How can I cut the calories in any recipe?

The three biggest sources of calories in any dish are oil and ghee, sugar, and starches. Every spoonful of oil you leave out saves around 120 calories, and grilling instead of frying saves even more. Swapping some of the fat for yoghurt cuts calories without losing moistness.

Table

Calorie table

Q: How many servings do these calories cover?

Each figure is the calories in one serving, not the whole dish. Every recipe states how many servings it makes, so if a recipe makes 6 servings and the figure is 300, the whole dish is 1,800 calories.

Q: How accurate are these figures?

They're estimates calculated from the ingredients and quantities listed in the recipe. Any change in amount or type changes the figure — fattier meat or more oil really does push it up.

Calories per serving for 457 dishes, with protein, carbohydrates and fat. The figures are calculated from each recipe's own ingredients and listed quantities — not generic estimates.

All 457 Light · under 200 107 Medium · 200–350 162 Hearty · 350–500 120 Heavy · over 500 68

Sort heaviest first ↓

Recipe	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
Homemade Hot Chilli Sauce 🇲🇽 Mexican Cuisine	10	—	2g	—
Homemade Ketchup from Fresh Tomatoes 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	30	1g	7g	—
Korean Kimchi at Home 🇰🇷 Korean Cuisine	35	2g	6g	1g
Italian Pizza Sauce, No Cooking Required 🇮🇹 Italian Cuisine	45	1g	6g	2g
Egyptian Liquorice Drink (Erksous) 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	45	—	11g	—
Concentrated Beef Stock and How to Freeze It 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	45	6g	2g	1g
Indonesian Sambal Oelek Chilli Paste 🇮🇩 Indonesian Cuisine	45	1g	4g	3g
Sweet Chili Sauce, Sweet and Hot 🇹🇭 Thai Cuisine	55	—	14g	—
Homemade Hard Candy for Kids: Easy and Safe 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	60	—	15g	—
Cauliflower Rice — The Low-Carb Rice Substitute 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	60	3g	6g	3g
Homemade Smoky Barbecue Sauce 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	65	—	15g	1g
Sambousek Dough and Freezing It for Ramadan 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	70	2g	12g	2g
Koshari Sauce and Daqqa, Made Properly 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	70	1g	7g	4g
Frozen Watermelon and Mint Juice 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	70	1g	17g	—
Naturally Dyed Eggs for Sham El-Nessim 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	78	6g	1g	5g
A Marinade for Grilled Beef and Kofta 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	80	1g	5g	7g
Moroccan Mint Tea and the High Pour 🇲🇦 Moroccan Cuisine	85	—	21g	—
Real Homemade Ranch Dressing with Fresh Herbs 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	85	1g	2g	8g
Iced Mint Lemonade 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	85	—	22g	—
Japanese Miso Soup 🇯🇵 Japanese Cuisine	85	7g	6g	3g
Egyptian Hibiscus Tea (Karkade), Hot and Iced 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	90	—	23g	—
Crispy Fried Onions and How to Store Them 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	90	1g	8g	6g
A Grilled Chicken Marinade That Actually Gets Into the Meat 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	90	2g	4g	7g
Virgin Lime and Mint Mojito 🇲🇽 Mexican Cuisine	90	—	23g	—
Basic Tomato Sauce for Pasta 🇮🇹 Italian Cuisine	95	2g	9g	6g
Plain Tea Biscuits That Melt in Your Mouth 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	95	1g	12g	5g
Melt-in-the-Mouth Eid Petit Fours 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	95	1g	11g	5g
Natural Carrot and Orange Juice 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	105	2g	24g	—
Carob Drink (Kharoub): Refreshing and Naturally Sweet 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	110	1g	27g	—
Fresh Guava Juice in the Blender 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	110	2g	26g	1g
Light Courgette Soup with Mint 🇱🇧 Lebanese Cuisine	110	4g	13g	5g
French Macarons With Perfect Feet 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	110	2g	14g	6g
Tartar Sauce for Fried Fish 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	110	1g	2g	11g
French Lemon Madeleines 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	110	2g	13g	6g
Brazilian Brigadeiro Chocolate Truffles 🇧🇷 Brazilian Cuisine	110	2g	17g	4g
Egyptian Ghorayeba That Melts in the Mouth 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	110	1g	12g	7g
Fresh Orange Juice Without the Bitterness 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	115	2g	26g	—
Tamarind Drink (Tamr Hindi): Sharp and Refreshing 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	120	—	30g	—
White Tahini Sauce with Lemon 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	120	4g	5g	10g
Fresh Strawberry Juice in the Blender 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	120	1g	29g	—
Homemade Thousand Island Dressing 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	120	1g	4g	12g
Strained Labneh and Labneh Balls in Olive Oil 🇸🇾 Syrian Cuisine	120	8g	5g	8g
Fresh Mango Juice in the Blender 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	130	1g	32g	1g
Smooth Tahini Sauce That Doesn't Seize 🇱🇧 Lebanese Cuisine	130	4g	5g	11g
Sudanese Kisra on the Griddle 🇸🇩 Sudanese Cuisine	130	3g	27g	1g
Gulf Karak Chai the Proper Way 🇦🇪 Gulf Cuisine	130	4g	20g	4g
Oat and Date Cookies for School 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	130	3g	20g	5g
Kahk El-Eid with Agameya, Made Properly 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	135	2g	14g	8g
Béchamel Sauce Without Lumps 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	140	5g	11g	9g
Café-Style Iced Coffee 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	140	4g	18g	5g
Sautéed Vegetables With Butter and Garlic 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	140	4g	14g	8g
Home-Cooked Lupini Beans for Sham El-Nessim 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	140	12g	15g	3g
Fresh Pomegranate Juice Without Bitterness 🇮🇷 Persian Cuisine	140	1g	33g	—
Classic English Yorkshire Pudding 🇬🇧 British Cuisine	140	5g	14g	7g
Thai Som Tam Green Papaya Salad 🇹🇭 Thai Cuisine	140	5g	22g	5g
Date Maamoul with Semolina 🇱🇧 Lebanese Cuisine	145	2g	20g	7g
Basic Béchamel Sauce Without Lumps 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	145	5g	11g	9g
Maamoul — Eid Cookies with Dates and Pistachio 🇵🇸 Palestinian Cuisine	145	2g	18g	7g
Qamar al-Din: The Apricot Ramadan Drink, Made at Home 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	150	1g	37g	—
Creamy Carrot and Ginger Soup Without Cream 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	150	3g	20g	7g
Mexican Guacamole with Avocado 🇲🇽 Mexican Cuisine	155	2g	9g	13g
Moroccan Zaalouk with Aubergine and Tomato 🇲🇦 Moroccan Cuisine	160	3g	14g	11g
Homemade Mayonnaise in Two Minutes 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	160	1g	—	18g
Crispy Zalabya with Yeast Batter 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	160	2g	26g	6g
Baba Ganoush With Charred Aubergine 🇱🇧 Lebanese Cuisine	160	4g	12g	12g
Spanish Gazpacho — Cold Tomato Soup 🇪🇸 Spanish Cuisine	160	3g	14g	11g
Levantine Mutabbal with Charred Aubergine 🇸🇾 Syrian Cuisine	160	4g	10g	12g
Keto Almond Flour Bread — No Wheat Flour 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	165	7g	5g	13g
Homemade Mayonnaise with a Stick Blender 🇫🇷 French Cuisine	165	1g	—	18g
Saudi Kleeja with Spiced Date Filling 🇸🇦 Saudi Cuisine	165	3g	26g	6g
Crispy Balah El Sham That Never Bursts 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	170	2g	24g	8g
Creamy Spinach Soup That Stays Bright Green 🇹🇷 Turkish Cuisine	170	6g	15g	10g
Smooth Cheese Sauce 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	175	8g	6g	14g
Tunisian Makroud with Dates 🇹🇳 Tunisian Cuisine	175	2g	28g	7g
Egyptian Sobia: The Creamy Coconut Ramadan Drink 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	180	4g	28g	6g
Homemade Sugarcane Juice Without a Press 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	180	—	45g	—
Authentic Lebanese Tabbouleh, in the Right Proportions 🇱🇧 Lebanese Cuisine	180	4g	16g	12g
Healthy Crispy Baked Falafel 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	180	9g	22g	6g
Thai Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Prawn Soup) 🇹🇭 Thai Cuisine	180	20g	9g	7g
Homemade Frozen French Fries That Fry Up Crisp 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	180	3g	28g	7g
Toum — Lebanese Garlic Sauce with Oil and Lemon 🇸🇾 Syrian Cuisine	180	1g	2g	19g
Syrian Makdous — Stuffed Baby Aubergines in Oil 🇸🇾 Syrian Cuisine	180	3g	8g	16g
Pão de Queijo — Brazilian Cheese Bread 🇧🇷 Brazilian Cuisine	180	6g	20g	9g
Jordanian Galayet Bandora 🇯🇴 Jordanian Cuisine	180	4g	14g	13g
Moroccan Chicken Briouat 🇲🇦 Moroccan Cuisine	180	9g	14g	10g
Chinese Hot and Sour Soup with Mushrooms and Tofu 🇨🇳 Chinese Cuisine	180	11g	16g	8g
Iraqi Kleicha with Spiced Date Filling 🇮🇶 Iraqi Cuisine	180	3g	26g	7g
Japanese Strawberry Mochi (Ichigo Daifuku) 🇯🇵 Japanese Cuisine	180	2g	40g	1g
Russian Blini, Thin Pancakes 🇷🇺 Russian Cuisine	180	6g	24g	6g
Vietnamese Goi Cuon, Fresh Rice Rolls 🇻🇳 Vietnamese Cuisine	180	10g	26g	4g
Ethiopian Injera Made with Teff Flour 🇪🇹 Ethiopian Cuisine	180	6g	36g	1g
Savoury Cheese Muffins for the Lunchbox 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	180	7g	20g	8g
Vietnamese Coffee with Condensed Milk 🇻🇳 Vietnamese Cuisine	180	4g	26g	6g
Peruvian Fish Ceviche 🇵🇪 Peruvian Cuisine	190	26g	10g	4g
Cream of Broccoli Soup 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	190	7g	16g	11g
Soft-Centred Chocolate Chip Cookies 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	190	2g	25g	9g
Crispy Sambousek with Meat and Cheese 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	190	8g	18g	10g
Soft Milk Bread With Tangzhong 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	190	6g	32g	4g
Egyptian Chicken Vermicelli Soup 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	190	14g	20g	6g
Safe Salted Fish — An Alternative to Home-Fermented Fesikh 🇪🇬 Egyptian Cuisine	190	20g	2g	11g
German Potato Salad 🇩🇪 German Cuisine	190	4g	30g	6g
Tunisian Slata Mechouia 🇹🇳 Tunisian Cuisine	190	9g	11g	13g
Chinese Steamed Shumai 🇨🇳 Chinese Cuisine	190	12g	17g	8g
Moroccan Baghrir Thousand-Hole Pancakes 🇲🇦 Moroccan Cuisine	190	5g	32g	5g
Crispy Chinese Spring Rolls 🇨🇳 Chinese Cuisine	190	6g	22g	9g
No-Bake Oat and Dried Fruit Bars 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	190	5g	24g	9g
Grilled Chicken Breast with Lemon and Herbs 🇺🇸 American Cuisine	195	31g	2g	7g

How many servings do these calories cover?

Every figure in the table is the calories in one serving, not the whole dish. Each recipe states its number of servings — so if a recipe makes 6 servings and the figure is 300 calories, the whole dish is about 1,800.

How to cut the calories in any recipe

The three biggest sources of calories in any dish are fat, sugar and starch, and that order isn't random — fat gives roughly twice the calories of the same weight of sugar or starch.

A tablespoon of oil or ghee is about 120 calories. Halving the oil in any dish saves more than any other change.
Grilling or oven-baking instead of deep-frying saves 100 to 200 calories per serving, and it changes the texture, not the flavour.
Swapping some of the butter for yoghurt in baking cuts calories without losing moistness — the acidity makes up for it.
Skimming off the fat that floats on top of stews after cooking removes real calories without touching the flavour.

How accurate are these figures?

These are estimates calculated from the ingredients and quantities listed in each recipe. Any change really does move the figure: fattier meat, more oil or bigger portions. So treat them as a guide for comparing dishes, not an absolute number.