Oats Dosa (Crispy Oats Crepes)

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Oats dosa is a crispy, lacy breakfast/snack recipe of crepes made with cooking oats, 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.

top shot of lacy crispy stacks of folded oats dosa on a green plate on a dark blue tray

About This 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 fermented rice, lentil batter and ground oats flour tastes great as well.

Step-by-Step Guide

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.

quick cooking oats in a mixer-grinder

2. Grind the oats to a fine flour.

oats flour in the mixer-grinder

Combine The Flours

3. Transfer the ground oats flour into a mixing bowl.

finely ground quick-cooking oats in a yellow 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.

rava/sooji/cream of wheat/semolina and ground cooking oats in a bowl

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.

rice flour, rava/sooji/cream of wheat/semolina and ground cooking oats in a bowl

Make the 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.

fresh curd, rice flour, rava/sooji/cream of wheat/semolina and ground cooking oats in a bowl

5. Add 1 cup of water.

water, fresh curd, rice flour, rava/sooji/cream of wheat/semolina and ground cooking oats in a bowl

6. Begin to mix the batter.

oats dosa batter

7. Stir and mix thoroughly until you get a smooth consistency without any lumps.

smooth oats dosa batter without lumps

Add Onions, Herbs and Seasonings

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)
onions , ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves and curry leaves in oats dosa batter

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.

cumin, black pepper, salt and grated coconut in oats dosa batter

Rest Batter

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.

spice and oats dosa batter mixture

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.

spice and oats dosa batter mixture with water

Cooking 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.

oil in a nonstick or cast iron pan

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.

oats dosa batter added to pan using a ladle

14. Obviously there will be some large or small gaps in the dosa.

oats dosa batter on pan with gaps

15. Fill the gaps with a bit more of the batter.

oats dosa batter on a pan with the gaps filled

16. Now cook the dosa on a medium to medium-high heat.

oats dosa on a medium flame

17. Sprinkle some oil around the sides and in the small gaps.

oil sprinkled on sides and in gaps of oats dosa

18. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes. You will see that the edges loosen up and separate from the pan.

oats dosa with loose edges

19. When the base becomes crisp and golden, flip and cook the other side.

crisp, golden and flipped oats dosa

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.

crispy oats dosa

21. Fold on the tava and remove.

folded oats dosa

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.

cooked oats dosa

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.

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.

folded oats dosa placed on a green plate with a side of coconut chutney in a green bowl

Expert Tips for Oats Dosa

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

Why is my oats dosa not crispy?

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.

Why is my oats dosa white?

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.

How is oats dosa perfectly poured?

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.

Why does my oats dosa break?

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.

More Tasty Dosa Recipes!

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top shot of stack of folded oats dosa on a green plate.

Oats Dosa (Crispy Oats Crepes)

Oats dosa is a crisp, lacy, and healthy breakfast or snack recipe of crepes made with cooking oats, herbs and spices. This Instant Oats Dosa recipe is simple to make and needs no fermentation.
4.79 from 42 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Cuisine South Indian
Course Breakfast, Snacks
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 10 oats dosa
Units

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

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)

Nutrition Facts
Oats Dosa (Crispy Oats Crepes)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 84 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 2mg1%
Sodium 133mg6%
Potassium 56mg2%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 43IU1%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 9mg45%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 15mg18%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
Calcium 54mg5%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 91µg23%
Iron 2mg11%
Magnesium 18mg5%
Phosphorus 48mg5%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This oats dosa recipe post has from the archives (May 2015) has been republished and updated on May 14 2021.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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144 Comments

  1. Hello dassana ji, I’m big fan of yours n i love your recipes. I’ve prepared many of them and all of them were delicious.. I want to ask you that while making oats dosa or oats idli if I skip lemon juice or curd, could I make the same recipe?5 stars

    1. thank you supriya for this positive feedback on the recipes you have tried. for oats dosa you can skip adding curd or lemon juice. these are added so that there is some sourness in the dosa. for oats idli, some acidity is required for the baking soda or eno to react. the reaction between the baking soda/eno and lemon juice or vinegar helps in making the idli fluffy and soft. so in oats idli, one of the either i.e curd or lemon juice should be added. hope this helps.

  2. You are just awesome…
    I like your style of cooking and follow you blindly…

  3. Thank You so Much the Recipe Came Out Really Delicious. Your recipes are really Good4 stars

  4. Hi
    Can u please suggest me which type of oats I can use to make dosa. As in market many types of saffola oats are available I’m confused what shall I use

    1. use quick cooking oats or rolled oats. saffola also has plain oats which i think are quick cooking oats. these are just plain oats and not flavored with anything. don’t use the masala oats etc.

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