💡 Quick Answer
One katori (about 180 g) of moong dal khichdi, made from 20 g dal and 20 g rice, has about 140 kcal and 6 g protein without ghee, and about 185 kcal with a teaspoon of ghee. A plate of two katori is about 285 kcal without ghee, or about 330 kcal with one teaspoon of ghee.
- Each teaspoon of ghee adds about 44 kcal and no protein.
- The dal-to-rice ratio changes protein much more than calories: 1:1 gives about 6 g per katori, 3:1 dal to rice gives about 8 g.
- Vegetable khichdi with ghee is about 205 kcal and 7.5 g protein per katori.
- A katori of curd on the side adds about 5 g protein and about 90 kcal.
Portion calculator
1 katori of moong dal khichdi, no ghee ≈ 6.2 g protein · 140 kcal
Scaled from the figures on this page. Brands and recipes vary.
Khichdi is the food Indian homes fall back on when someone is unwell, tired or just wants something simple, and it is more flexible than most people think. The same pot can be a light 140 kcal katori or a ghee-heavy 300 kcal bowl. What changes is the ghee, how much dal you add, and how soft you cook it. This page gives the numbers for each.
How These Numbers Were Calculated
Khichdi has no official value, so the figures here come from a stated home recipe. One katori of about 180 g cooked khichdi is made from 40 g of dry grains (20 g split moong dal and 20 g white rice), plain water, turmeric, salt and jeera, cooked soft and porridge-like. The cooked weight is roughly 4.5 times the dry weight, which depends on how much water you use. A plate is two katori (about 360 g, from 80 g dry grains).
Base values per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central: mung beans (moong), raw: 347 kcal and 23.9 g protein; white rice, raw, long-grain: 365 kcal and 7.1 g protein; ghee about 876 kcal (44 kcal per teaspoon of 5 g). Mixed vegetables are counted at about 40 kcal and 2.5 g protein per 100 g. Split moong dal sold in India (dhuli moong) is the same bean with the husk removed, so the numbers are close but not identical.
Calories in Khichdi: Per Katori and Plate
| Moong dal khichdi | Recipe (dry weights) | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 katori, no ghee (180 g) | 20 g dal, 20 g rice | ~140 kcal | ~6.2 g |
| 1 katori + 1 tsp ghee | as above + 5 g ghee | ~185 kcal | ~6.2 g |
| 1 plate (360 g), no ghee | 40 g dal, 40 g rice | ~285 kcal | ~12.4 g |
| 1 plate + 1 tsp ghee | as above + 5 g ghee | ~330 kcal | ~12.4 g |
| 1 plate + 2 tsp ghee | as above + 10 g ghee | ~370 kcal | ~12.4 g |
| Vegetable khichdi, 1 katori + 1 tsp ghee | 20 g dal, 20 g rice, 50 g mixed veg, 5 g ghee | ~205 kcal | ~7.5 g |
| Per 100 g, no ghee | from the katori above | ~80 kcal | ~3.4 g |
Basis: USDA FoodData Central values for raw moong, raw white rice and ghee, scaled by the dry weights in the recipe. Cooked khichdi is mostly water, so the calories per katori depend more on how many grams of dal and rice go into the pot than on the size of the bowl.
If you remember one thing: a katori of khichdi is about 140 kcal plain and 185 kcal with a teaspoon of ghee. The plate is double that, and ghee is the part most people forget to count.
Dal-to-Rice Ratio: What Changes and What Doesn't
Khichdi is made in many proportions. A common home ratio is 1:1, a lighter one uses more rice, and some people make a dal-heavy khichdi for more protein. The table below keeps the same 40 g of dry grains per katori and changes only the split:
| Dal : rice (40 g dry per katori) | Dal / rice | Calories (no ghee) | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 : 2 (more rice) | 13 g / 27 g | ~145 kcal | ~5.1 g |
| 1 : 1 | 20 g / 20 g | ~140 kcal | ~6.2 g |
| 2 : 1 | 27 g / 13 g | ~140 kcal | ~7.3 g |
| 3 : 1 (dal heavy) | 30 g / 10 g | ~140 kcal | ~7.9 g |
The calories barely move because dal and rice are both about 350 kcal per 100 g dry. What does move is protein: going from 1:2 to 3:1 gives about 3 g more protein per katori at the same calories. A dal-heavy khichdi is a simple change if your target is protein. It may taste heavier and needs more cooking time.
Khichdi With Ghee: How Much Is Too Much?
Ghee is where khichdi's calories go up. A teaspoon on top of a katori adds about 44 kcal, bringing it from 140 to 185 kcal. A tablespoon, the kind poured generously in many homes, is 3 teaspoons, or about 130 kcal. Several bowls later that is a lot of calories from a food that looks plain.
- Tempering in the cooker plus ghee on top doubles the fat. Pick one if you are counting.
- Measure a teaspoon per katori for a normal-flavoured result; a half-teaspoon still tastes of ghee.
- Restaurant and dhaba khichdi is usually 250-400 kcal per plate-sized bowl (an estimate), because they use more ghee or butter and often add a tadka on top.
Protein in Khichdi
A katori of 1:1 moong khichdi has about 6 g of protein, and a plate about 12 g. That is a fair amount for a light dish, but not a full meal's worth for most adults. To lift it without turning the khichdi into something else:
- Eat a katori of curd on the side. Regular dahi adds about 5 g protein for around 90 kcal; hung curd adds more.
- Use a dal-heavy ratio, or mix in some masoor or toor dal. Our protein in dal guide has the per-dal numbers.
- Add 30 g of paneer cubes, which brings about 5.7 g protein and 92 kcal.
- Serve with a boiled egg or a bowl of roasted chana.
For ideas that are already built to be high in protein, see our high-protein Indian meal prep guide.
Khichdi vs Plain Rice
A katori of plain cooked white rice (150 g) is about 195 kcal and 4 g protein (USDA; see calories in rice). A katori of 1:1 moong khichdi without ghee has about 140 kcal and 6 g protein. The khichdi is lower in calories per katori because it is cooked with more water, so a katori holds less grain, and it has more protein because of the dal. This is a comparison of bowls, not of nutrition per gram of dry food.
Is Khichdi Good for Everyday Eating?
It can be. It is cheap, quick and easy to scale up or down, and it is a reasonable way to eat dal and rice in one dish. Just treat the ghee, vegetables and curd as the part you adjust to your goal. If you are working out your daily calories, the calorie and macro calculator gives you a target to build the plate around.
How to Make Khichdi Higher in Protein
Khichdi already has dal in it, so a plate starts at about 12 g of protein. More dal or one add-in takes it well past 20 g. The figures below start from 1 plate of moong dal khichdi (2 katori), no ghee (about 285 kcal and 12.4 g protein).
| Type | Plate | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veg | Plate + 25 g dry soya chunks, soaked | ~370 kcal | ~25 g |
| Veg | Plate + 50 g paneer | ~440 kcal | ~22 g |
| Veg | Plate + 150 g dahi | ~375 kcal | ~18 g |
| Non-veg | Plate + 2 boiled eggs | ~430 kcal | ~25 g |
| Non-veg | Plate + 100 g cooked chicken breast | ~450 kcal | ~43 g |
If you are vegetarian: Start with the ratio: more dal and less rice raises protein for the same calories, as the table above shows. After that, soya chunks cooked in the pot, paneer cubes, or dahi on the side each add 5 to 13 g.
If you eat eggs or chicken: Boiled eggs on the side are the easy option. Shredded chicken cooked into the khichdi makes a one-pot meal with over 40 g of protein.
Add-in values use the figures in our guides to eggs, chicken breast, paneer, soya chunks, curd, chana and peanuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make khichdi higher in protein?
Use more dal than rice, then add a protein. A plate of moong dal khichdi with 25 g of dry soya chunks is about 370 kcal and 25 g protein, with 150 g of dahi about 375 kcal and 18 g, and with two boiled eggs about 430 kcal and 25 g.
How many calories are in 1 katori of khichdi?
One katori (about 180 g) of moong dal khichdi made from 20 g dal and 20 g rice has about 140 kcal and 6 g protein without ghee, and about 185 kcal with a teaspoon of ghee.
How many calories are in a plate of khichdi?
A plate of two katori (about 360 g) has about 285 kcal without ghee, about 330 kcal with 1 teaspoon of ghee and about 370 kcal with 2 teaspoons. Restaurant khichdi is oilier and can be 250 to 400 kcal.
How much protein is in moong dal khichdi?
About 6 g per katori and 12 g per plate with equal dal and rice. A dal-heavy khichdi (3 parts dal to 1 part rice) gives about 8 g per katori at the same calories.
What is the best dal to rice ratio for khichdi?
1:1 is the most common home ratio. More rice makes a softer, slightly lower-protein khichdi (about 5 g per katori); more dal gives 7 to 8 g per katori. Calories stay close to 140 kcal in all of them.
How many calories does ghee add to khichdi?
Each teaspoon of ghee adds about 44 kcal and no protein. A tablespoon, which is 3 teaspoons, adds about 130 kcal to the bowl.
Sources: USDA FoodData Central for mung beans (raw), white rice (raw and cooked) and ghee; IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) for paneer protein (18.9 g per 100 g), as used in our paneer guide; paneer energy (about 305 kcal per 100 g) is a typical value for full-fat packaged paneer. Khichdi values are calculated from the stated home recipe and are estimates; restaurant calories are estimates only.
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