and 10% from protein.
1 plate of vegetable pulao is about 24% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 30% 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 recipe behind the figure makes one plate from 80 g of raw rice, 50 g each of green peas, carrot and onion, 30 g of French beans and 1 tablespoon of oil. That is a big plate: the full measure of rice a person would eat at a rice meal, with a generous amount of vegetables cooked into it. It is meant as the main dish, not a side. A couple of serving spoons next to a curry is nearer half a plate, which is 248 kcal. Tiffin-box and canteen pulao tends to have fewer vegetables and more fat than this.
The energy in this plate is 63% carbohydrate, 27% fat and 10% protein. The rice is still the largest contributor and the tablespoon of oil the second. The vegetables add less energy than their volume suggests, though the peas carry some starch and protein of their own. What they change is the make-up of the plate: 11.7 g of fibre and 11.9 g of protein, against 7.2 g of protein in the plain pulao of the same recipe set. The vegetables come on top of the same rice, which is why this plate is 496 kcal and the plain one 432 kcal.
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 vegetable pulao |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 80 g | 80 g |
| French beans | 30 g | 30 g |
| Green peas (fresh) | 50 g | 50 g |
| Carrot | 50 g | 50 g |
| Onion | 50 g | 50 g |
| Oil | 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp |
What changes the number
- 01
Vegetables added or swapped in
In this recipe the vegetables are cooked in with a full 80 g of rice, so they raise the total. If a cook keeps the pot the same size and lets vegetables take the place of some rice, each plate has fewer calories and more fibre. The ratio of rice to vegetables decides which way it goes.
- 02
The tablespoon of oil
Oil is about 44 kcal a teaspoon, and fat already supplies 27% of this plate. One extra teaspoon of oil makes it 540 kcal; a teaspoon of ghee on top, 541 kcal; two teaspoons of ghee, 586 kcal. Frying the vegetables separately before adding them uses more oil than cooking everything in one pot.
- 03
Which vegetables go in
Peas and potato are starchy and add more energy than beans, carrot, cauliflower or capsicum. A pulao heavy on potato moves the number up, one heavy on beans and cauliflower hardly at all. Paneer cubes, soya chunks or cashews change it far more than any vegetable.
- 04
The helping, not the pot
The figure assumes the whole plate, and half of it is 248 kcal. Pulao is rarely weighed when it is served, so the honest check is how much raw rice was cooked and how many people it fed.
How vegetable 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 covers about 24% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 30% of a woman's, which is a full meal's share. It brings more than most rice dishes do: 11.7 g of fibre from the vegetables and 11.9 g of protein. That protein is still modest for a main meal, so curd, raita or a bowl of dal alongside is worth having, and none of them needs a second plate of rice to go with it. Two plates reach 992 kcal and 153.4 g of carbohydrate.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Cook the same vegetables with less rice, so they replace part of the grain.
- Use 2 teaspoons of oil and let the vegetables steam with the rice in one pot.
- Take half a plate, about 248 kcal, with a bowl of raita or dal for protein.
- Choose beans, carrot, cauliflower and capsicum over potato when adding more vegetables.
Before you rely on the number
A pulao with this many vegetables takes a fair amount of salt to season, so go easy on pickle and papad with it. Anyone managing blood pressure or kidney disease should follow the salt allowance given by their doctor or dietitian. The word vegetable in the name also makes the plate sound lighter than it is: at 496 kcal it is heavier than plain pulao, because the rice and oil are all still there.
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.
Vegetable Pulao: common questions
How much protein is in vegetable pulao?
About 11.9 g in a plate, which is 10% of its energy. The rice and the 50 g of green peas provide most of it. That is more than plain rice dishes offer but still short of what a main meal usually needs, so pair it with dal, curd or paneer.
How many calories are in 100 g of veg pulao?
The source gives the figure for a plate, not per 100 g: 496 kcal for a plate cooked from 80 g of raw rice with vegetables and a tablespoon of oil. Cooked weight depends on how much water the rice absorbs, so a per-100 g figure would shift from one kitchen to the next. Half a plate is 248 kcal.
How many calories are in 2 plates of vegetable pulao?
About 992 kcal, with 23.8 g of protein, 153.4 g of carbohydrate and 29.2 g of fat. One plate is already 24% of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 30% of a woman's, so a second plate is rarely needed unless nothing else is being eaten.
Is vegetable pulao good for weight loss?
It is more filling than plain rice for its calories, thanks to 11.7 g of fibre, but 496 kcal is still a full meal. A smaller helping with raita works better than a full plate with more rice dishes on the side. Losing weight comes down to the total eaten over days and weeks, and this plate is one part of that.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Vegetable Pulao (Spiced Rice with Mixed Vegetables)
The recipe on this site, step by step.
Rice: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
French beans: 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.
Carrot: 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.
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.