Learn how to make a non-sticky Sabudana Khichdi recipe here! This quick and easy snack made with sabudana or sago pearls is gluten-free, vegan, and delicious!
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Indian fast food
Sabudana Khichdi is a delicious dish cooked with tapioca pearls or sago pearls, potatoes, green chilies, and peanuts. It's naturally vegan and gluten-free.
This khichdi recipe with sabudana is a popular breakfast/snack in Maharashtrian and Gujarati cuisine of India and is mainly consumed during vrat or fasting days. It's extremely flavorful to taste.
What is sabudana
It is considered a staple ingredient for those who keep fast/vrat/upvas during Navratri, Janmashtami, or any other time of the year.
Since people are not allowed to eat dishes containing wheat, they opt for sabudana. Plus it also keeps you full for longer and gives you instant energy which one needs if fasting.
Very few know that it actually is an edible starch extracted from the cassava plant. It is a complete form of starch and is a pure form of carbs.
Since they are white and look like tiny pearls, they are also called tapioca pearls or sago pearls. The raw ones are tiny, white, and round in shape.
With sabudana, you can make sweet and savory recipes. Some examples are - sabudana kheer, vada, and thalipeeth (flatbread).
Sabudana has a chewy and starchy texture that pairs very well with crunchy peanuts and soft potatoes when made into a khichdi.
While the majority considered it to be fasting food, people like me make it on any day. It's so delicious that I don't feel like limiting it to only certain days in the calendar.
While it is a pretty straightforward recipe, a lot of people find it a bit complicated to get the recipe right. Thankfully, I can help you here.
My neighbor aunty, who was Maharashtrian, taught me and my mom how to make this khichdi with sabudana. We still follow her tips and tricks to nail this recipe every time.
Read my notes below to get all these tips. It's a fool-proof recipe and I have been making it this way for years!
Why make this
- Sabudana is easy to digest and has a cooling effect on our digestion system
- It's naturally vegan and gluten-free
- Sabudana is a rich source of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamin K, calcium and potassium
- This snack is high-energy food that's both tasty and healthy
- Can be made with just few basic ingredients
- It can be consumed as faraal on vrat or fasting days
- This snack comes together in 20 minutes
Ingredients needed 🧾
Sabudana - Also known as sago pearls or tapioca pearls, you can easily find them in Indian grocery stores or on Amazon.
Potatoes - They add a lot of flavor to this vegan snack. You can either add them raw after they are peeled and cut into cubes or boil them first separately and then add them to the khichdi.
Peanuts - Use unsalted roasted peanuts in this recipe. If you don't find roasted peanuts, get the raw ones and dry roast them in a pan for 2-3 minutes.
You can add them whole or crush them a bit. I like to mix it up.
Spices, herbs, and seasoning - cumin seeds, green chilies, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and sugar are all the other ingredients that you will need to make this vegan recipe with sabudana.
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How to make it 🔪
- First, rinse the sabudana under running water till it runs clear. This will get rid of the starch. Then soak it in water for at least 7-8 hours. I usually soak it overnight. The trick here is to level the water and sabudana. Chef Tip - Do not soak the sabudana in more water than required as it tends to get very soggy. Basically the level of water should be at the same level as sabudana. This was an important tip given by my neighbor aunty which I follow even today. In the morning, drain out the water if any. there shouldn't be any water left though. It should be soft to touch and mushy when pressed.
- In oil, temper the cumin seeds and once they crackle, add half of the chopped cilantro and green chillies. Fry for a minute.
- Then add the chopped potatoes and salt. Saute till the potatoes are done.
- Now add the roasted peanuts powder, and sugar. Mix well.
- Add the soaked puffed up sabudana. Mix it all well. Do not overcook or overmix the khichdi at this point. Just cook it for a minute or two.
- Check seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with the remaining chopped cilantro and lemon juice and mix.
Serving suggestions 🍽
This recipe with sabudana tastes best when served warm/hot. While I prefer to enjoy it without any accompaniment, you can have it with a bowl of yogurt, coconut chutney, or green chutney.
Sabudana khichri is very filling. No wonder it's consumed during fasting days as it keeps one full for a long time.
Serve it as an evening snack or for breakfast. You can also pack it in lunchboxes. We also have it for lunch or dinner.
Top recipe tips 💭
Soaking sabudana is crucial. Do not skip that step. Consuming them raw will lead to indigestion. So always soak and cook sabudana before eating.
Some also like to add curry leaves and shredded coconut while tempering. You can also add onion and tomato while cooking it. I have never tried it though.
You can also skip adding potatoes if you want. Some like to add half a teaspoon of turmeric to their khichdi. It changes the color and adds a different flavor to the dish.
Ginger and ghee can also be added to the sabudana khichdi recipe. Be mindful of what ingredients you add if making it for fasting/vrat.
Recipe FAQs 📖
Rinsing the tapioca/sago pearls before soaking is an important step. It helps remove the starch. Do not skip this step.
Soaking sabudana in the right amount of water is the key here. The level of water should be the same as that of sabudana.
Adding too much water will result in soggy and sticky sabudana. If this sounds confusing, remember this rule of thumb - 1 cup of sabudana needs 1 cup of water.
Soaking overnight or for 8 hours works best. If in a hurry, you can soak it for 4-5 hours but it will not fluff as much as when soaked for longer hours.
There should be no water left in the vessel and the sabudana should have swelled up after soaking. It should smash easily when pressed between the fingers.
If it doesn't smash when pressed, sprinkle some water and give a quick stir and let it sit for 2-3 hours more.
Another option is to leave the soaked and drained sabudana in the fridge overnight. This processes time consuming, but it also helps to keep the sabudana non-sticky.
Do not cook the sabudana for long after adding it to the pan. Just mix all the ingredients together and after 1-2 minutes, take it off the flame, else they will get clumpy.
Similarly, roasting peanuts is an important step. Peanuts when roasted give out a nice toasty flavor that works for this snack.
If you can't find roasted peanuts, you can quickly dry roast them in a pan till they turn light brown. Don't burn them.
Cooked sabudana khichdi stays well in the fridge for 4-5 days. Sprinkle few drops of water when reheating so it doesn't feel too dry.
To save time, you can also store soaked and drained sabudana or sago pearls in the fridge for 4-5 days. Store it in an airtight container. Sabudana also freezes well.
More vegan snacks
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Recipe 📖
Sabudana Khichdi Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups sabudana
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 green chillies minced
- 2 potatoes chopped
- ½ cup peanuts
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- First, rinse the sabudana under running water till it runs clear. This will get rid of the starch. Then soak it in water for at least 7-8 hours. I usually soak it overnight. The trick here is to level the water and sabudana.
- Do not soak the sabudana in more water than required as it tends to get very soggy. Basically the level of water should be at the same level as sabudana.
- In the morning, drain out the water if any. there shouldn't be any water left though. It should be soft to touch and mushy when pressed.
- In oil, temper the cumin seeds and once they crackle, add half of the chopped cilantro and green chillies. Fry for a minute.
- Then add the chopped potatoes and salt. Saute till the potatoes are done.
- Now add the roasted peanuts powder, and sugar. Mix well.
- Add the soaked puffed up sabudana. Mix it all well. Do not overcook or overmix the khichdi at this point. Just cook it for a minute or two.
- Check seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with the remaining chopped cilantro and lemon juice and mix.
Sharon says
I was quite excited to make this recipe and printed it out for future reference. The Instructions mention to add the sugar with the roasted peanuts but unfortunately the sugar is missing from the ingredients list....how much sugar?
Priya says
Oops..thanks for pointing it out. I have updated the recipe. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar.
emilykrill says
Fabulous recipe! I'd never had tapioca pearls like this outside of bubble tea in Chinatown, but they are really good in this snack.
Gaye @CalmHealthySexy says
Thanks so much for sharing with the Let's Get Real party. Your photography is beautiful!
Frugal Hausfrau says
So interesting - I have not had tapioca pearls other than instant tapioca pudding! Thanks for bringing this by our link party, throwback Thursday!
Mollie
Lela says
This sounds so delicious! And your photos are absolutely beautiful! Thanks so much for stopping by Inspiration Thursday and sharing your recipe.
Marilyn Lesniak says
I have never cooked anything like this. I need to broaden my menu. Thank you so much for linking at #ThursdayFavoriteThings! I look forward to seeing what you share very week. Please come back for #OverTheMoon on Sunday night. Don't forget to comment your link #'s so I can be sure to visit.
Pravin says
Always enjoyed Khichdi