💡 Quick Answer
One medium plain paratha (about 45 g atta and 1 tsp oil) has about 195 kcal and 4 g protein; a medium aloo paratha has about 235 kcal and 5 g protein. Add a teaspoon of butter on top and the aloo paratha rises to about 270 kcal, so 2 aloo parathas with butter come to roughly 540 kcal.
- Paneer paratha: about 315 kcal and 12 g protein. Gobi: about 210 kcal. Methi: about 205 kcal.
- A paratha has roughly double the calories of a plain chapati, because of the oil and the filling.
- Each teaspoon of ghee or oil adds about 44 kcal; each teaspoon of butter adds about 36 kcal.
- Restaurant and dhaba parathas are usually bigger and oilier, so treat 300-450 kcal as the realistic range.
Portion calculator
2 × plain paratha (medium) ≈ 8.6 g protein · 390 kcal
Scaled from the figures on this page. Brands and recipes vary.
"One paratha" is the least reliable portion on an Indian breakfast table. The same name covers a thin 30 g atta paratha cooked dry and a thick, stuffed, butter-topped one that is nearly three times the size. The calories come from three things: the flour in the dough, the filling, and the fat used on the tawa. Once you know roughly how much of each went in, the number is easy to estimate.
How These Numbers Were Calculated
A paratha has no single official value, so every figure here is calculated from a stated home recipe. The base values per 100 g come from USDA FoodData Central: whole-grain wheat flour 332 kcal and 9.6 g protein, ghee about 876 kcal, vegetable oil 884 kcal, salted butter 717 kcal, boiled potato (without skin) 86 kcal and 1.7 g protein. Paneer is taken as 18.9 g protein per 100 g (IFCT 2017) and about 305 kcal, typical of full-fat packaged paneer. Our protein in paneer guide uses the same protein figure. A teaspoon of ghee or oil is 5 g.
The reference paratha is a medium one: 45 g atta dough, rolled out and cooked with 1 teaspoon of oil in total (a little between the layers, a little on the tawa). Fillings are weighed raw: 50 g boiled potato for aloo, 40 g grated paneer, 60 g grated raw cauliflower, 20 g chopped methi leaves. The whole piece comes to roughly 100 g of ingredients before cooking.
Calories in Paratha: Full Table
| Paratha (1 medium piece) | Recipe (raw weights) | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain paratha | 45 g atta, 1 tsp oil | ~195 kcal | ~4.3 g |
| Plain paratha, 2 tsp ghee | 45 g atta, 2 tsp ghee | ~235 kcal | ~4.3 g |
| Plain paratha + butter on top | 45 g atta, 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp butter | ~230 kcal | ~4.4 g |
| Aloo paratha | 45 g atta, 50 g potato, 1 tsp oil | ~235 kcal | ~5.2 g |
| Aloo paratha, 2 tsp ghee | 45 g atta, 50 g potato, 2 tsp ghee | ~280 kcal | ~5.2 g |
| Aloo paratha + butter on top | 45 g atta, 50 g potato, 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp butter | ~270 kcal | ~5.2 g |
| Paneer paratha | 45 g atta, 40 g paneer, 1 tsp oil | ~315 kcal | ~11.9 g |
| Paneer paratha + butter on top | as above + 1 tsp butter | ~350 kcal | ~11.9 g |
| Gobi paratha | 45 g atta, 60 g raw cauliflower, 1 tsp oil | ~210 kcal | ~5.5 g |
| Gobi paratha + butter on top | as above + 1 tsp butter | ~245 kcal | ~5.5 g |
| Methi paratha | 45 g atta, 20 g methi leaves, 1 tsp oil | ~205 kcal | ~5.2 g |
Basis: USDA FoodData Central values for flour, oils, butter and potato; paneer protein from IFCT 2017, paneer kcal typical of full-fat packaged paneer. Methi leaves are counted at about 10 kcal for 20 g. Spices, onion and green chilli in the filling add only a few calories and are ignored. Real parathas vary with how much oil the dough absorbs.
If you only remember one number: a medium plain paratha is about 195 kcal, and a medium aloo paratha about 235 kcal. Add 36 kcal for every teaspoon of butter on top.
Paratha Calories by Size
Size changes the total more than the filling does. Small, medium and large here mean 30 g, 45 g and 65 g of atta, with oil scaled to match (half a teaspoon, one teaspoon and one and a half teaspoons). The aloo versions carry 35 g, 50 g and 80 g of boiled potato.
| Size | Plain paratha | Aloo paratha |
|---|---|---|
| Small (30 g atta) | ~120 kcal, ~2.9 g protein | ~150 kcal, ~3.5 g protein |
| Medium (45 g atta) | ~195 kcal, ~4.3 g protein | ~235 kcal, ~5.2 g protein |
| Large (65 g atta) | ~280 kcal, ~6.2 g protein | ~350 kcal, ~7.6 g protein |
A good test at home: weigh the atta ball before you roll it. If it is nearer 60-70 g than 40 g, you are eating the large row, whatever you call it.
2 Aloo Parathas With Butter: What Does a Normal Breakfast Cost?
This is the portion people actually search for. Two medium aloo parathas cooked in a teaspoon of oil each, with a teaspoon of butter on top of each, come to about 540 kcal and 10 g protein. Add a katori of dahi (about 90 kcal and 5 g protein for 150 g) and a spoon of pickle and the meal is near 640 kcal.
- With 2 tsp ghee on the tawa instead of oil and no butter: 2 aloo parathas are about 560 kcal.
- Single aloo paratha, no butter, cooked dry on a non-stick tawa with a few drops of oil: closer to 200 kcal.
- Three parathas at a family breakfast, with butter: about 810 kcal, about as much as a full lunch for many people.
Paneer, Gobi and Methi Parathas
Paneer paratha is the only one here that moves the protein number. 40 g of full-fat paneer adds about 7.6 g protein and 122 kcal, so a medium piece reaches roughly 12 g protein, close to what two eggs give. Low-fat paneer lowers the calories but check the pack, since brands differ a lot.
Gobi paratha has the lightest filling. Raw cauliflower is only about 25 kcal per 100 g, so 60 g adds around 15 kcal. Most of the extra over a plain paratha comes from the oil that wet cauliflower needs to cook properly and not tear the dough.
Methi paratha is essentially a plain paratha with greens. The leaves add almost no calories, but a small amount of extra protein and flavour, so it is a decent way to make a plain paratha more interesting without adding fat.
Restaurant and Dhaba Parathas
These are estimates, not calculated values. Restaurant parathas are usually larger, often made with refined flour (maida), and cooked with a lot more fat, then topped with a block of butter. As a rough guide:
- Plain or lachha paratha: about 250-350 kcal
- Aloo paratha with butter: about 350-450 kcal
- Paneer paratha with butter: about 400-500 kcal
If you eat out often, log a restaurant paratha at the top of the range, not the bottom. Our Indian food calories and protein chart has the other common breakfast and meal items in one place.
Paratha vs Chapati
A plain medium chapati of 40 g has about 100 kcal (see calories in chapati). A plain medium paratha has about 195 kcal. The extra ~95 kcal comes from a bigger dough ball (45 g of atta instead of 30 g) plus the oil or ghee layered into and fried with it. That does not make parathas something to avoid: it means the paratha is a heavier food and should be logged as one, not as "roti". Many people keep paratha for one or two mornings a week and eat chapati on other days.
How to Keep a Paratha Lighter Without Giving It Up
- Measure the fat. Use a teaspoon, not a free pour. The difference between 1 tsp and 2 tsp of ghee is about 44 kcal per paratha.
- Use a good non-stick tawa and brush rather than drizzle.
- Roll it thinner or smaller. A 30 g atta paratha is about 120 kcal; there is no rule that a paratha must be the size of a dinner plate.
- Put the protein on the side. Eat one paratha with a bowl of curd or hung curd instead of a second paratha. Our high-protein Indian breakfast ideas show other options.
- Fill it with protein. Paneer, crumbled tofu or soya granules in the filling work better than extra potato.
How many parathas fit your day depends on your total target. The free calorie and macro calculator gives you a daily number to work from.
How to Make Paratha Higher in Protein
Two plain parathas give under 9 g of protein, so the plate needs a protein side or a protein filling. The figures below start from 2 medium plain parathas (about 390 kcal and 8.6 g protein).
| Type | Plate | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veg | 2 plain parathas + 150 g dahi | ~480 kcal | ~14 g |
| Veg | 2 plain parathas + 150 g hung curd or nonfat Greek yogurt | ~480 kcal | ~24 g |
| Veg | 2 paneer parathas instead of plain | ~630 kcal | ~24 g |
| Non-veg | 2 plain parathas + 2-egg bhurji or omelette | ~535 kcal | ~21 g |
| Non-veg | 2 plain parathas + 100 g cooked chicken breast | ~555 kcal | ~40 g |
If you are vegetarian: Curd is the easiest fix, and hung curd or Greek yogurt roughly triples what regular dahi adds. A paneer filling moves the protein into the paratha itself, at the cost of more calories.
If you eat eggs or chicken: Egg bhurji or an omelette on the side is the classic pairing. Shredded chicken breast, as a side or rolled inside, adds the most protein per calorie. Cook either with little oil, or count the oil separately.
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 parathas higher in protein?
Add a protein side or filling. Two plain parathas with a 2-egg bhurji come to about 535 kcal and 21 g protein, and with 150 g of hung curd or Greek yogurt about 480 kcal and 24 g. Two paneer parathas give about 630 kcal and 24 g.
How many calories are in 1 plain paratha?
A medium plain paratha made from about 45 g atta and 1 teaspoon of oil has about 195 kcal and 4 g protein. A small one (30 g atta) is about 120 kcal and a large one (65 g atta) about 280 kcal.
How many calories are in 1 aloo paratha?
A medium aloo paratha with 45 g atta, 50 g boiled potato filling and 1 teaspoon of oil has about 235 kcal and 5 g protein. With 2 teaspoons of ghee it is about 280 kcal.
How many calories are in 2 aloo parathas with butter?
Two medium aloo parathas, each cooked in 1 teaspoon of oil with 1 teaspoon of butter on top, are about 540 kcal and 10 g protein in total, or about 270 kcal each.
How many calories does ghee or butter add to a paratha?
Each teaspoon (5 g) of ghee adds about 44 kcal and each teaspoon of butter about 36 kcal. A paratha cooked with 2 teaspoons of ghee instead of 1 teaspoon of oil has about 40 kcal more.
Which paratha has the most protein?
Paneer paratha. A medium one with 40 g paneer has about 12 g protein and 315 kcal, compared with about 5 g for aloo, gobi or methi parathas and 4 g for a plain paratha.
Sources: USDA FoodData Central for whole-grain wheat flour, ghee, vegetable oil, salted butter and boiled potato; 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. All paratha values are calculated from the stated home recipes and are estimates; restaurant ranges are estimates only.
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