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Rava Upma (Vegetable Upma)

Rava Upma is a traditional breakfast in South India, prepared with sooji (Rava), spices, and a variety of vegetables. This suji upma is served with coconut chutney & coffee but it tastes great even without it.

Adding lots of vegetables makes this vegetable upma which is filling and a wholesome meal for the day. Ragi Idli, Ragi dosa, Curd Rice & Aloo Paratha are some of the favorite breakfast recipes.

rava upma served in green bowl with lemon wedges & peanuts.
A perfect wholesome breakfast Rava Upma

Grains are a very important part of a healthy diet. They provide much-needed energy to the body with all the essential nutrients.

Parathas, upma, idli, dosa, dhokla are made from wholewheat, rava, rice, which are healthy grains and provides vital nutrients to our body.

The main ingredient of Upma is rava, known as sooji, suji in Hindi, Semolina in English & also known as cream of wheat in English.

Like wheat grains semolina also contains gluten, it is digested slowly which makes you feel full for a longer time. It is a good source of Vit E and Vit B and minerals like phosphorus magnesium which are good for immunity and health.

In Bangalore, upma is always served with Kesari bhat, together they call this combination as “chow chow bhat”. It is a very popular breakfast combination out there.

upma served in white plates with spoon.
Old photo of rava upma, added capsicum & peas

Why you will love it

Rava Upma is a dish prepared with rava (suji), curry leaves, peanuts, cashew, vegetables, and water. It gets ready in under 30 minutes and makes a perfect healthy breakfast to start the day.

In South India, the most common way to eat upma is with coconut chutney & filter coffee. In many restaurants, it is often paired with Kesari bhat.

To make sooji upma the process starts with roasting sooji on medium-low heat till fragrant. Prepare tempering with curry leaves, mustard seeds, cashew, onion. Add vegetables and roasted sooji, cook with water till all the water absorbs. This is how you can make rava upma at home under 30 minutes.

Normally rava & water ratio should be 1:3, but if you like a thin porridge-like consistency then feel free to add an extra 1/2 cup of water. 1:3 ratio gives you soft and moist enough upma texture. 1:3 ratio is the BEST ratio to get the PERFECT rava upma every single time.

Sooji upma is similar to sooji halwa, but it is savory and having vegetables. Basically it is thick savory porridge.

Ingredients

Please check RECIPE CARD for detailed ingredients list with accurate measurement.

  • Sooji/rava– There is a variety of suji available in the market. I normally use fine sooji to make upma.
  • Ghee– Upma tastes BEST with ghee tempering. However, you can skip and use oil. You can check the recipe of homemade ghee.
  • Tempering– Mustard seeds, curry leaves, lentils like chana dal & urad dal are the main ingredients for tempering. Cashew and peanuts are added for extra crunch but they definitely enhance the taste.
  • Water– 3 portions of water with 1 portion of sooji works best to get perfect moist and dry upma.
  • Other ingredients– Chopped onion, tomato, green chilies, and vegetables like peas, carrot, capsicum are other ingredients to make more flavorful. Do not forget to add lemon juice & chopped coriander.
a close click of rava upma (vegetable upma)
Flavorful vegetable upma

How to make Rava Upma

Rava Upma or you can name it as vegetable upma is very easy to make. The only time-consuming task is to roast sooji. You can roast it in advance and store it in an airtight container to save this time.

Let see how to make rava upma at home, step by step.

First of all, in a heavy bottom pan dry roast the rava till the raw smell disappears. Keep this aside until masala is ready. Nowadays we get roasted rava in the market. You can always roast it in advance and store it.

roasting sooji in a heavy bottom pan

Now heat ghee in the pan and add mustard seeds.

added ghee & mustard seeds

Once they start spluttering add curry leaves, soaked chana dal & urad dal. Cook it until dal becomes golden in color.

added soaked lentils, and curry leaves

Add chopped onion, ginger paste, cashews, green chilies and fry till onion changes its color too.

added ginger paste, onion, cashew & green chilies

After 4-5 min adds all vegetables and chopped tomatoes. Mix well and stir for 2-3 mins.

added vegetables & chopped tomatoes

It will take 2-3 min till the tomato becomes mushy.

Finally, add rava to the mixture. Mix well so that everything combines nicely.

added roasted rava and combined nicely

Add water. Once the water starts boiling cover the pan with the lid and cooks this on low flame for 2-3 minutes.

add water and cook by covering the lid

Adjust salt as per the taste. Rava absorbs all the water in just a few minutes. Stir it otherwise it starts sticking on the bottom of the pan.

stir after cooking few minutes

Switch off the flame after 2-3 minutes. Garnish with chopped green coriander and squeeze lemon juice. Mix well.

garnish with coriander leaves & squeeze lemon.

and serve hot with coconut chutney or simply enjoy this vegetable upma.

a close up of rava upma served in green bowl. scooping out with a spoon.

Instant pot upma

Upma does not need pressure cooking as such. By the time pressure builds up the instant pot, upma gets ready. However, if you really wish to make upma in the instant pot here is the recipe.

  • First & foremost, use pre-roasted store-bought semolina to use in upma while making in the instant pot. Or you can roast it in a pan separately.
  • Switch on IP and press SAUTE mode and heat ghee.
  • Once the ghee is hot add mustard seeds. Let them crackle.
  • Now add soaked chana dal, urad dal & curry leaves. Cook till dal color changes to light brown.
  • To this add chopped onion, ginger paste, cashews & green chilies. Cook it till onion are soft and golden brown.
  • Once the onion changes color, add chopped tomatoes & vegetables. Cook them till tomatoes are mushy.
  • Finally, add roasted sooji and mix nicely with the mixture.
  • Add water and adjust salt as per taste. Give a nice stir.
  • Close the lid, and set the valve to sealing position. Cancel the SAUTE MODE and press PRESSURE COOK mode. Set the timer for 1 minute.
  • Once the timer is done, wait for 10 minutes and QR the remaining pressure.
  • Stir it nicely, squeeze lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander.
  • Sprinkle roasted peanuts while serving. Instant pot upma is ready.

Serving suggestions

Normally it is served with coconut chutney, kesari bhat and filter coffee.

I do prefer to eat it with my ginger tea and green chutney. You can serve it “as is” as well.

Storing suggestions

You can store it for 2-3 days in the fridge. Just microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute and serve immediately.

variations

You can replace sooji with oats, vermicelli, bread pieces, daliya (broken wheat), sabudana & quinoa. Using the same ingredients and replacing just one will give a new upma recipe altogether.

Adding a paste made with coriander, mint, and green chile will give coriander mint upma with the refreshing flavors coming from the mint.

Tips & FAQ’s

  1. Cabbage is also one of veggie which tastes great in suji upma. You can add it if it suits your taste buds.
  2. It is recommended to make upma in ghee, it tastes heavenly with ghee. You can always replace it with oil.
  3. Adjust chili as per your tastes. using green chili is preferred.
  4. Make sure to dry roast sooji on medium heat. That decides the texture, if not roasted properly then it ends up having gooey consistency.
  5. Sooji and water ratio is always 1:3. You will get soft and moist consistency upma every single time.
  6. Do not forget to add lemon juice for the final touch. It gives a nice taste mixing with other ingredients.
  7. You can add cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, peas, corn, and beans to make it. So experiment with what you like to add most.
  8. I have tried this vegetable sooji upma in 6qt Instant Pot DUO60.
  9. Instant pot gives a BURN message if anything sticks at the bottom. So always make sure that you scrap the bottom nicely before closing the lid. Still, if you get the BURN message then cook the upma on SAUTE mode.
sooji upma served in green bowl
Can you make upma for one?

You can make it for one serving easily. Just half the quantity in this recipe and follow the rest of the recipe.

Can you make it vegan?

Upma taste BEST when cooked in ghee. However if you required, skip ghee and use vegetable oil like olive oil or canola oil. Follow the rest of the recipe.

Is rava upma good for health?

There is no food which is good or bad. They are simple calories that should be consumed in moderation. Rava or semolina is carbohydrates that are required for energy, adding vegetables provides fiber. Together it makes a perfect healthy combination.

Again be mindful if you are following any diet plans, for example, upma may not fit in keto or low carb diet. But in general, consuming one serving makes a complete whole meal for one time.

Why my upma is sticky?

There are many reasons when upma turned out sticky in texture.
1. Sooji is not roasted well. Make sure to roast it on low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes without burning it.
2. Using less ghee while making tempering.
3. If using very fine sooji which makes the gooey consistency and makes the upma very sticky.
Do notice any of these points if upma turned out sticky.

Is upma good for weight loss?

Upma is definitely a rich source of carbs, fats & protein in the order. It is very filling and energetic food if taken in moderation. During weight loss, a bowl of vegetable rava upma not only keeps you full for longer but also provides energy.

You may want to check some of the breakfast recipes from the blog

Check this whole collection of breakfast recipes category.

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a close click of rava upma (vegetable upma)

Rava Upma (Vegetable Upma)

Rava upma is a traditional South Indian breakfast, prepare with vegetables, spices & Rava (sooji). How to make vegetable upma or sooji upma step by step.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 Serving
Calories: 421kcal
Author: Bhawana

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup rava (semolina or sooji)
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped finely
  • 1/2 cup tomato chopped finely
  • 1 tbsp Green chilies
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • 1 cup vegetables peas, carrot, beans, I used frozen mix vegetable
  • 1 tsp ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tsp chana dal soaked for 10 min
  • 1 tsp urad dal soaked for 10 min
  • 7 whole cashews
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 3 tbsp peanut already roasted while serving
  • Salt as per taste
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter for cooking
  • Green coriander chopped finely

Instructions

How to make vegetable rava upma

  • First of all, in a heavy bottom pan dry roast the rava till the raw smell disappears. Keep this aside until masala is ready. Nowadays we get roasted rava in the market. You can always roast it in advance and store it.
    roasting sooji in a heavy bottom pan
  • Now heat ghee in the pan and add mustard seeds.
    added ghee & mustard seeds
  • Once they start spluttering add curry leaves, soaked chana dal & urad dal. Cook it until dal becomes golden in color.
    added soaked lentils, and curry leaves
  • Add chopped onion, ginger paste, cashews, green chilies and fry till onion changes its color too.
    added ginger paste, onion, cashew & green chilies
  • After 4-5 min adds all vegetables and chopped tomatoes. Mix well and stir for 2-3 mins.It will take 2-3 min till the tomato becomes mushy.
    added vegetables & chopped tomatoes
  • Finally, add rava to the mixture. Mix well so that everything combines nicely.
    added roasted rava and combined nicely
  • Add water. Once the water starts boiling cover the pan with the lid and cooks this on low flame for 2-3 minutes.
    add water and cook by covering the lid
  • Adjust salt as per the taste. Rava absorbs all the water in just a few minutes. Stir it otherwise it starts sticking on the bottom of the pan.
    stir after cooking few minutes
  • Switch off the flame after 2-3 minutes. Garnish with chopped green coriander and squeeze lemon juice. Mix well.
    garnish with coriander leaves & squeeze lemon.
  • and serve hot with coconut chutney or simply enjoy this vegetable upma.
    a close click of rava upma (vegetable upma)

Instant pot upma

  • First & foremost, use pre-roasted store-bought semolina to use in upma while making in the instant pot. Or you can roast it in a pan separately.
  • Switch on IP and press SAUTE mode and heat ghee.
  • Once the ghee is hot add mustard seeds. Let them crackle.
  • Now add soaked chana dal, urad dal & curry leaves. Cook till dal color changes to light brown.
  • To this add chopped onion, ginger paste, cashews & green chilies. Cook it till onion are soft and golden brown.
  • Once the onion changes color, add chopped tomatoes & vegetables. Cook them till tomatoes are mushy.
  • Finally, add roasted sooji and mix nicely with the mixture.
  • Add water and adjust salt as per taste. Give a nice stir.
  • Close the lid, and set the valve to sealing positionCancel the SAUTE MODE and press PRESSURE COOK mode. Set the timer for 1 minute.
  • Once the timer is donewait for 10 minutes and QR the remaining pressure.
  • Stir it nicely, squeeze lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander.
  • Sprinkle roasted peanuts while serving. Instant pot upma is ready.

Notes

Tips 
  1. Cabbage is also one of veggie which tastes great in suji upma. You can add it if it suits your taste buds.
  2. It is recommended to make upma in ghee, it tastes heavenly with ghee. You can always replace it with oil.
  3. Adjust chili as per your tastes. using green chili is preferred.
  4. Make sure to dry roast sooji on medium heat. That decides the texture, if not roasted properly then it ends up having gooey consistency.
  5. Sooji and water ratio is always 1:3. You will get soft and moist consistency upma every single time.
  6. Do not forget to add lemon juice for the final touch. It gives a nice taste mixing with other ingredients.
  7. You can add cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, peas, corn, and beans to make it. So experiment with what you like to add most.
  8. I have tried this vegetable sooji upma in 6qt Instant Pot DUO60.
  9. Instant pot gives a BURN message if anything sticks at the bottom. So always make sure that you scrap the bottom nicely before closing the lid. Still, if you get the BURN message then cook the upma on SAUTE mode.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Sodium: 537mg | Calcium: 69mg | Vitamin C: 119mg | Vitamin A: 5120IU | Sugar: 5g | Fiber: 8g | Potassium: 486mg | Cholesterol: 49mg | Calories: 421kcal | Saturated Fat: 8g | Fat: 27g | Protein: 23g | Carbohydrates: 27g | Iron: 2mg
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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    upma I havent tried yet but kind of reminds me cou cou – a cornmeal based Caribbean dish – all versions of Italian polenta – love to see how the same basic dish is interpreted in different countries!

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