South India · Breakfast
Masala dosa
Also called masale dose, masala dosai, potato dosa
A crisp fermented rice and dal dosa folded around a spiced potato masala, served with sambar and coconut chutney.
The short answer
Masala dosa has about 312 kcal in a regular serving (1 masala dosa, about 150 g), with 8.4 g of protein and 4.7 g of fibre. It rates 2.5/5 (moderate fit) for weight management: a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 22 Oct 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 312 kcal
- 1 masala dosa (about 150 g)
- For weight management
- 2.5 / 5Rated 2.5 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 8.4 g · 4.7 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 1 hr
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in masala dosa?
Raw weights for one serving (1 masala dosa, about 150 g), from the standard recipe
- Urad dal, 11 g
- Chana dal, 4 g
- Rice, 44 g
- Poha (flattened rice), 1 g
- Butter, 5 g
- Potato, 55 g
- Oil, 1 g
- Onion, 12 g
- Ginger, 1 g
- Green chilli, 1 g
- Coriander leaves, 1 g
- Chana dal (tempering), 1 g
- Urad dal (tempering), 1 g
How is masala dosa made?
Preparation 13 min · Cooking 43 min
- 1Soak the urad dal, chana dal, rice, poha and fenugreek, grind to a batter and ferment until risen.
- 2Boil the potatoes and cut them into cubes.
- 3Temper mustard seeds, cumin and the two dals in oil, then cook onion, ginger, green chilli and curry leaves.
- 4Add turmeric, the potatoes and salt, mash lightly and finish with coriander.
- 5Spread the batter thin on a hot tawa and cook with a little butter until crisp and golden.
- 6Put some potato masala in the centre, fold the dosa over and serve with chutney and sambar.
Masala dosa nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 masala dosa, about 150 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 312 kcal | 208 kcal |
| Protein | 8.4 g | 5.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 53.4 g | 35.6 g |
| Fat | 6.6 g | 4.4 g |
| Fibre | 4.7 g | 3.1 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Swasthi's Recipes: Masala Dosa Recipe (Restaurant Style), serves 20) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (1352 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Swasthi's Recipes, Masala Dosa Recipe (Restaurant Style) 68 g, Archana's Kitchen, Soft Masala Dosa With Red Chutney 245 g and Tarla Dalal, Masala Dosa Recipe (Mumbai Roadside Masala Dosa) 133 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 masala dosa good for weight management?
It rates 2.5/5, a moderate fit, because a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)2.08 kcal · 56/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)2.7 g · 27/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)1.5 g · 50/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)312 of 400 kcal (breakfast) · 72/100
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 masala dosa
- Ask for less butter or ghee on the dosa
- Keep the potato filling to a few spoons and have more sambar
- Choose a plain dosa or an idli on days you want fewer calories
- Share a very large restaurant dosa
Common questions about masala dosa
How many calories are in masala dosa?
About 312 kcal in 1 masala dosa, about 150 g, or 208 kcal per 100 g.
Is masala dosa good for weight management?
It rates 2.5/5, a moderate fit: a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in masala dosa?
About 8.4 g in 1 masala dosa, about 150 g, which is 2.7 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in masala dosa?
About 1 hr of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
Is masala dosa good for weight management?
It has more calories than a plain dosa because of the potato and the butter. The portion here is 140 g (about 290 kcal); restaurant dosas are often much larger.
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Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.