Cheese Dosa Recipe
By Swasthi on March 2, 2022, Comments, Jump to Recipe
Cheese dosa is another of those South Indian crepes and filling combinations that is pure delicious. A 5-ingredient, savory Breakfast dish that is enjoyed by kids and adults alike. We love crispy Dosa and Fluffy Idli like the next person, but the plain ones get boring after a while. Add cheese, crunchy veggies and some hot sauce or curry on a crispy dosa & you will see your family being so much excited to dig into it. Serve with a bowl of Rava kesari and a cup of Masala chai or filter coffee, and you have a winning South Indian Breakfast meal.
About Cheese Dosa
Cheese dosa is a popular South Indian rice & lentil crepe topped with sauce or curry, crunchy veggies, fresh herbs and plenty of cheese. It is a savory crepe made with the traditional dosa batter, onions, green chili, coriander leaves and tomato or hot sauce.
This savory crepe version is popular in restaurants in India and Singapore. It is also a popular street food. I once visited an eatery in Tamil Nadu that boasted of 27 dosa varieties including chocolate and Manchurian dosa. But the cheese dosa version beats most other combos, and it is as addictive as Masala dosa.
This cheese dosa comes together rather quickly when you have fermented rice-lentil batter ready in the fridge. You can use store bought dosa batter or make it from scratch following my Dosa batter recipe here.
The method of making this is much similar to the traditional dosa where we spread the batter to a thin crepe over a hot griddle. Once the base cooks and becomes crisp, spread your favorite sauce, chutney or thick spicy curry and then sprinkle chopped onions, carrots, herbs and finish with a generous amount of grated mozzarella cheese.
Within minutes the cheese melts and your cheese dosa is ready to dig into. Although this dish does make a wholesome morning meal that nutritionists keep talking about, you can always pack this for a meal-on-the go or serve as a light Dinner.
More Indian breakfast recipes,
Upma
Idli
Vada
uttapam
poha
How to Make Cheese Dosa (Stepwise photos)
1. We will need dosa batter that can make crisp dosas. I make cheese dosa using the 1st recipe from this dosa recipe post. You can also use this restaurant style masala dosa batter. If you love soft spongy dosas, then you can also use the batter of set dosa recipe.
2. Make sure the batter is slightly thick but of good spreading consistency to yield crisp cheese dosa.
3. Grease or season your pan very well. I season my pan with oil after every wash and wipe off with tissue to get rid of excess oil. If you are new to using cast iron griddle, please refer my dosa post for details. Heat the pan until hot enough. Regulate the flame to medium and pour one ladle full of batter.
4. Quickly spread it evenly to a round dosa.
5. Allow the batter to slightly dry up on top. Sprinkle onions as much as you wish. You can also add thick grated carrots. Add 1 tbsp of any sauce or chutney. You can use whatever chutney or thick gravy you have at home. The gravy must be thick and of dropping but not pouring consistency. I used sweet and hot red chilli sauce here.
6. Spread everything well. Avoid adding too much sauce or curry. Add 1 tsp oil towards the edges.
7. Cover and cook for 2 minutes so the onions cook well.
8. Open the lid. Roast the dosa further on a slightly higher flame until the edges begin to leave the pan. Sprinkle coriander leaves.
9. Lift it slightly and check if the dosa has become crisp. Add grated cheese as per your liking. Also add green chilies or red chili flakes (optional).
10. When the cheese begins to melt. Switch off. Fold as per your liking. I prefer to fold mine like a triangle.
Serve cheese dosa hot. I usually cool it slightly on a cooling rack and then transfer to plate. This way it remains crisp for longer. The dosa begins to turn soft as it cools down. To make the next dosa, make sure the pan is hot enough but not smoking hot. Stir the batter well before to use it.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Cheese Dosa Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup dosa batter thick
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 green chilies deseeded chopped (optional)
- 3 tablespoons red chutney or any sauce or chutney or curry
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped finely (optional)
- 3 teaspoons oil
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese grated (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Chop the onions, green chilies, coriander leaves and set aside. Grate the cheese and keep aside.
- Bring the dosa batter to right consistency. It has to be slightly thick but of spreading consistency.
- Season your griddle well. If using non-stick pan, you don't need to season.
How to Make Cheese Dosa
- Heat the pan on a medium high flame until hot but not smoking hot.
- Regulate the flame to medium and pour a ladle full of batter in the center of the griddle. Begin to spread it evenly beginning from the center, moving your hand in a circular pattern.
- Let the dosa cook for a few minutes until the top is dry, meaning it is partially cooked.
- Sprinkle onions and chutney or sauce. Smear it well all over the dosa with a wooden spatula. Press the onions down to the dosa with a wooden spoon.
- Pour 1 teaspoon oil across the edges of the dosa. Cover and cook on a medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Open the lid and Roast it until crisp. Meanwhile sprinkle chilies and coriander leaves.
- Increase the flame to slightly high and cook until the dosa turns crisp. The sides usually leave the pan at this stage.
- Add the grated cheese. Once it begins to melt, fold to a triangle as shown in the pictures.
- You may Invert it and sprinkle cheese and coriander leaves over the hot cheese dosa.
- Serve cheese dosa hot with a cup of black tea or coffee. You can also serve with chutney.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Cheese Dosa Recipe first published in September 2016. Updated & republished in March 2022.
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.
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Hi swasthi,
Tried this recipe and it was a sooper hit in my family. My son and husband just loved it. Got bored of normal plain dosa n masala dosa. This will get into our regular breakfast or dinner list. Thank you so much! I love all your recipes. Whatever I have tried so far turned out really good.
Regards,
Sukanya
Hi Sukanya,
You are most welcome! Glad you all liked it. Yes a good change and break from the usual dosas. You can also try this with uttapam. Thank you so much!
Hi swasthi,
Is there an alternate to the onions used in the recipe. I am not sure if the onion gets cooked thoroughly if not fried a bit. The raw ones leave a smell which my family does not like especially when they go to office or school. Can I fry onions before adding them. Will the taste differ. Also, can I use regular cheese or mozrella.
Thank you,
Shweta
Hi Shweta
You can just skip the onions. They get partially cooked and not fully done. Instead you can use grated carrots too.The main taste comes from the chutney or sauce used so you can totally skip the toppings. Mozzarella cheese goes well on this.
Looks yummy with melted cheese ?. Which is good for kids nutritionally as there are many options available like cheddar, creamery etc., and what kind of cheese can be given to eat handy . Please tell me if u have idea
Hey..very nice recipe. Thanks for sharing..could you please tell methe brand name of the mixer grinder you are using?
Thank you swasthi
I want to know the quantity of ginger and garlic to make a paste. I am in nilgiri . So we did not use refrigerator. If make a paste and kept room temperature the paste turn greenish. So pls tell the quantity. And anything like vinegar or some other can used in ginger garlic paste ah? Some companies gave but they are not taste. So pls tell homemade ginger garlic paste. It will be come fir at least per month
oh gosh i love this site.the person who make this site is wonderful.afterwatching this site i feel tha i am a wonderchef again thank you very much
Hi Tanu
You are welcome. So glad to know you love the site. Thanks a ton.
🙂
hi