I shared this high protein dosa on my stories last week, and it completely blew up! So many of you asked for the recipe that I had to put it all down here. It’s a crispy, golden, protein-packed twist on a classic, made with quinoa and lentils for a balanced and nourishing meal, and it’s one you will keep coming back to!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE QUINOA LENTIL DOSA:
What I love most about this dosa is how simple but nourishing it is, while still feeling like something a little special. The batter is a mix of quinoa and lentils, which gives it that perfect balance of protein and texture. I usually go with chana dal, moong dal, and masoor dal, but this recipe is very flexible, so feel free to use what you have on hand. To that, I add a bit of methi and a few dried red chilies for a subtle kick and extra depth of flavor. Let everything soak for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight if you have the time, so the grains soften and blend easily.
Once everything has softened, discard the soaking water and blend it into a smooth batter, adding fresh water as needed to get a pourable consistency. Make sure the batter is not too runny. Then comes the key step — fermentation. Let it sit in a warm spot for 7 to 8 hours or overnight, and you will start to see small bubbles forming and the batter slightly rising. That is when you know it’s ready. This step not only helps with digestion, but also gives the dosa its light texture while still getting those crisp edges when cooked.
When you are ready to cook, heat up your tawa until it is nice and hot, then pour and spread the batter into a thin, even circle. Let it cook undisturbed for a bit so it can set properly. I like to sprinkle on some homemade curry leaf podi for extra flavor, then drizzle a bit of ghee over the top so it crisps up beautifully. As it cooks, the edges turn perfectly golden and crisp, while the center stays soft and flavorful!
Serve it hot with your favorite chutney, sambar, or any sides you like. It makes for a really satisfying breakfast, lunch, or even a quick dinner. It’s such an easy way to get in a good amount of protein without compromising on flavor, and it feels both comforting and wholesome at the same time. This is one of those recipes you will keep coming back to!
If you like this, please try my other recipes:
Quinoa Lentil Dosa — crispy, golden, and wholesome, this protein rich dosa is made with quinoa, lentils, methi seeds, and dried red chilies. It’s nourishing, naturally gluten-free, and perfect for breakfast, lunch, or even a light dinner!
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/4 cup chana dal (yellow split chickpeas lentils)
- 1/4 cup orange masoor dal (orange lentils)
- 1/4 cup whole moong beans
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 3 dried red chilies
- salt , to taste
- ghee , or oil, as needed
- 1/4 cup water , more as needed
- curry leaf podi , optional (see my recipe)
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Wash the quinoa, chana dal, orange masoor dal, whole green moong, methi seeds, and dried red chilies thoroughly 3 to 4 times until the water runs mostly clear.
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Soak everything together in enough water for 4 to 5 hours. Once soaked, discard the soaking water.
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Transfer the soaked quinoa and lentils to a blender. Add fresh water as needed and grind into a smooth batter. The batter should be smooth and pourable, but not too runny.
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Transfer the batter to a large bowl and mix it nicely with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes. This helps with fermentation.
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Cover the bowl and let the batter ferment in a warm spot for 7 to 8 hours or overnight, until it becomes slightly light and bubbly.
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Once fermented, add salt to taste and mix gently. If needed, add a little water to adjust the consistency.
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Heat a nonstick tava on medium-high heat. Once hot, pour a ladleful of batter and spread it into a thin, even circle.
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Drizzle a little ghee or oil around the edges and on top. Sprinkle curry leaf podi . To make curry leaf podi see my recipe here.
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Let the dosa cook on medium flame until the edges turn golden and crisp. Gently scrape from the sides, fold, and remove from the tava.
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Repeat with the remaining batter and serve hot with chutney, sambar, podi, or any sides of your choice.
Recipe Video
- From this batter, you can also make idlis and dhoklas.
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