Pillowy soft steamed idli’s with quinoa and lentils are low carb and packed with protein. With a subtle nutty and sweet taste these idli have a light ivory color from the quinoa. Serve with coconut chutney or piping hot sambar, this healthy meal is sure to be on your repeat menu.
Last month I shared my no ferment quinoa dosa recipe and I am thrilled to see all the positive feedback from you guys. It is gratifying to see so many of you trying out the recipe and replacing the traditional dosa recipe with my low carb, high protein recipe.
Many of you asked if the same batter can be used to make idli’s, and my answer was no because to make soft and airy idli’s you need to ferment the batter. So here I am with the best low carb quinoa Idli Recipe!
I am super excited to share my tried and tested idli recipe that uses quinoa instead of rice. Here are the 4 ingredients to make a great plant based high protein meal that is vegan and gluten free:
- Organic white Quinoa – A great low carb sub for rice that is high in protein and fiber
- Poha – Flattened rice that makes fluffy soft idli
- Urad Dal – Adds the traditional earthy dosa taste with creamy texture and proteins
- Fenugreek Seeds – Optional, but recommended as “methi dana” helps with the fermentation process in addition to its health benefits.
Variations
- To make vegan quinoa idli simply use neutral oil instead of ghee to grease the idli mold
- You can also use this batter to make thick pancake like uttapam. Simple stir in finely chopped onions, green chili, cilantro etc to the batter and make the savory protein packed pancakes
Tips
- Use Organic white/ivory quinoa and make sure to massage and rinse quinoa at least 2 to 3 times
- Make sure the idli batter is not too think or too thick. Its almost like pancake batter.
- Make sure to grease the idli mold well with ghee or oil so that the idli can be removed easily
- To make fluffy and airy idli, its important to cook it with pressure release valve to venting.
- Have water heating in the Instant Pot when you place the idli stand and start cooking.
Process
Here is my recipe with step by step photos to show how to make quinoa idli:
Step 1 – Soaking & blending
Rinse the quinoa, poha, lentils & fenugreek seeds. Drain out the water and then soak with 3 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours. Drain out all the water, add to the blender, add salt, water and blend until smooth (photos 1 – 4).
Step 2: Fermenting
Add the batter to the Instant Pot insert. Set the Instant Pot to Yogurt(normal mode) for 8 hours. Place a non locking lid on the Instant Pot as you do not need any pressure to be built. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen you may need to ferment it anywhere between 8 to 12 hours (photos 5-6).
Note: If you do not have an Instant Pot, simple place the batter container in a warm place or inside the oven with lights on.
Step 3: Steaming
Evenly spread 2 to 3 drops of ghee or oil to the idli mold plates and grease it well. Then pour the batter in each section, about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup depending on the size of your idli plate. Stack the plates and get the idli stand ready. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert and heat it on sauté mode. Once the water gets hot and starts to steam, place the idli stand inside the Instant Pot. Close the lid with pressure valve to venting. Press the steam option and set an EXTERNAL timer for 15 minutes. NOTE: The Instant Pot timer does not work with the pressure release valve to venting so make sure to set an external timer (photos 7 – 10).
Step 4: Removing
Once the timer goes off, press cancel on the instant pot and allow 10 minute natural pressure release. Then open the lid and carefully take out the Idli stand. Separate each plate and allow to cool down for 5 mins. Then run a butter knife carefully from under each idli and remove the idlis (photos 11 – 14).
Serving
Enjoy hot idli’s with coconut chutney or cilantro chutney and sambar. I have a super easy and delicious sambar recipe in The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook. To make a perfect meal serve with a sweet and tangy mango lassi, cooling ginger lemonade or refreshing watermelon juice!
Storing
- Fermented Idli batter can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days
- Leftover cooked idlis can also be refrigerated for up to 5 days. To reheat either microwave for short amount of time covered with wet paper towel. Or re-steam in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes in an oven safe container
Love South Indian Food? Here are some vegetarian recipes to try:
quinoa Idli
Ingredients
- 1 cup white organic quinoa
- ⅓ cup urad dal
- 1/2 cup poha falttened rice flakes
- ¾ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ½ cup water for blending
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ghee
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa 2 to 3 times. Add poha & lentils and rinse again. Drain out the water and then soak with 3 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours.
- Drain out all the water and add to a blender and blend with salt & water. The idli batter consistency will be like pancake batter.
- Add the batter to the Instant Pot insert. Set the Instant Pot to Yogurt(normal mode) for 8 hours. Place a non locking lid on the Instant Pot as you do not need any pressure to be built. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen you may need to ferment it anywhere between 8 to 12 hours. If you do not have an Instant Pot, simple place the batter container in a warm place or inside the oven with lights on.
- Evenly spread 2 to 3 drops of ghee or oil to the idli mold plates and grease it well. Then pour the batter in each section, about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup depending on the size of your idli plate. Stack the plates and get the idli stand ready. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert and heat it on sauté mode. Once the water gets hot and starts to steam, place the idli stand inside the Instant Pot. Close the lid with pressure valve to venting. Press the steam option and set an EXTERNAL timer for 15 minutes. NOTE: The Instant Pot timer does not work with the pressure release valve to venting so make sure to set an external timer.
- Once the timer goes off, press cancel on the instant pot and allow 10 minute natural pressure release. Then open the lid and carefully take out the Idli stand. Separate each plate and allow to cool down for 5 mins. Then run a butter knife carefully from under each idli and remove the idlis.
- Enjoy hot with some coconut chutney or cilantro chutney and sambar. I have a super easy and delicious sambar recipe in The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook.
Video
Notes
- To make vegan quinoa idli simply use neutral oil instead of ghee to grease the idli mold
- Make sure to grease the idli mold well with ghee or oil so that the idli can be removed easily
- To make fluffy and airy idli, its important to cook it with pressure release valve to venting
- Have water heating in the Instant Pot when you place the idli stand and start cooking
- You can also use this batter to make thick pancake like uttapam. Simple stir in finely chopped onions, green chili, cilantro etc to the batter and make the savory protein packed pancakes
Nutrition
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Meenakshi says
Lovely and lucid presentation. Can I use Urdu dhal powder instead of Urdu dhal. If so what would be the measurement? Secondly if I use broken Urud dhal what should be the measurement ? Please clarify
Archana says
Same measurements for broken urad dal.I have not tested this recipe with urad dal.
Dharani gandham says
Hi Archana,
I made these healthy idlis and turned out to be perfect and soft. Thank you
VR says
how long you can store this batter in fridge?
Archana says
4 to 5 days
Sonia says
Hi – I left it overnight in the IP and it didn’t ferment at all. Anything I can do to salvage the batter?
Archana says
Assuming the batter is not too thick, sometimes it can take up to 2 hours. Its does not ferment too much and it will still be ok if you went ahead and made idlis after 12 hours.
Brenda says
I just made a batter. It looks good. I am not going to make Idli for a day or two. When I make idli do I need to add eno?
Archana says
Refrigerate after it ferments and then you do not need to add eno.
AnnRae Griffin says
Hello, I love your site. I do not have the idli pan for my IP. I do have the egg molds. Could I use them?
Archana says
yes you can! Its a great idea.
Parina Patel says
Do you think I could add some veggies to this? I am thinking it would be nice to sneak veggies into my toddler’s meal.
Archana says
Hi Parina, I have not tried, but may be try adding small amount of grated carrots? Or even make uttapam with the batter
Mitra says
Love your quinoa dosa recipe. Made it several times. Looking forward to trying the idli, however I don’t have poha. Any recommendations on a substitute for poha?
Thanks!!!
Archana says
You can skip poha and add more rice instead
Ridhima says
Is white quinoa different from regular quinoa?
Archana says
I think they are the same. Make sure to use the organic pre-washed variety as it does not have a strong aroma.
Roger beauchemin says
Been a vegetarian/vegan for twenty yrs, i have a good understanding cooking Indian cuisine. Made even Dosa and Iddly many times. Yet i made this recipe, with ease. Fermented in my Instant Pot, when done steaming, they came out chewy like fudge. I did cut the recipe in half. Bewildered!
Archana says
The only reason I can think of is, pressure valve was on sealing instead of venting as suggested in the recipe.
Roger says
I steamed the Iddlys in a pot with a lid on the top, this didnt allow pressure of the steam to escape. This is how in the past i steamed Iddly, tho using rice and urad dal. What i dont understand, at the end i read to let the steam escape for ten minutes. Seem with the valve on open no build up steam could be going on.
Archana says
Last instruction is just to allow it to cool down naturally. There is slight pressure from all the steam
Sneha Lamba says
Hi. Looking forward to using your recipe. Is there any substitute for urad dal? can we use anything else?
Archana says
Hi Sneha, I have not tried but try mung dal
Manasa says
I tried it so healthy & tasty
Josna says
We tried this recipe and it came out really well. Thanks for this yummy healthy idli recipe.
Josna says
We tried the recipe and it came out really well. Thanks for this yummy healthy idli recipe.