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ThaliFacts
South Indian · सांबार वड़ा

Sambar Vada calories
per plate, not per 100 g

263 kcal 1 plate (2 vadas in sambar) — taken as 150 g — has about 263 calories, with 9.3 g protein, 33.0 g carbohydrate and 10.5 g fat. Two come to 525 kcal, three to 788 kcal.

Per 100 g, sambar vada carries 175 kcal and 6.2 g protein.

Protein 9.3 g · 14.1% of energy Carbs 33.0 g · 50.1% of energy Fat 10.5 g · 35.8% of energy

Serving assumed: 1 plate (2 vadas in sambar) ≈ 150 g — medu vadas soaked in sambar. Change the portion and every number below changes with it.

Sambar Vada calories by portion

The whole point of this site: an Indian portion, not a laboratory 100 g. Everything below scales linearly from the 150 g serving.

Sambar Vada — calories and macros by number of servings, at 150 g per plate.
PortionGramsCaloriesProteinCarbsFatFibre
1 plate150 g 263 kcal9.3 g33.0 g10.5 g3.9 g
2 plates300 g 525 kcal18.6 g66.0 g21.0 g7.8 g
3 plates450 g 788 kcal27.9 g99.0 g31.5 g11.7 g

Figures in kilocalories — the "calories" on a food label. Carbohydrate is available carbohydrate; fibre is listed separately and is included in neither the carbohydrate column nor the energy figure.

Full nutrition per 100 g

Sambar Vada — nutrition per 100 g, as eaten.
NutrientPer 100 gPer 1 plate (2 vadas in sambar) (150 g)
Energy175 kcal263 kcal
Protein6.2 g9.3 g
Carbohydrate (available)22.0 g33.0 g
Fat7.0 g10.5 g
Dietary fibre2.6 g3.9 g

What it takes to burn off 1 plate (2 vadas in sambar) of sambar vada

Minutes of activity for a 70 kg adult to spend 263 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.

61 min
Walking · easy pace, 4 km/h
50 min
Brisk walking · 5.6 km/h
29 min
Cycling · moderate, 19 km/h
22 min
Running · 8 km/h

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 sambar vada sits in an Indian plate

Among the 23 south indian entries on this site, sambar vada ranks 2nd for protein (6.2 g per 100 g) and 10th for energy density (175 kcal per 100 g). The protein leader in the group is medu vada at 8.0 g.

Protein supplies 14% 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 2.6 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 plate (2 vadas in sambar)?

About 263 kcal for 1 plate (2 vadas in sambar), taken as 150 g (medu vadas soaked in sambar). Two come to roughly 525 kcal and three to 788 kcal. Per 100 g, sambar vada carries 175 kcal.

How much protein is in sambar vada?

6.2 g per 100 g, which works out to 9.3 g in 1 plate (2 vadas in sambar). That is 14% of the energy in this food, and ranks 2nd of 23 in the south indian group on this site.

Is sambar vada good for weight loss?

At 175 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 medu vadas soaked in sambar. A restaurant version can be 30 to 60% higher.

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.

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