Oats Dosa is a crispy, lacy breakfast/snack recipe of thin crepes made with cooking oats, yogurt, onions, herbs and spices. This South Indian recipe of Oats Dosa recipe is quick, instant to prepare and makes up for a healthy breakfast for your busy mornings. Additionally, this recipe does not need any fermentation of the batter.
About This Oats Dosa Recipe
This delicious oats dosa has become a frequent part of our menu. They are quick to prepare and make for a nutritious breakfast or snack. Here are a few more tasty Oats Recipes to try.
Oats Dosa is a crispy crepe made with oats flour. This recipe is an instant, quick variation of the traditional Dosa Recipe which is time-intensive – that involves soaking rice and lentils, grinding them into a batter, and fermenting.
When I had begun to test and develop oats dosa recipe many years back, I could not believe that these delicious crepes had oats in them. I was surprised with their texture and taste – crisp, lacy, flavorful and healthy.
Bonus they were quick to make as no fermentation is needed. I must admit though, that the oats dosa recipe made with the traditional method of fermented rice, lentil batter and ground oats flour tastes great as well.
All you need to make this recipe, is oat flour and the usual Indian pantry staples. I make my own oat flour by grinding quick cooking oats or rolled oats in a mixer-grinder.
Sometimes I also make the oats flour a day ahead and store it in the fridge. This make it very easy and quick to make the Oats Dosa in the early morning hours.
Simply mix the rava (sooji), rice flour, onions, herbs, spices, yogurt, water with the flour. Spread batter on a hot tawa and make dosa in batches.
I keep the consistency of the batter similar to Rava Dosa batter. This makes for a lacy, thin and crispy texture in the Oats Dosa, which taste awesome as is and even when paired with any chatni.
How to Make Oats Dosa
Make Oats Flour
1. In a blender or mixer-grinder take ½ cup of quick cooking oats or rolled oats.
2. Grind the oats to a fine flour.
Combine The Flours
3. Transfer the ground oats flour into a mixing bowl.
2. Add ¼ cup of fine rava (sooji or cream of wheat or semolina). Do not use coarse rava granules. You can add semolina flour too.
3. Next add ¼ cup of rice flour. As a healthy option, you can opt for brown rice flour. Make sure that your rice flour is finely ground and not coarse.
Make Batter
4. Add ½ cup of fresh curd or ¼ cup fresh curd for a less sour taste. If you prefer a sour taste in your oats dosa, add sour curd.
If you decide to include sour curd, add ¼ cup of it. Add water as needed to get the right consistency. For rolled oats flour, you will need to add slightly more water.
5. Add 1 cup of water.
6. Begin to mix the batter.
7. Stir and mix thoroughly until you get a smooth consistency without any lumps.
8. Add all of the listed ingredients mentioned below
- ¼ cup of finely chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon of finely chopped green chilies
- 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves
- 7 to 8 finely chopped curry leaves (about 1 tablespoon chopped curry leaves)
9. Combine and mix very well. Add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds, ¼ teaspoon of crushed black pepper, and salt as required.
You can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated coconut if you like.
10. Stir again and set aside the batter for 10 minutes. The water will float on top and the flours will be at the bottom after resting the batter.
11. Check the consistency and add ¼ cup of water. I added a total of 1.25 cups water but you can add about 1.5 cups water depending on the texture of the flours.
I used Homemade Curd and the batter was not very thick. If you are using very thick yogurt like greek yogurt, you may need to add more water. The consistency should be thin and runny like Rava Dosa batter.
Make Oats Dosa
12. Heat a cast iron skillet/tawa or a nonstick frying pan on a medium to medium-high heat. If using a cast-iron skillet, sprinkle some water carefully to check the temperature before adding the oil. If the water droplets sizzle and evaporate, add the dosa batter to the pan.
Do not add water to a nonstick pan as adding water will affect the nonstick coating. Drizzle ½ to 1 teaspoon of oil on the skillet (cast-iron or non-stick). Spread the oil with a spoon.
13. Stir the batter in the bowl and fill a ladle with batter and pour it from the circumference to the center.
Do not spread the batter with the back of the ladle as you usually would for the traditional fermented dosa recipes.
You can make a small dosa to test whether the consistency of the batter is correct. If the batter is too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and if the batter is too thin, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of rice flour.
14. Obviously there will be some large or small gaps in the dosa.
15. Fill the gaps with a bit more of the batter.
16. Now cook the dosa on a medium to medium-high heat.
17. Sprinkle some oil around the sides and in the small gaps.
18. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes. You will see that the edges loosen up and separate from the pan.
19. When the base becomes crisp and golden, flip and cook the other side.
20. When this second side is cooked and crisp, flip it again and cook the first side to make it crisper. For a less crisp dosa, cook on both sides once and serve when done.
21. Fold on the tava and remove.
22. Add the oats dosa to a plate and serve hot. If you are not able to serve it hot, cover the dosas with a lid.
The crisp texture of the dosas will change if they are served warm or at room temperature. However, they still taste delicious.
Serving Suggestions
Like your usual regular dosa, oats dosa tastes delicious with Coconut Chutney, Sambar, or Idli Podi.
You can enjoy with Tomato Chutney, Onion Chutney, Peanut Chutney or Ginger Chutney. I like to serve my oats dosa with coconut chutney or tomato chutney.
It is best to eat these instant oats dosa hot. When they cool the texture becomes soft.
Make Ahead and Leftovers
For busy mornings, when you plan to make quick breakfast, prep the batter (without adding onions and coriander leaves) a day earlier and refrigerate overnight.
The batter will thicken a bit after refrigeration. Add some water to get the right consistency before you make your oats dosa.
You could also make the oat flour a day earlier and store in the fridge in an airtight container. Next morning add the remaining ingredients to the oat flour and make the batter.
Any leftover batter keeps well for a day in the refrigerator. While making dosa with the leftover batter, add water if it has become thick.
Expert Tips
- Batter consistency: The consistency of the batter should be thin, runny and flowing like Rava Dosa batter. If the batter is slightly thick, you get soft dosas and not crisp ones. I suggest to test a small portion of the batter to check how the dosa turns out before using up the entire batch of batter.
- Correcting thick or very thin batter: If the batter becomes too thin, the dosas will come out thin and limp with no structure or shape. If the batter is very thin, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of rice flour or more and stir to thicken it slightly. If the batter is thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons water to make the consistency thin.
- Temperature of the skillet: The skillet/tawa has to be hot. After the batter is poured, small holes are formed that create a lacy effect.
- Cooking time: These instant oats dosa take more time to cook as compared with your regular dosa. Do not be in a hurry to cook them. Remove them from the skillet when you see that they are golden and crispy on both sides.
- Stirring batter every time: Before making each dosa stir and mix the batter very well with the ladle. The flours settle at the bottom of the bowl. Mix the batter every time prior to making every dosa. This ensures the flours are evenly mixed before you make your dosa.
- Using a cast-iron skillet: If you are using a cast-iron skillet, make sure the skillet or tawa is well seasoned. If not the dosa will stick to the skillet.
- Including Curd (yogurt): The addition of curd gives the dosas a delicious slight sour taste. If you don’t have curd, add water instead.
- Scaling: Make a small or a large batch of this oats dosa recipe as it suits you, by easily scaling the ingredients.
FAQs
Your oats dosa might not be crispy because you did not cook it for long enough. To ensure that you get a crispy oats dosa cook it on a medium heat on the skillet and keep cooking until both sides are crispy and golden brown.
Your oats dosa may be white because it was not cooked for long enough on both sides. Make sure you cook the dosa on both sides on a medium heat until it becomes golden brown.
Fill a ladle with batter and pour it from the circumference to the center. You should not spread the batter with the back of the ladle as you would for the traditional dosa recipe.
Your oats dosa might be breaking because the dosa batter is too thin. If the batter is too thin, add 1 or 2 tablespoons rice flour. To test your dosa batter add a small portion of the batter to the pan and change the consistency if needed.
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Oats Dosa (Crispy Oats Crepes)
Ingredients
- ½ cup quick cooking oats or rolled oats
- ¼ cup Rice Flour
- ¼ cup rava (sooji or cream of wheat or semolina)
- ½ cup Curd (yogurt)
- ¼ cup finely chopped onions or 1 small onion – finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies
- 1 to 1.5 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 7 to 8 curry leaves or 1 tablespoon, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper – crushed in a mortar-pestle
- 1 to 2 tablespoons grated coconut – optional
- 1.25 cups water or add as required
- salt as required
- oil or ghee or butter as required
Instructions
Making batter
- Grind the oats in a mixer or grinder to a fine flour. Take this flour in a mixing bowl.
- Then add rice flour and rava (finer variety of sooji.cream of wheat/semolina).
- Add fresh curd. You can also use sour curd. If using sour curd, then add ¼ cup and add more water to get the right consistency.
- You can also add ¼ cup fresh curd for a less sour taste.
- Add 1 cup water. Stir and mix to a smooth consistency without any lumps. For rolled oats flour, you will need to add slightly more water.
- Add finely chopped onion, ginger, green chilies, chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves.
- Mix very well again and then add cumin seeds, crushed black pepper and salt as required. You can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated fresh coconut.
- Mix again and let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, check the consistency and add ¼ cup water. Do add water as needed.
- You can add up-to to 1.5 cups water. I used homemade curd that was not very thick. If using thick curd then you may need to add some more water.
- The consistency should be thin, watery and flowing like rava dosa batter.
Making oats dosa
- On a medium flame heat a cast iron pan or a non-stick pan. Drizzle ½ to 1 teaspoon of oil and spread it with the spoon.
- Before adding the oil, if using a cast iron pan, sprinkle some water to check the temperature of the pan.
- If the water droplets sizzle and evaporate, the pan is ready to make dosas.
- Avoid sprinkling water on a nonstick pan as adding water on a hot nonstick pan, may affect the nonstick layer coating.
- Stir the batter in the bowl and take a ladle full of batter and pour it from the circumference to the center.
- Do not spread the batter with the back of the ladle like the way we do for regular dosas. Fill the small or large gaps with a bit more of the batter.
- Sprinkle some oil around the sides and in the small holes or gaps and cook the dosa.
- Once the base becomes crisp and golden, flip and cook the other side.
- Once this side is cooked and crisp, flip again and you can cook the first side to make it more crisp. Fold on the tava and remove.
- Transfer to a plate and preferably serve oats dosa hot. if you are not able to serve hot, then just cover the prepared oats dosa with a lid and proceed to cook the remaining oats dosa in a similar way.
- The crisp texture changes if you serve the oats dosa warm or at room temperature. However, they still taste good.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve these instant oats dosa with oats dosa tastes delicious with Coconut Chutney, Sambar, or Idli Podi.
- You can serve with Tomato Chutney, Onion Chutney, Peanut Chutney or Ginger Chutney. It is best to eat these instant oats dosa hot. When they cool the texture becomes soft.
Make Ahead and Leftovers
- For a really quick morning breakfast, prep the batter (without adding onions and coriander leaves) a day earlier and refrigerate overnight.
- The batter will thicken slightly after refrigeration. Add some water to get the right consistency before you make the oats dosa.
- The leftover batter keeps well for a day in the refrigerator. While making dosa with the leftover batter, add water if it has become thick.
Video
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Oats Dosa recipe has from the archives was first published on May 2015. It has been updated on December 2024.
Can we store the batter in freeze overnight
you can. let the batter come to room temp before making dosas.
My family loved the taste and crispness of these oats dosa n I was satisfied in knowing I’ve learnt to make another healthy snack,thanks to u Dassana.
Welcome Evelyn. Glad to know this.
Nice recipe. In my home everyone liked it.
Thanks Sandhya
OMG!!
I cant thank u enough for being here for me. I moved to india from uk with zero experience in cooking.
Since i found ur website, i am ur biggest Fan. I am able to feed my family TASTY food.
Im lost for words, but i want to say sooo much. Lol
But main thing – u R a COOKING GODESS!
Wish i could meet u in person to thank u.
Pls forward ur email address so i can send u a gift voucher. ????
Welcome Baljit. Thanks a lot for this awesome feedback and kind words. I am humbled and touched by your gesture and positive words. Trust me this is my best gift from you.
Made this for breakfast today. Was very yummy. I follow your blog regularly. And have tried out many recipes. This one’s another keeper. Thank you.
Welcome Ramya. Glad to know this. Thanks for sharing your positive feedback on recipes.
can I use irish oats instead of instant oats here?
you can use irish oats.
What types of oats are there , here you mentioned quick cooking oats . I have no idea about oats
there are various types of oats – instant oats, quick cooking oats, oatmeal, rolled oats and steel cut oats. instant oats and quick cooking oats take less time to cook than the other types. you can read more here – https://eatingrules.com/types-of-oatmeal/
Hi Dassana,
Your recipes are wonderful. Whatever it is I first try finding it on your website. They are always spot on and taste just like home. There is one question I want to ask. I see you write 1cup=250ml. When you measure the flour is it still 250g or is it 340g as I read elsewhere in recipes ? You are doing great work ! Thanks a lot for it 🙂
Thanks Ginni. Depending upon the density of ingredient, each ingredient weigh separately when measured in a cup.
e.g. 1 cup flour willl weighs 120 to 125 grams but 1 cup rice weighs 200 to 210 grams. Its not 250 grams. Either use the cup measurement or the weight measurement. also when weighing the weight of the ingredient is without the cup. it is only the ingredient that is weighed.
Do you have your cooking book
no bhakti. do not have time to write and publish a cooking book.
Is it possible to use Instant Oats?
you can use instant oats.
Can we use roasted suji?
you can use. the texture will be slightly different.
Can you make the batter a day in advance?
you can make the batter, but refrigerate the batter.
Hi Mam .. is the rice flour added in the oats dosa recipe is the one which we grind at home using the rice or the one which is available in market as rice powder ??? Are these both same or different?? Kind of confused
both can be used. home ground one as well as store brought one. the home ground one has to be finely ground. both are same. actually what differs is the type of rice used to make flour. so you can make raw rice flour at home as well as get from outside.
Wat to add instead if i dont hv rice flour. Can i add chickpea flour????
you can add chickpea flour.
Hi Dassana mam
U made me realise oats too could be tasty
thanks dhanalakshemi