South India · Side dish
Sambar
Also called sambhar, sambaar, kuzhambu
A tangy South Indian stew of toor dal and vegetables, flavoured with tamarind and sambar powder. It goes with idli, dosa and rice.
The short answer
Sambar has about 169 kcal in a regular serving (1 bowl, about 330 g), with 7.9 g of protein and 6.3 g of fibre. It rates 4.0/5 (good fit) for weight management: it is low in calories for its weight and it is rich in fibre for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 7 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 169 kcal
- 1 bowl (about 330 g)
- For weight management
- 4.0 / 5Rated 4 out of 5. Good fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 7.9 g · 6.3 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 30 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in sambar?
Raw weights for one serving (1 bowl, about 330 g), from the standard recipe
- Toor dal, 29 g
- Tamarind, 4 g
- Jaggery, 2 g
- Onion, 29 g
- Tomato, 20 g
- Carrot, 14 g
- Drumstick, 20 g
- Okra (bhindi), 10 g
- Green chilli, 1 g
- Ghee, 3 g
How is sambar made?
Preparation 12 min · Cooking 30 min
- 1Pressure cook the toor dal until soft and mash it lightly.
- 2Boil the onion, tomato and the other vegetables in water until just tender.
- 3Soak the tamarind and jaggery in hot water and squeeze out the juice.
- 4Add sambar powder, turmeric and salt to the vegetables, then pour in the tamarind water.
- 5Stir in the mashed dal and simmer a few minutes, adding hot water if too thick.
- 6Heat ghee, pop mustard seeds with curry leaves and hing, pour this over the sambar and add coriander.
Sambar nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 bowl, about 330 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 169 kcal | 51 kcal |
| Protein | 7.9 g | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 26.1 g | 7.9 g |
| Fat | 3.3 g | 1 g |
| Fibre | 6.3 g | 1.9 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Swasthi's Recipes: Sambar Recipe, serves 4) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (1686 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, Sambar Recipe 422 g, Tarla Dalal, Sambar Recipe (South Indian Homemade Sambar) 213 g and Archana's Kitchen, Tomato Onion Sambar (Thakkali Vengayam Sambar) 358 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 sambar good for weight management?
It rates 4.0/5, a good fit, because it is low in calories for its weight and it is rich in fibre for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)0.51 kcal · 100/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)4.7 g · 47/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)3.7 g · 100/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)169 of 200 kcal (side dish) · 65/100
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 sambar
- Add extra vegetables like pumpkin, brinjal or beans
- Use one spoon of ghee or oil for the tempering
- Have it with idli or a small portion of rice rather than a large plate of rice
- Skip the added jaggery
Common questions about sambar
How many calories are in sambar?
About 169 kcal in 1 bowl, about 330 g, or 51 kcal per 100 g.
Is sambar good for weight management?
It rates 4.0/5, a good fit: it is low in calories for its weight and it is rich in fibre for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in sambar?
About 7.9 g in 1 bowl, about 330 g, which is 4.7 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in sambar?
About 30 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
Is sambar good for weight management?
Sambar gives protein and fibre for few calories (about 50 kcal per 100 g in this recipe), so a bowl is filling. Watch the rice or dosa you have with it.
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Compare it in:Dal dishes
Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.