Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh · Main meal
Lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton)
Also called Awadhi biryani, Lucknowi biryani, mutton biryani, gosht biryani, pukki biryani
The Awadhi (Lucknow) style: mutton marinated in curd with onions and tomatoes, roasted until tender, then layered with half-cooked basmati rice, saffron milk, kewra water and ghee and slow-cooked under a sealed lid. It is fragrant and mildly spiced.
The short answer
Lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton) has about 482 kcal in a regular serving (1 plate, about 330 g), with 17.5 g of protein and 3.6 g of fibre. It rates 2.5/5 (moderate fit) for weight management: it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 6 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 482 kcal
- 1 plate (about 330 g)
- For weight management
- 2.5 / 5Rated 2.5 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 17.5 g · 3.6 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 1 hr 30 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton)?
Raw weights for one serving (1 plate, about 330 g), from the standard recipe
- Basmati rice, 60 g
- Mutton, 45 g
- Onion, 40 g
- Tomato, 36 g
- Curd, 58 g
- Ginger, 3 g
- Garlic, 3 g
- Oil, 8 g
- Ghee, 6 g
- Milk, 7 g
- Almonds, 1 g
How is lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton) made?
Preparation 90 min · Cooking 60 min
- 1Mix the mutton with onions, tomatoes, curd, ginger-garlic paste, spices and a little oil, and leave it to marinate for an hour.
- 2Soak the rice for 45 minutes, then boil it with whole spices and salt until half cooked and drain it.
- 3Roast the marinated mutton in oil until it is tender and the oil comes to the surface.
- 4Warm the milk with saffron and mace and mix it into half of the rice.
- 5Layer rice and mutton in a heavy pot with kewra water and ghee, seal the lid with dough and cook on low heat for about 40 minutes.
- 6Garnish with almonds and serve with salad, raita and mint chutney.
Lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton) nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 plate, about 330 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 482 kcal | 146 kcal |
| Protein | 17.5 g | 5.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 56.1 g | 17 g |
| Fat | 20.5 g | 6.2 g |
| Fibre | 3.6 g | 1.1 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by The Lucknow Cookbook (Aleph Book Company): Mutton Biryani, serves 9) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (2737 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: The Lucknow Cookbook (Aleph Book Company), Mutton Biryani 304 g, Swasthi's Recipes, Awadhi chicken biryani (Lucknowi biryani) 342 g and Archana's Kitchen, Lucknowi Murgh Biryani (Awadhi style chicken biryani) 346 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton) good for weight management?
It rates 2.5/5, a moderate fit, because it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)1.46 kcal · 75/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)3.6 g · 36/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)0.8 g · 25/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)482 of 550 kcal (main meal) · 62/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton)
- Choose a half plate and add a bowl of kachumber salad
- Ask for lean pieces and leave fatty ones and the ghee-soaked rice at the bottom
- Have it with plain raita instead of a creamy one
- Make it the one rich dish of the meal, with no kebab starter or sweet
- At home, trim the fat from the mutton and use half the ghee
Common questions about lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton)
How many calories are in lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton)?
About 482 kcal in 1 plate, about 330 g, or 146 kcal per 100 g. A half plate has about 241 kcal.
Is lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton) good for weight management?
It rates 2.5/5, a moderate fit: it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton)?
About 17.5 g in 1 plate, about 330 g, which is 3.6 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton)?
About 1 hr 30 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
Is mutton biryani higher in calories than chicken biryani?
Usually a little, because mutton has more fat. Choosing lean pieces and a smaller plate matters more than the meat.
What makes Lucknowi biryani different?
It is cooked by the dum pukht method with whole spices, saffron and kewra rather than a hot masala, so it is milder than Hyderabadi biryani.
Find lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani (mutton) near you
Opens Google Maps. NutriPedia does not see your location.
Compare it in:BiryaniMutton dishes
Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.