Looking for a simple and authentic South Indian dish that’s easy to prepare? Try easy beetroot poriyal, thoran, or fry. Made with just beetroot, coconut, and a few spices, this dish is a perfect side for rice or roti.

With its earthy flavour and tasty blend of grated coconut and spices, this dish is a feast for the senses. The vibrant hue of the beetroot adds a visual element to the final preparation. And the fragrant aroma of the coconut and spices tantalizes the taste buds.
This beetroot poriyal is a delight to eat, but it also offers numerous health benefits thanks to the vitamins and minerals found in beetroot. Don’t miss out on the chance to savour this nutritious and flavour-packed meal.
Savour the delectable taste and captivating appearance of beetroot poriyal. A dish that delights vegan, vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed as either a main course or a side dish.
- It is easy to customize by adding your favourite vegetables or protein.
- This dish requires only a few ingredients to prepare.
- Moreover, the combination of flavours and textures makes it a satisfying and filling meal option.
Ingredients for Beetroot Poriyal/ Thoran/ Fry
The measurements are given below in the recipe card.
- Beetroot
- onion
- dried chilli
- coconut
- oil
- mustard seed
- urad dal
- gram dal
- cumin
- curry leaves
- salt to taste
Step-by-step preparation
Wash the beetroot thoroughly and cook it in a pressure cooker or instant pot to save time.
Add three to four cups of water to the pressure cooker and cook for four to five minutes, or until it is soft and five to six whistles have gone off.
You can check the doneness of the beetroot with a knife. Now peel the skin of the beetroot. You can easily peel the skin.
In a pan, add oil on medium heat. Add mustard seed, urad dal, gram dal, and cumin, and wait until it crackles. Then add chopped onions, dried chilli, and curry leaves and saute for a minute.
Add diced beetroot and saute well.
Now add salt to taste and mix well. It is almost done.
Finally, add grated coconut and switch off the heat. Beetroot poriyal, thoran, or fry is ready to serve.
Pairing Suggestion for beetroot poriyal/ thoran/ fry
Beetroot poriyal, thoran or fry goes well with rice, chapati, roti, and Paratha. And also, it goes well with rice varieties too. My choice is always with curd rice and rotis. Also, it tastes good on its own too.
Some sides recipe you may like to try
Carrot Poriyal/ Sir-fried carrots
Elephant Yam Fry/ Senai Kizhangu Varuval
Substitution
For this recipe, I’ve boiled and diced beetroot. You can grate beetroot on a grater and follow the same preparation.
If you are not a lover of heat, skip the dried chilies.
If you are out of stock of dried chillies, substitute with green chillies.
Thoran is always served with lots of fresh coconut. If you are not a lover of coconuts, add fried peanuts or sesame seeds.
I hope you like the recipe! If you like it, rate the recipe and write your feedback which means a lot to me. I always love to hear from you guys and respond as soon as possible. Happy Cooking!
Recipe Card 👇
Beetroot Poriyal/ Thoran/ Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 number beetroot (250 gm )
- 1 medium sized onion ( white or red )
- ¼ cup coconut ( grated )
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- salt to taste
For Tempering
- 3 teaspoon oil ( vegetable oil or coconut oil )
- 2 number dried chillies ( broken )
- ½ teaspoon mustard seed
- ½ teaspoon urad dal
- ½ teaspoon gram dal
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Wash the beetroot thoroughly and cook it in a pressure cooker or instant pot to save time.
- Add three to four cups of water to the pressure cooker and cook for four to five minutes, or until it is soft and five to six whistles have gone off.
- You can check the doneness of the beetroot with a knife. Now peel the skin of the beetroot. You can easily peel the skin.
- In a pan, add oil on medium heat. Add mustard seed, urad dal, gram dal, and cumin, and wait until it crackles. Then add chopped onions, dried chilli, and curry leaves and saute for a minute.
- Add diced beetroot and saute well.
- Now add salt to taste and mix well. It is almost done.
- Finally, add grated coconut and switch off the heat. Beetroot poriyal, thoran, or fry is ready to serve.
- Beetroot poriyal, thoran or fry goes well with rice, chapati, roti, and Paratha. And also, it goes well with rice varieties too. My choice is always with curd rice and rotis. Also, it tastes good on its own too.
Leander Fernandes
I just love this vegetable stir fry
Simple delicious and I consider this nutritious
JAYANTHY
Thank you!
Asokan
Simple yet healthy poriyal.
JAYANTHY
Yes! Thanks for your feedback!