This crispy, thin quinoa dosa needs just five ingredients, including rice and lentils, and it is loaded with healthy protein. You can ferment the batter to make it probiotic.
Table of Contents
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email and I'll send this recipe to your inbox!
The crispiest quinoa dosa
This quinoa dosa recipe is a delightful variation of a classic south Indian dosa made with urad dal and rice. It is also a quicker recipe, if you're pressed for time, but it's just as delicious and loaded with protein.
I've been making this version for many years now, and I love it so because it makes the crispiest of all dosa varieties. I have tried variations of quinoa dosa made with and without rice, and with different lentils, but this recipe is the one that emerged the clear winner because it makes the thinnest, crispiest quinoa dosa - just like we love it.
Quinoa is a wonderful grain to incorporate in your diet because it has a large amount of protein with a wide range of amino acids, which makes it particularly beneficial for vegans and vegetarians. It is also rich in fiber and antioxidants and has B vitamins and iron, among other benefits.
To further increase the healthfulness and flavor of this dosa I use a mix of three lentils along with the quinoa. You can use just one kind of lentil (see FAQs). I don't always ferment the quinoa dosa batter when I am looking to make dosas in a hurry, but when I have the time I like doing so. Fermenting dosa batter adds tons of probiotic bacteria and makes this healthy dosa even healthier.
This recipe yields dosas that are vegan, soy-free and nut-free. Most dosa varieties are gluten-free, including this quinoa dosa, sorghum dosa, brown rice dosa and adai.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, use just urad dal.
Most definitely. Replace half the quinoa with rice and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
For softer quinoa dosas, add ¼th cup of poha or flattened rice to the quinoa and lentils when you soak them.
Quinoa dosa is served with a traditional south Indian sambar or coconut chutney. To serve this as a masala dosa, place a filling of potato masala inside the dosa and fold it over.
Dosas are always best eaten right after you make them. If you have leftover quinoa dosa batter, store it in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Recipe card
Quinoa dosa
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- ½ cup urad dal (black gram dal)
- 2 tablespoon toor dal (pigeon peas)
- 2 tablespoon chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds or methi seeds (optional if not fermenting)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the dals and quinoa and place in a bowl with fenugreek seeds, if using, and enough water to cover by at least two inches. Set aside to soak at least three hours or overnight.
- Drain and place the quinoa and lentils in a blender with enough water to keep the blades moving. Blend into a smooth paste. You can always mix in more water later if your batter is too thick. The dosa batter should have the consistency of a thin pancake batter minus the lumps.
- You can make the dosas rightaway after blending, or you can ferment the batter overnight to get healthier dosas. To ferment the batter, cover the bowl with a lid and place in a warm spot in your kitchen, or in a cold oven with the light turned on, overnight. The batter will become puffy after 8-10 hours, indicating that it is teeming with good-for-you bacteria. Stir in salt to taste at this point.
- To make the dosas, use a paper towel or the cut surface of half a potato or onion to rub a tiny bit of oil on the surface of a griddle. There should be no visible oil, you are just seasoning the griddle to ensure the dosa doesn't stick.
- Heat the griddle until water splattered on the surface sizzles and evaporates rightaway. Using a ladle with a rounded bottom, place about ⅓rd cup of the dosa batter in the center of the griddle. Using the bottom of the ladle, start spreading the batter into a round, moving outward from the center in a spiral motion. Your dosa should be rather thin and crepe-like. Don't worry if you don't get this perfect the first few times--you'll get better with practice.
- Sprinkle a few drops of oil around the edges of the crepe. This helps the edge brown and become all crispy, and it helps release the dosa crepe. You can also use cooking spray.
- Let the bottom cook until golden-brown. If your dosa is thin enough, you don’t really need to cook the other side, but if it is thick, flip it over and cook another 30 seconds.
Notes
- Quinoa is typically available in white, red and black colors. You can use quinoa of any color in this recipe.
- Wash the quinoa thoroughly before use. This is best done by placing the quinoa in a fine-mesh colander and rinsing it under running water. Quinoa has a natural, protective coating of phytochemicals called saponins, which can make the quinoa taste bitter. But it's a problem easily taken care of by simply rinsing the quinoa.
- If using cooking spray instead of oil, on a gas stove, turn the heat all the way down or off before spraying around the edges so you don't accidentally spray the flame.
- To make softer dosas, add ¼ cup poha or flattened rice. You can also make the quinoa dosas thicker if that's how you like them.
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
Deborah
This is on regular rotation at our home, so so yummy. I also love that it is so easy to make. I ferment the batter and we eat the dosa over a couple of days.
PamelaB
May be showing my ignorance…but do you eat these by dipping, scooping or fill & roll?
Or all of the above… 🙂
I’ll try all the ways, but wondered about the traditional way.
Thank you for yet another recipe that helps us find joy & health in cooking & eating.
I love your ideas & recipes!
Vaishali
Hi Pamela, thanks for the kind words. 🙂 If you are eating with a potato filling, place the filling in the dosa, tear off a bit of the dosa with the filling, and dunk it in a chutney or sambar. You can also scoop up the filling after tearing a bit of the dosa and then dip. With no potato just dunk in the sambar or chutney. In short, there is no wrong way to do this--it's delicious any way you eat it. 🙂
Preethi
This was just what I needed Thank you! Is there a substitute for urad Dal?
Vaishali
Hi Preethi, you could replace with moong dal, which has good binding properties and would work here.