Idli calories
per idli, not per 100 g
The short answer
One idli, weighed
55kcal 1 medium idli — taken as 40 g — has about 55 calories, with 1.8 g protein, 11.3 g carbohydrate and 0.1 g fat. Two come to 110 kcal, three to 166 kcal.
Per 100 g, idli carries 138 kcal and 4.6 g protein.
SOURCE·ICMR–NIN dietary guidance for Indians + weighed portions·1 medium idli entered at 40 g·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Serving assumed: 1 medium idli ≈ 40 g — steamed, no oil at all — the lightest way to start an Indian day. Change the portion and every number below changes with it.
SOURCE·ICMR–NIN dietary guidance for Indians + weighed portions·1 medium idli entered at 40 g·REVIEWED JUL 2026
From a table row to one idli
- Read the per-100 g row for idli out of the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 — analysed on Indian samples, so Indian wheat and Indian milk are not swapped for American ones. It gives 138 kcal and 4.6 g protein per 100 g.
- Weigh what is actually served. This site enters 1 medium idli at 40 g (steamed, no oil at all — the lightest way to start an Indian day). That weight is the number other calorie sites decline to state, and it is where their answers stop being answers.
- Multiply, linearly, and print the working: 138 × 40 ÷ 100 = 55 kcal per idli. Nothing is rounded up, adjusted or smoothed — two idlis are exactly twice one.
- Reconcile the energy against its own macronutrients with Atwater factors on every build. A row more than 15% away from 4P + 4C + 9F (20% above 6 g of fibre) stops the build rather than shipping.
per idli = per 100 g × serving grams ÷ 100 Idli = 138 kcal × 40 g ÷ 100 = 55 kcal energy check = 4P + 4C + 9F ±15% (±20% if fibre ≥ 6 g)
Idli, entered by the portion
The kitchen ledger: one idli at 40 g, then two, then three. Every row is the row above multiplied — nothing is rounded up or quietly adjusted.
| Portion | Grams | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 idli | 40 g | 55 kcal | 1.8 g | 11.3 g | 0.1 g | 0.9 g |
| 2 idlis | 80 g | 110 kcal | 3.7 g | 22.6 g | 0.2 g | 1.8 g |
| 3 idlis | 120 g | 166 kcal | 5.5 g | 33.8 g | 0.4 g | 2.8 g |
| 1 plate of 3 idlis | 120 g | 166 kcal | 5.5 g | 33.8 g | 0.4 g | 2.8 g |
SOURCE·ICMR–NIN dietary guidance for Indians + weighed portions·1 medium idli entered at 40 g·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Kept in kilocalories — the "calories" printed on a packet. Carbohydrate is available carbohydrate. Fibre is entered on its own line and is counted in neither the carbohydrate column nor the energy figure.
The 100 g column, kept for the record
Because every other site quotes it, and because you should be able to check our arithmetic against theirs.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 medium idli (40 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 138 kcal | 55 kcal |
| Protein | 4.6 g | 1.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 28.2 g | 11.3 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.1 g |
| Dietary fibre | 2.3 g | 0.9 g |
SOURCE·IFCT 2017 + published recipe weights·REVIEWED JUL 2026
What it takes to burn off 1 medium idli of idli
Minutes of activity for a 70 kg adult to spend 55 kcal, using MET values from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. This is a scale check, not a licence — appetite rises with activity and the two do not cancel neatly.
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·MET × 3.5 × 70 kg ÷ 200·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Calculated as MET × 3.5 × 70 kg ÷ 200 kcal per minute. Full working on the method page, and the whole activity dataset at BurnLab.
Where idli sits in an Indian plate
Among the 23 south indian entries on this site, idli ranks 4th for protein (4.6 g per 100 g) and 17th for energy density (138 kcal per 100 g). The protein leader in the group is medu vada at 8.0 g.
Protein supplies 13% of its energy — respectable, but a plate built only on this will run short. Dal, curd, paneer or eggs close the gap cheaply. Fibre is moderate at 2.3 g per 100 g.
A realistic day matters more than any single dish. If you are building a meal, the thali builder adds several foods and their real servings together in one total.
Questions
How many calories are in 1 medium idli?
About 55 kcal for 1 medium idli, taken as 40 g (steamed, no oil at all — the lightest way to start an Indian day). Two come to roughly 110 kcal and three to 166 kcal. Per 100 g, idli carries 138 kcal.
How much protein is in idli?
4.6 g per 100 g, which works out to 1.8 g in 1 medium idli. That is 13% of the energy in this food, and ranks 4th of 23 in the south indian group on this site.
Is idli good for weight loss?
At 138 kcal per 100 g it is mid-range — it fits a deficit if the portion is measured rather than eyeballed. Protein is moderate, so pair it with dal, curd or a non-veg side to stay full. No single food makes or breaks a diet; the total for the day does.
Why does this differ from other calorie sites?
Two reasons. First, most sites publish a per-100 g figure from a US database and leave you to guess what a roti or a katori weighs; this page states the serving weight up front. Second, home-cooked Indian food varies enormously with oil and ghee — the figures here assume steamed, no oil at all — the lightest way to start an indian day. A restaurant version can be 30 to 60% higher.
Similar foods
Four more from south indian, and three from elsewhere with a similar energy density.
Where this number comes from
From the composition tables, not re-checked against a named row. This site does not claim a carbohydrate basis for this figure. Either it is a hand-entered composite with no stored ingredient list to derive one from, or the named table row disagrees with what is published here by too much to say which basis the number is on.
Every food on this site carries this label. What each one means, and how many foods sit behind each, is set out on the method page.
Nutrient values are averages for the stated preparation, based on the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR–NIN) and standard recipe analysis. Energy is reconciled against the macronutrients with Atwater factors on every build. General information only — not medical or nutrition advice. Home-cooked Indian food varies enormously with oil, ghee and portion size; every value here is an average for a stated serving, with the assumption shown.
SOURCE·IFCT 2017 + published recipe weights·REVIEWED JUL 2026
The people behind these sites
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This site and nine others like it are built and photographed by two people: Amit Sharma — behind the build; Geeta Patel — the poses, demonstrated. New work goes up on Instagram and Facebook before it reaches a page here.
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