Quinoa Dosa

The traditional dosa recipe uses rice and urad dal and requires 6 to 12 hours of fermentation. While it's a classic, I created this quinoa dosa recipe as a quicker, wholesome alternative, and it quickly became a reader favorite! With no fermentation needed and quinoa instead of rice, it’s perfect for busy days when you still want something nourishing and delicious.

After sharing this recipe, I started getting tons of questions about whether the same batter could be used to make quinoa idlis. Since idlis require a fermented batter for that soft, fluffy texture, the answer is no, but don’t worry! I tested and perfected a separate Quinoa Idli recipe just for you.

If you enjoy South Indian flavors, be sure to check out my Idli and Uttapam recipes — they're comforting, versatile, and perfect for any time of day. Other must-try favorites include Ven Pongal and Veg Kurma.

Ingredient Tips

Over the years, I have experimented with this recipe in a few ways, adding and removing different lentils. Here is the 4-ingredient Instant Quinoa Dosa recipe that I make the most:

• Quinoa - A great sub for rice, I recommend buying Organic white quinoa from Costco
• Rolled Oats - Add a mild, wholesome flavor while enhancing the overall texture
• Urad Dal - Adds the classic earthy dosa taste with a creamy texture
• Chana Dal - Helps make the dosa crispy

How to Make Quinoa Dosa

Here is the recipe with step-by-step photos to show how to make dosa:

Rinse the quinoa, oats & lentils. Drain out the water and then soak with 3 cups of water for 4 hours. Drain out all the water.

Make batter by blending the soaked and drained quinoa, oats & lentils. The dosa batter consistency will be like pancake batter. Add salt and mix well.

Preheat a nonstick griddle on low heat. Pour ⅓ cup of batter and spread it into a thin dosa using the back of the ladle. Cook on low-medium heat. Add ghee or oil once the bottom starts to turn light golden brown.

Using a flat spatula, start removing the dosa from the outer edges, then gently fold the dosa and serve immediately

Note: Before making the next dosa, lower the heat and wipe the pan using wet paper towels. You can also cut an onion in half and use the flat portion of the onion to rub on the pan. This helps cool down the pan a bit and will allow you to spread the batter thinly and evenly. 

Here is another way to fold the dosa in a cone shape that kids are sure to enjoy:

Starting from the outer edge, cut the cooked dosa until the mid-center. Then pick up one side of the dosa and start folding it inwards using the cut center as the top point, shaping it like a cone.

Serving

Dosa is best served with a lentil soup called sambar (an easy recipe from The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook), potato masala, and coconut chutney. Love spicy food? Go ahead and spread a spoonful of the spicy red chutney on top and enjoy.

Variations

• To make vegan quinoa dosa, use neutral oil instead of ghee
• Substitute Instant Oats in place of rolled oats
• Add an inch of ginger and a green chili while grinding the batter for a tasty dosa
• You can also use this batter to make thick pancake-like uttapam. Stir in finely chopped onions, green chili, cilantro, etc, into the batter and make the savory protein-packed pancakes