South India · Breakfast
Uttapam
Also called uthappam, uttappam, uttapa, oothappam, onion uttapam
A thick, soft pancake of fermented rice and urad dal batter, topped with chopped onion, carrot and green chilli before it is flipped. Eaten at breakfast with sambar and coconut chutney.
The short answer
Uttapam has about 324 kcal in a regular serving (1 uttapam, about 120 g), with 9.1 g of protein and 4.7 g of fibre. It rates 2.0/5 (limited fit) for weight management: a regular serving is a modest portion, but it packs a lot of calories into each gram and it is low in protein for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 2 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 324 kcal
- 1 uttapam (about 120 g)
- For weight management
- 2.0 / 5Rated 2 out of 5. Limited fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 9.1 g · 4.7 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 1 hr
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in uttapam?
Raw weights for one serving (1 uttapam, about 120 g), from the standard recipe
- Urad dal, 14 g
- Chana dal, 4 g
- Rice, 57 g
- Poha (flattened rice), 3 g
- Oil, 5 g
- Onion, 21 g
- Carrot, 4 g
- Green chilli, 1 g
How is uttapam made?
Preparation 15 min · Cooking 20 min
- 1Soak the dals and rice separately, grind them to a thick batter and leave it to ferment overnight.
- 2Thin the batter slightly with water to a thick, pouring consistency.
- 3Pour a ladleful on a hot greased tawa and spread it just a little; it should stay thick.
- 4Scatter chopped onion, carrot and green chilli over the top and press them in lightly.
- 5Drizzle a little oil around the edge and cook on a low to medium flame until the base is golden.
- 6Flip, cook the other side and serve with sambar and chutney.
Uttapam nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 uttapam, about 120 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 324 kcal | 270 kcal |
| Protein | 9.1 g | 7.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 57.8 g | 48.2 g |
| Fat | 5.6 g | 4.7 g |
| Fibre | 4.7 g | 3.9 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Swasthi's Recipes: Uttapam Recipe (Crispy and Fluffy Uthappam), serves 8) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (845 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, Uttapam Recipe (Crispy and Fluffy Uthappam) 106 g, Hebbar's Kitchen, Uttapam Recipe (Onion Uttappa) 70 g and Archana's Kitchen, Vegetable Uttapam Recipe 192 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 uttapam good for weight management?
It rates 2.0/5, a limited fit, because a regular serving is a modest portion, but it packs a lot of calories into each gram and it is low in protein for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)2.70 kcal · 38/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)2.8 g · 28/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)1.4 g · 48/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)324 of 400 kcal (breakfast) · 69/100
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 uttapam
- Use a non-stick tawa and only a few drops of oil
- Load the top with more onion, carrot and capsicum for fibre
- Eat one uttapam with plenty of sambar rather than two
- Choose a coconut chutney in a small spoonful, or tomato chutney
- Leave out the butter that some shops add
Common questions about uttapam
How many calories are in uttapam?
About 324 kcal in 1 uttapam, about 120 g, or 270 kcal per 100 g.
Is uttapam good for weight management?
It rates 2.0/5, a limited fit: a regular serving is a modest portion, but it packs a lot of calories into each gram and it is low in protein for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in uttapam?
About 9.1 g in 1 uttapam, about 120 g, which is 2.8 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in uttapam?
About 1 hr of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
Is uttapam good for weight management?
An uttapam of about this size gives about 320 kcal here. It is filling because it is thick, and the vegetables on top add some fibre.
Is uttapam healthier than dosa?
They use the same batter. Uttapam is thicker and heavier, but it takes less oil than a crisp or ghee dosa.
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Compare it in:DosaBreakfast dishes
Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.