Here’s an amazing fusion recipe you can prepare with any wheat or white sandwich Bread!
In under 20 minutes, you can enjoy this warm, vegan, savory breakfast bread upma recipe! With basic ingredients for spices, this is an easy recipe you can try this week.
Bread upma recipe is an easy and quick breakfast option for those situations when you don’t want to prepare anything too complex or when you have excess leftover bread that you can deal with.
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About this recipe
This is a simple south Indian style bread upma recipe loved by kids and adults alike. A side of tomato ketchup can taste even better for the kids.
I love recipes like this that rescue me when I am out of time or feeling somewhat lazy. Try this for a small get-together, a potluck, or an evening snack, and you will see how easy it is!
The list of ingredients is pretty short, making the dish special. You could always garnish it with nuts or cilantro, but the specialty lies in its simplicity.
A warm plate of this Indian Upma pairs well with cold-pressed fruit juice, chai, or coffee.
This Indian breakfast recipe is a great way to use leftover or old bread slices. Add a little pav bhaji masala powder, and you have another great variation, "Masala bread upma"
Ingredients note
Whole wheat bread: I used wheat bread, but white bread can be used too, but make sure it is vegan. Whole grain bread will probably add more texture to the dish, but add more spices to make sure the spices stand out.
Onion & tomatoes: I used red onions as they contribute a little bit of sweetness to the dish. White or yellow onions are fine too. The choice of tomatoes is not restricted to any type.
Spices: Spices like turmeric powder and red chili powder will enhance the flavor and also add color. Be sure to add chili powder to suit your preferred spice level. Adding green chillies is also great if you prefer a spicy note.
Ginger: Use grated ginger for this recipe. Grating releases just enough flavor to the recipe and leaves pieces of ginger in every bite.
Whole wheat bread: I used wheat bread, but white bread can be used too, but make sure it is vegan. Whole grain will probably add more texture to the bread, but be sure to add more spices if you are using whole grain bread.
Onion & tomatoes: I used red onions as they contribute a little bit of sweetness to the dish. White or yellow onions are fine too.
Spice: Spices like turmeric powder and red chili powder will enhance the flavor and add color. Be sure to add chili powder to suit your preferred spice level.
Ginger: Use grated ginger for this recipe. Grating releases just enough flavor to the recipe and leaves pieces of ginger in every bite.
How to make this
To begin making the bread upma recipe, begin with toasting the bread. You can toast it in a toaster or on a skillet. Once the bread is toasted, cut the bread into small squares and place them aside.
In a cast-iron skillet or a Kadai, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat and add the teaspoon of mustard seeds.
Allow the mustard seeds to crackle. As they crackle, add curry leaves, grated ginger, and green chilies.
Add the chopped onions and saute them over medium heat until they turn soft and tender.
Once the onions are soft, add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Stir and cook the tomatoes until they turn slightly soft.
Finally, add the salt and the toasted bread cubes. Stir well to combine all the ingredients and continue to stir fry over medium to high heat for a couple of minutes.
The stir fry is necessary to ensure the bread pieces get all the spices and seasonings.
Stir chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice into the bread upma to get even more flavor. Indian Bread breakfast is ready! Serve it paired with your favorite fruit juice or chai!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use any type of bread for this recipe, Just be sure to toast them before you cut it into pieces.
Yes, you can substitute turmeric and red chili powder with sambar powder. Sambar powder comes packed with all the flavors you need for upma and is a perfect fit for this recipe.
You have come to the right recipe if you want something to do with excess or leftover bread. You have found your calling in Bread Upma!
Expert tips
- You can garnish the dish with roasted cashews or add roasted raw peanuts for extra flavor and crunch.
- If the dish turns out too spicy, squeeze two teaspoons of lime juice and mix well to temper the spice down.
- Adding tomato ketchup to bread upma will give a nice flavor, but it is optional. If you prefer ketchup in this recipe, add it after adding tomatoes.
- This dish is best enjoyed warm. So be sure to serve it immediately. Bread crumbs tend to get mushy after a while.
- Always remember to toast the fresh bread before you cube them.
- Applying a little vegan butter to your toast adds flavor and aroma.
- You can also add cumin seeds along with mustard seeds.
- Add green peas for protein to make this delicious bread upma recipe.
Variation
You can use white bread, brown bread, or multigrain bread to make this Indian bread breakfast recipe.
Use bell pepper, green peas, and a teaspoon of sambar powder or pav bhaji masala powder to give an extra punch of flavor.
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📖 Recipe
Bread Upma Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil - or vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 green chilies - chopped lenghywise
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 small tomatoes chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder - use less spicy one like Kashmiri red chili powder
- 6- 8 slice whole wheat bread
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 1 strand curry leaves
Instructions
- To begin making the bread upma recipe, begin with toasting the bread. You can toast it in a toaster or on a skillet.6- 8 slice whole wheat bread
- Once the bread is toasted, cut the bread into small squares and place them aside.
- In a cast-iron skillet or a Kadai, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and add in the mustard seeds. Allow the mustard seeds to crackle. As they crackle, add the grated ginger, curry leaves, and green chilies. Add the chopped onions and saute the onions over medium heat until they turn soft and tender.1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 2 green chilies, 1 onion chopped, 1 strand curry leaves
- Once the onions are soft, add in the tomatoes, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Stir and cook the tomatoes until they turn slightly soft. (check above for pictures)2 small tomatoes chopped, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- Finally, add in the salt and the toasted bread pieces. Stir well to combine all the ingredients and continue to stir fry over medium to high heat for a couple of minutes.
- The stir fry is necessary to make sure the bread pieces get all the spices and seasonings.
- Stir in chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice into the bread upma to get even more flavor. Bread Upma is ready!2 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
Process Shot
Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)
Video
Notes
- You can garnish the dish with roasted cashews for extra flavor and crunch.
- Adding tomato ketchup to bread upma will give a nice flavor but it is totally optional.
- If you do prefer ketchup in this recipe, then add it after adding tomatoes. (1 tbsp)
- This dish is best enjoyed warm. So be sure to serve it immediately. Bread crumbs tend to get mushy after a while.
- Always remember to toast the bread before you cube them.
- Applying a little bit of vegan butter to your toast gets you additional flavor and aroma.
YOUR OWN NOTES
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Priya Srinivasan
Bread upma looks scrumptious uma!! The idea of toasting the bread before adding it to the upma is superb! Will definitely try when i m doing this next time!
Sapana
Bread upma is my favorite to make whenever I have a day or two old bread. This definitely makes a delicious and filling breakfast.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Bread upma was the perfect choice to use my left over bread and the recipe worked great. I toasted the bread after seeing your tip and it was perfect. Made the upma less mushy and it had a bite to it.
Seema Sriram
You have made such a lovely step by step pictoral of this recipe. It is so easy to follow this, so I am showing this to my children. They are learning to cook.
Mayuri Patel
Delicious looking bread upma. I sometimes make bread masala as we call it but without onion or tomato. Have to try your recipe as it must be so tasty with onions, tomatoes and the spices. Perfect for breakfast or as a snack too.
Uma Raghupathi
Yes, Mayuri! glad you liked this recipe.
Poonam bachhav
Your bread upma looks so so delicious ! Love such fuss free snacks. My son loves it.
Lata Lala
This bread upma used to be my favorite and on the go recipe whenever I wanted something quick and easy.
The recipe is all time favourite though everyone has different way of making it.
Loved the idea of toasting the bread. Thanks for sharing this.
Pavani
This is the best recipe I have found for bread upma - so easy and so tasty. Thank you for sharing this.
Uma Raghupathi
Thank you Pavani.
Archana
I do agree bread upma is a life saver! definitely what I like to mak eat the crack of dawn! Toasting the bread seems like a great idea will try. Thanks.