Looking for a wholesome, quick and delicious breakfast? Don't you worry! I got you covered with this wonderful Seviyan Upma ( Savory Vermicelli)!
Seviyan Upma ( Savory Vermicelli) is a breakfast that really requires no prior planning..other than having the vermicelli on hand! I love to load up this fast cooking dish with lots of vegetables to make it healthy and nourishing.

You don't need any fancy vegetables here at all. You can pretty much use whatever you have on hand. The tempering is simple with curry leaves and mustard seeds. Lemon juice right at the end makes the seviyan sparkle. You don't want to miss that lovely lemony flavor, trust me.

Upma is typically cooked with sooji/semolina. But it can be made with vermicelli, oats, dalia ( broken wheat), millets and some people also use couscous. The preparation also has many variations. The most common one being with simple tempering and roasted nuts. But as I mentioned earlier, you can use any vegetables you like to it. Any kind of spice mix like garam masala, pav bhaji masala ( yes, I've eaten that version), also works here very well.

NOTE :
- To make sure your seviyyan upma is not sticky or mushy, do roast the vermicelli lightly before cooking it.
- Don't add too much water to cook this otherwise you won't get the right fluffy texture.
This Seviyan Upma or Savory Vermicelli is fabulous for breakfast but really we eat it quite happily and greedily for lunch or dinner too. It's a great summer meal - quick, easy, healthful and light!
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Seviyan Upma ( Savory Vermicelli)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vermicelli
- 1 Tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds/ Rai
- 1 tsp Urad dal
- 10-12 Curry leaves
- 1 small Green chilli, chopped finely
- 1 small Onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Peas
- 2 Carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 Tomatoes, deseeded and diced
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 3/4 cup Water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Roasted peanuts and cilantro/ coriander for garnish
Instructions
- Dry roast the vermicelli in a pan/ kadai. Once it's lightly golden, take it off the heat and transfer to a bowl/ platter. Keep aside.
- Now add oil to the same pan / kadai. Once heated, add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the urad dal. Once its golden, add the curry leaves.
- Let it cook for a minute, before adding the onions and green chilies. Cook for a couple of minutes till translucent. Add the salt, turmeric and coriander powder.
- Stir in the carrots and peas. Add a splash of water and cover the pan and let them cook for about 5-6 minutes. They will be almost cooked through.
- Add the water and let it come to a boil. Now mix in the roasted vermicelli and deseeded tomatoes and cook, covered till the vermicelli has soaked in all the water.
- Gently fluff up the vermicelli and stir in the lemon juice.
- Garnish with roasted peanuts and cilantro/ coriander. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Easyfoodsmith says
Your post reminds of me of the vermicelli upma my sis-in-law used to make while I was unmarried and living with my brother and her. Sadly no one in my marital home enjoys upma.
I feel like grabbing that plate right off the screen 😛
Natasha Minocha says
I started eating/ making upma after I got married and was living in the US. It turned out to be quite a lifesaver when I was tired and had no energy to cook proper desi khana! Glad it brought back good old memories for you. Wish I could parcel some to you! xx
Ashmita Mishra | homefoodsecrets says
I just love semiya upma, it is easy to make and need very minimal ingredients and loaded with veggies. It is one of my go-to breakfast recipes. Tried this recipe turned out amazing!
Natasha Minocha says
Oh yes! Its a lovely one and such a hit with the kids too! 🙂