Soya Keema Recipe: 28g Protein Vegetarian Indian Dinner (20 Min)
Vegetarian mutton-keema alternative - 28g protein from soya granules in 20 minutes. Half the calories, full Indian masala.
Quick answer: Minced soya cooked Indian-masala-style. 28g protein, 340 kcal, 20 minutes. Same protein as mutton keema, 35% fewer calories.
Recipe at a Glance
Why It Wins
Ingredients
- 🌱 60g dry soya granules
- 🧅 1 onion · 🍅 1 tomato · 🧄 1 tsp ginger-garlic · 🟢 1/4 cup peas
- 🧈 1 tsp ghee · 🌶️ jeera + hing + chilli + turmeric + coriander pwd + garam masala
- 🌿 kasuri methi · coriander · lemon
Steps
1 · HYDRATE · 10 min (hands-off)
Soak 60g dry soya in HOT water 10 min. Drain. Squeeze out excess water — kills the "beany" smell most people hate.
2 · TADKA · 3 min
1 tsp ghee → jeera crackle → hing → onion + ginger-garlic. Golden, not brown.
3 · MASALA · 3 min
Tomato + dry spices + salt. Cook 3-4 min until oil separates at edges.
4 · SIMMER · 7 min
Drained soya + peas + 1/4 cup water. Cover, low heat. Soya soaks masala.
5 · FINISH · 1 min
Kasuri methi crushed between palms + coriander + lemon. Serve with 1 jowar roti.
Macros vs Mutton Keema
| Dish | Protein | Kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Soya Keema (this recipe) | 28g | 340 |
| Mutton Keema (same portion) | ~28g | ~520 |
| + 1 jowar roti | +3g | +90 |
Soya wins: same protein, 35% fewer calories.
3 Variations
- 🍔 Soya Keema Pav (Mumbai style): 1 tsp pav bhaji masala + 2 multigrain pavs. Cheat-meal energy without cheat-meal calories.
- 🌯 Wrap version: Roll in 1 multigrain roti + onion + lemon. Microwaves well next day.
- 🍗 Soya + chicken combo: Half soya + half chicken keema. Gentle transition for non-veg-curious vegetarians.
💡 PCOS Tip: Limit soya to 3-4x/week (not daily). Phytoestrogens can interact with hormone-sensitive conditions in high doses. 3-4x/week is safe + beneficial.
FAQ
Soya bad for men? (the phytoestrogen myth) No. 25g daily soy protein → zero effect on testosterone. The "man boobs" claim was from someone eating 3 lbs/day. See Indian protein myths.
Meal-prep? Refrigerates 4 days, freezes 1 month. Tastes BETTER day 2.
Best brands? Nutrela, Sundrop, Ruchi. Cheap loose soya has stronger smell.
Next reads
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About Anish Agarwal
Founder & Head Coach, YourTrainer · NASM & K11 Certified Personal Trainer · 8 years experience
Anish Agarwal is a NASM and K11 certified personal trainer with 8 years of experience coaching fat loss, body transformation, strength, and nutrition for clients across India. He founded YourTrainer to make expert, science-based coaching accessible online and in Bengaluru. More about Anish.
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