Bread Upma! Simple Breakfast dish made with bread, onions, tomato, vegetables and spices. Turn plain slice of bread into this delicious and nutritious breakfast under 30 minutes. A spicy masala is made with onions and vegetables which is soaked by the fried bread to create this easy Indian Breakfast Recipe.
Bread Upma
One of our favorite go to breakfast recipe is bread upma. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and everyone in the family loves it so win-win. I like to load it up with vegetables to make it nutritious. Any leftover vegetables can be chopped and mixed into the upma.
About Bread Upma
Upma is a staple breakfast dish consumed all over South India. Some of the popular upma recipes are semiya upma, rava upma, oats upma and using poha. Making upma with bread is getting popular now and convenient, all you need is a packet of bread.
Bread upma is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, mixed vegetables and spice powders. Whole fennel seeds is fried in oil and vegetables sauted to create a masala in which fried bread is mixed.
You can make this upma with any bread including whole wheat bread, white bread, pav and any healthy grain bread. I have made this upma with buns and it turned out tasty.
For making bread upma, I prefer toasting the bread in oil or ghee in prior to remove the raw smell from it. It also adds a toasty aroma to the bread upma without making it soggy.
I like to make bread upma with vegetables and makes a great lunch box recipe.This recipe is a great way to use slightly stale bread. Bread upma can be served with hot cup of masala chai & ginger cardamom tea.
Watch Bread Upma Video
Bread Upma Ingredients
Bread - you can use any bread of choice. white bread, brown bread can be used. Sometimes I have used buns. You can toast in ghee or butter.
Onion & Tomato - sliced onions and tomatoes form the base of upma. It adds the taste and delicious.
Ginger & Garlic - grind ginger and garlic into paste. I usually make a big batch of ginger garlic paste and store in freezer.
Vegetables - you can use any vegetable of choice. I used carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, capsicum and green peas. Cauliflower, broccoli, sweetcorn can be used.
Spice powders - basic spices like chilli, coriander and garam masala powder. If you don't prefer your bread upma spicy, use kashmiri chilli powder.
Expert Tips
Choice of bread
You can use any bread of your choice. White bread taste best but alternatively you can use whole grain bread, brown bread and sprouted bread.
Toasting bread
It is essential to toast the bread in oil, butter or ghee which removes the raw taste from it. I like to toast them in a tawa. Toasting enhances the taste of the bread upma and prevents the upma turning mushy.
Making Masala base
The base of the masala is onions and tomatoes. You can add any vegetables of your choice. Make sure you chop them fine which mixes evenly into the bread upma.
Consistency
Make the masala like a thick gravy so that when your add the bread, it absorbs the moisture from the vegetables onion mix. This way the bread upma don't turn out dry.
Serving
Bread upma taste great on its own as an evening snack. But taste amazing with plain yogurt or raita. Some of our favorite raita is listed below.
You can enjoy bread upma with ginger tea, sulaimani tea, mint tea, black coffee and milk coffee.
Taste the onion, tomato, vegetables gravy base before adding toasted bread. The gravy should taste great with perfect amount of salt and spice. leave some water in the gravy before adding bread so the upma texture is great.
If you are looking for more bread recipes
How to Make Bread Upma (Stepwise Pictures)
1)Toast bread in tawa till golden on both sides. You can use white bread or brown bread.
2)Take the toasted bread in a plate, tear it into small pieces. Set aside till needed.
3)Heat oil in a kadai. Sprinkle in fennel seeds and let them sizzle. Add in sliced onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add in chopped green chillies.
4)Add in ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves. Add in salt and turmeric powder and mix well.
5)Add in chopped tomatoes and mix well.
6)cook till tomatoes get mushy.
7)First add in hard vegetables that needs longer time to cook. Add in peeled and cubed potatoes and chopped carrots. Saute this for 2 minutes till raw smell leaves.
8)Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 minutes till the vegetable is cooked completely.
9)Once the hard vegetables is cooked, you can add much soft vegetables link bell peppers, green peas and mushrooms. Saute this for 4 to 5 minutes till veggies are tender.
10)Add in chilli powder and garam masala powder. Saute this spice powders with the vegetables.
11)Pour in tomato ketchup. This is optional. You can leave it if you want.
12)Add in some water to form a gravy. Let the veggies cook for 2 minutes in the gravy.
13)Once veggies are cooked, use a potato masher to mash the vegetables roughly. Make sure you leave some water in the gravy because once the bread is added it will absorb the water so the upma doesn't turn out dry.
14)Now add in fried bread into the masala.
15)Toss the fried bread in the masala and cook for 2 minutes.
16)Serve bread upma with any raita of choice.
More Upma Recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Easy Bread Upma Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices Bread
- 3 tbsp Oil (more for toasting bread)
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 large Onion sliced
- 1 Green chillies chopped finely
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2 large Tomato chopped finely
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 Potato peeled and chopped finely
- 1 Carrot chopped finely
- ¼ cup Green Peas
- 5 Mushrooms (optional)
- ½ cup Bell peppers (optional)
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 2 tbsp Tomato ketchup (optional)
- 1 cup Water
- 3 tbsp Coriander Leaves for garnishing
Instructions
- Toast bread slices in oil, butter or ghee in a tawa till golden on both sides. Remove and set aside in a plate. Tear the toasted bread into small pieces and set aside.
- Heat 3 tbsp oil in a kadai or wok. Add in fennel seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add in onions, green chillies and saute for 2 minutes. Add in ginger garlic paste and cook till raw smell leaves.
- Add in tomatoes and cook till mushy. It will take around 3 minutes.
- Add in potatoes and carrot. Saute well in the masala. cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8 minutes till potatoes is cooked. Now add in remaining vegetables mushrooms, bell peppers and peas. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add in chilli powder and garam masala powder. Pour in tomato ketchup and mix well. Pour in water and cook covered for 5 minutes. Use a masher to mash the vegetables lightly to combine.
- Add in fried bread slices and toss well in the masala. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Add in coriander leaves and mix. Serve with onion raita.
Jennifurla
Wow, this looks super tasty.
Lyndsey
Oh I am loving it here...finding all these new recipes for me to try! This is a nice change from sandwiches for lunch!
Gupanla (Mis Deliciosas Comiditas)
a very interesting dish to take advantage of extra bread .... greetings!!
Chitra
bread upma looks so spicy and a gr8 lunch box recipe
Priya
Bread upma makes me hungry,my fav anytime.
Neetz
definitely an awesome tasty lunch box dish!!..
thanks a ton for dropping in and sharing your thoguht.. it really means a lot to me and thanks a ton for following :).. i too now am a follower of urs 🙂 🙂
Anonymous
Hi like your step by step approach with pics.
Rosita Vargas
Un almuerzo ideal ,riquísimo,luce absolutamente exquisito y lindo color,abrazos grandes hugs,hugs.
sangee vijay
fav breakfast, simple and yummy !!
Suja
Love the recipe,looks so delicious..will try this
Shema George
Good way to use left over bread...looks delicious
LifeScoops
Uma
I too prepare bread upma but wihtout toasting. I like the idea of toasting here and going to implementit.
Sensible Vegetarian
Looks superb and colorful. This is one of my very first dishes when I started cooking. Makes me feel nostalgic.
Hovkonditorn
Looks delicious!
raquel
I thought the bread is a meat... this looks great...
Daksha
Bread upma looks delicious!! Good way to use left over bread...
Balakrishna Saraswathy
Very tempting and delicious bread upma..
Sharmilee! :)
My fav anytime..looks flavourful and yummy
Pushpa
Yum!Yum!My fav!!
Prathibha
very delicious upma..looks yumm
Kaveri
This was one of my favorite lunch box items as a school girl..enjoy it even now.
Herbs & Flowers: Spring Onions
Shanthi
Perfectly made upma
Christy Gerald
Easily said and done Upuma luks colourful and delish.Luv it
VM
Nice bread upma...
Raksha
SUperb Upma.
Do participate in the Desserts with Coconuts event and giveaway on my blog.
maha
wow.such a varity one with bread.goes well as break fast..i`l try it.aarthi
Archana
Lovely upma. Is this my lunch?
Tina
This reminds me of stuffing, but it has some delicious differences. Most of the spices you used is not found in traditional stuffing and the addition of the veggies turns it into a more heartier dish. It does look tasty and toasty in your pictures-yum!
Hamaree Rasoi
Delicious and fulfilling pics of bread upma.
Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi
vineetha
Easy and yummy upmav..never tried upmav with bread..will try one day ..liked ur step by step clicks.
Sharmilee! :)
Flavourful and yummy bookmarked to try....
Vimitha Anand
Tat looks so tempting and inviting...
Jayashree
Wow....that's quite a few veggies in that upma, girl. Sounds delish.
Sandhya Hariharan
This is definitely healthy.. Why kids?? I would lvoe some more...
meena
what do u know and i had made instant bread upma on my blog too but in differnt way. nice to learn a new way to make too
Jagruti
Yummy and tasty bread upma...love it..:-)
meena
I just made a comment on ur other bread upma post and i mentioned i had made instant bread upma on my blog too but in differnt way. nice to learn a new way to make too
Magon
It looks like a spanish recipe called "Migas".
Thanks for visiting me and leaving comments!
Xx
Lizzy Do
I've never heard of upma before, but it reminds me of stuffing...which we love!
Catherine
Dear Aarthi, This is a perfect and healthy lunch. I would enjoy this very much. It would also make a great stuffing. Blessings for a beautiful day, your friend, Catherine xo
martinealison
Un pain de légumes qui me met en appétit en visionnant l'ensemble de vos photos et en lisant les explications...
Gros bisous
Sook
This looks wonderful! 🙂
Christy Gerald
Superbly done and yummy!.Delish luking bread upuma Dear.
maha
WOW..JUST LOVE THE UPMA...VL TRY THIS SOON DEAR
Roshni
it is a great way to finish off left over bread. I toast mine while making upma
Suja
Perfect lunch box menu..spicy and yummy
sylvia@peaches and donuts
This looks like the italian panzanella but with loads of yummy spices. I definitely prefer this version!!
Nisha
Quick recipes are always welcome 🙂
divya
Delicious and inviting recipe. Looks simply yummy.
Nalini's Kitchen
tasty and a filling meal...delicious.
Poonam Borkar
upma looks super delicious and healthy..loved idea of adding vegetables..will try this for sure!!
VineelaSiva
Wow it looks very nice and inviting.The platter looks like the pav bhaji curry dear.
kankana
One of our fav go to dish when in no mood to cook!
Smitha
very delicious!
Gayathri NG
Really tasty upma n sounds interesting dear...
Ann
This looks delicious - it almost reminds me of a very spicy American "stuffing" like you would put inside a turkey at Thanksgiving...and I LOVE stuffing!
Ganga Sreekanth
That looks delicious n healthy...
SpicyTasty
Looks wonderful. Mouthwatering clicks.
Sukanya
Absolutely love this recipe. love the step by step photos.The bread uppuma looks so yummy.
@lekshmi
delicious and healthy upma.....nice recipe
Shilpakiran
awesome .. thanks for sharing and i really like the step to step method .. really interesting and good blog ..
Priya
Wat a flavourful dish,loving it..
faseela
Lovely, flavorful upma...superb...bookmarked
Dear Please grab the award which is waiting for you at my space..........here goes the link
http://faseelanoushad.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-blogger-award.html
Hema
Bread upma looks really yummy..
Claudia
Upma is new to me but it does seem as if it is a gorgeously-spiced, vegetable packed stuffing - something my children would have loved. I remember those lunch box days and the chore of finding healthy options. While it's still hard - it's easier than it used to be - kudos to your recipe!
Sumi
Have been planning to make bread upuma(for the first time) sometime this week, will try this recipe 🙂
chitraj.hegde
The Upama looks simply gr8.....my fav snack....even I prepare the upama similar method...good one..
Katerina
This is such a tasty and exotic recipe! Beautiful colors as well!
Mari @ Mari's Cakes
Hola! What a delicious bread recipe. It a tasty version of a bread dressing. My daughter and i will surely love it!
Have a great day 🙂
S.Menaga
super tasty bread upma!!
Anna
Delicioso tiene que estar. Me encanta la cocina de tu país. Proximamente tengo que hacer algún plato, aunque viendo los tuyos no sé si me darás un aprobado. Besos y feliz semana
Chandrani
Healthy yummy bread upma..
Kala
Looks very yummyyyyyyyy
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi... First time to your Blog and sounds interesting... I would like to try the Bread Upma today, as it is making to do so..
Thanks for your post.. Good Luck!!
Mobina
Hi Aarthi,
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I've been craving bread upma and tried your version. It turned out really well although I would go a little easy on the masala next time. But it was a great wknd breakfast idea.
Mobina
asma llb Bolwar
Good one
Anonymous
Heyy
Bread will get soggy if im taking it for picnic? ?
Aarthi
@Anonymousit will be soft
Unknown
Hi,will it serves 2??
Mony
Big thanks to Aarathi...jus loving all your dishes the once I tried. Kudos
Rifat Ansari
Many fruits and vegetables, including spinach, broccoli and avocadoes, are also good sources of vitamin E, another excellent antioxidant.
here this website
saksun
Thanks for the service. I followed the instructions here. It came out very well.