💡 Quick Answer
One katori (about 150 g) of plain rava upma has about 180 kcal and 4.7 g protein, and a full plate of two katori has about 355 kcal and 9 g protein. A vegetable upma is about 175 kcal and 5 g protein per katori. Oats upma is about 180 kcal and 5 g protein.
- Most of the calories come from the rava (about 125 kcal) and the oil (about 44 kcal per teaspoon).
- Finish with an extra teaspoon of ghee and one katori rises to about 220 kcal.
- 10 g of peanuts adds about 57 kcal and 2.6 g protein; 30 g of paneer adds about 92 kcal and 5.7 g protein.
- Restaurant upma is oilier and usually served in a larger portion: expect 300-450 kcal per plate.
Portion calculator
1 katori of rava upma ≈ 4.7 g protein · 180 kcal
Scaled from the figures on this page. Brands and recipes vary.
Upma is quick and light, which is why it turns up in so many Indian breakfast boxes. It is also easy to under-count. The dish is mostly semolina and water, so it looks small, but a teaspoon of oil in the tadka and a heaped plate can double what you thought you ate. This page gives you a number for a katori, a plate, and the common variations.
How These Numbers Were Calculated
Upma has no official value because every kitchen uses different amounts of rava, water and oil. The figures here come from a stated home recipe. For one katori of about 150 g cooked upma: 35 g dry rava (suji), 1 teaspoon (5 g) of oil, and 20 g of chopped onion. Mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilli and ginger add only a few calories and are not counted. A plate is two katori (about 300 g) made from 70 g rava, 2 teaspoons of oil and 40 g onion.
Base values per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central: semolina 360 kcal and 12.7 g protein, vegetable oil 884 kcal, onion 40 kcal and 1.1 g protein. Mixed vegetables are counted at about 40 kcal and 2.5 g protein per 100 g, which is typical of carrot, beans and peas together.
Calories in Upma: Per Katori and Plate
| Upma | Recipe | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 katori plain rava upma (150 g) | 35 g rava, 1 tsp oil, 20 g onion | ~180 kcal | ~4.7 g |
| 1 plate rava upma (300 g) | 70 g rava, 2 tsp oil, 40 g onion | ~355 kcal | ~9.3 g |
| Per 100 g of cooked upma | from the katori above | ~120 kcal | ~3.1 g |
| Plain rava upma + 1 tsp ghee on top | katori above + 5 g ghee | ~220 kcal | ~4.7 g |
| Vegetable upma, 1 katori | 30 g rava, 40 g mixed veg, 1 tsp oil, 20 g onion | ~175 kcal | ~5.0 g |
| Vegetable upma, 1 plate | 60 g rava, 80 g veg, 2 tsp oil, 40 g onion | ~350 kcal | ~10.1 g |
| Vegetable upma + 10 g peanuts | katori above + 10 g peanuts | ~235 kcal | ~7.6 g |
| Rava upma + 30 g paneer cubes | plain katori + 30 g paneer | ~270 kcal | ~10.3 g |
Basis: USDA FoodData Central for semolina, oil, onion and peanuts (567 kcal and 25.8 g protein per 100 g); paneer as 18.9 g protein per 100 g (IFCT 2017) and about 305 kcal, typical of full-fat packaged paneer. Cooked weight depends on how much water you add; these are estimates for a medium-thick upma.
The quickest rule: a katori of upma is about 180 kcal, so a plate is about 360. Use the lower number only if you really cook with a teaspoon of oil per katori.
Why Vegetables Barely Change the Calories
Many people expect vegetable upma to be much lighter. In practice, the vegetables replace some rava in the same volume, so per katori the calories are almost identical (about 175 against 180 kcal). The benefit is a little more protein, some fibre and more to chew, not a big calorie saving. Using more vegetables and less rava for the same katori size is what lowers the number.
Oats Upma and Millet Upma
Oats upma is a common swap for people trying to eat more fibre. The calories are not lower than rava upma when you keep the oil. Using 30 g of rolled oats (about 380 kcal and 13 g protein per 100 g; check your pack, as brands differ) in place of the rava, with the same 40 g of vegetables, 1 teaspoon of oil and 20 g onion, a katori comes to about 180 kcal and 5 g protein.
Millet upma (foxtail, little or barnyard millet) works the same way. At about 378 kcal and 11 g protein per 100 g for raw millet (USDA), a katori made with 30 g millet, the same vegetables and oil is about 180 kcal and 4.5 g protein. Indian millet varieties differ a little from each other, so a range of 170-185 kcal is more honest than one exact figure.
| 1 katori (150 g), same oil and vegetables | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable rava upma (30 g rava) | ~175 kcal | ~5.0 g |
| Oats upma (30 g rolled oats) | ~180 kcal | ~5.2 g |
| Millet upma (30 g millet) | ~180 kcal | ~4.5 g |
So the grain you choose changes the texture and the fibre more than the calories. Pick the one you will actually eat regularly.
Restaurant and Hotel Upma
These are estimates. Hotel upma usually uses more oil or ghee, is cooked in bulk, and the portion on the plate is bigger than a home katori, often 250-350 g. A reasonable range is 300-450 kcal per plate, with 7-10 g protein. Add a vada or two and the breakfast moves well past 500 kcal.
Upma vs Poha vs Idli
All three are standard South and West Indian breakfasts, and none of them is high in protein on its own. Rava upma has about 4.7 g protein per katori. See our guides for calories in poha and calories in idli for the like-for-like numbers. The practical difference is how you eat them: upma is usually served as a heaped plate, while idlis are counted by the piece, so it is easier to overeat upma without noticing.
How to Make Upma More Filling
- Add protein, not just vegetables. 30 g of paneer cubes lifts a katori from 4.7 g to about 10 g protein. A handful of roasted peanuts or sprouted moong does a similar job at lower cost.
- Measure the oil. Pouring straight from the bottle often means 2-3 teaspoons for one portion. That is 90-130 kcal before the rava.
- Serve with curd. A katori of dahi adds about 5 g protein for about 90 kcal; see protein in curd.
- Stop at one katori of upma and have a boiled egg or a glass of milk with it if you are hungry.
For a wider set of breakfasts with 20-35 g protein, see high protein Indian breakfast ideas. If you want to turn a portion into a daily target, use the calorie and macro calculator.
How to Make Upma Higher in Protein
A plate of rava upma has about 9 g of protein. Because upma is cooked in one pan, most add-ins can go straight in. The figures below start from 1 plate of rava upma (2 katori) (about 355 kcal and 9.3 g protein).
| Type | Plate | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veg | Plate + 25 g dry soya granules, soaked | ~440 kcal | ~22 g |
| Veg | Plate + 50 g paneer | ~510 kcal | ~19 g |
| Veg | Plate + 30 g peanuts | ~525 kcal | ~17 g |
| Veg | Plate + 150 g dahi | ~445 kcal | ~15 g |
| Non-veg | Plate + 2 boiled eggs | ~500 kcal | ~22 g |
If you are vegetarian: Soya granules disappear into the rava and add the most protein for the fewest calories. Peanuts are the traditional add-in but bring more fat than protein, so measure them. Paneer cubes or a katori of dahi on the side are the other easy options.
If you eat eggs or chicken: Two boiled eggs on the side, or a 2-egg scramble folded in at the end, more than doubles the protein of the plate.
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 upma higher in protein?
Stir in a protein while it cooks or add one on the side. A plate of rava upma with 25 g of dry soya granules is about 440 kcal and 22 g protein, with 50 g of paneer about 510 kcal and 19 g, and with two boiled eggs about 500 kcal and 22 g.
How many calories are in 1 katori of upma?
One katori (about 150 g) of plain rava upma made with 35 g rava, 1 teaspoon of oil and some onion has about 180 kcal and 4.7 g protein.
How many calories are in a plate of upma?
A home-sized plate of two katori (about 300 g) has about 355 kcal and 9 g protein. Restaurant plates are often oilier and larger, so 300 to 450 kcal is a realistic estimate.
How many calories are in vegetable upma?
A katori of vegetable upma made with 30 g rava, 40 g mixed vegetables and 1 teaspoon of oil has about 175 kcal and 5 g protein, almost the same as plain upma.
Is oats upma lower in calories than rava upma?
Not really. A katori of oats upma with the same oil and vegetables has about 180 kcal and 5 g protein, compared with about 175 kcal for vegetable rava upma. The difference is mainly fibre and texture.
How much protein is in upma?
About 4.7 g in a katori of plain rava upma and about 9 g in a plate. Adding 30 g of paneer takes a katori to about 10 g protein, and 10 g of peanuts adds about 2.6 g.
Sources: USDA FoodData Central for semolina (rava), vegetable oil, onion, rolled oats, millet and peanuts; 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. Upma values are calculated from the stated home recipe and are estimates; restaurant calories are estimates only.
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