Batata harra: fry the potatoes or roast them, and see the difference.
The potatoes, garlic, cilantro and chili are the same in every version of batata harra. What changes is how much oil the potatoes take up. Roasted with a measured amount, a serving goes from 332 to 210 kcal.
- 210 kcal a serving, down from 332 for the classic, with 5 g protein, 38 g carbs and 5 g fat
- 2 swaps, each with what it does to a serving, and 2 ways to add protein, up to 12 g a serving
- 4 servings, weighed at 640 g when finished, from 7 USDA FoodData Central entries in the library
Calories and macros per serving and per 100 g
The lighter example makes 4 servings from a 640 g finished batch: 160.0 g per serving. These are sample weights, not a measurement of your plate.
| Portion | kcal | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One serving | 210 | 4.5 | 37.5 | 5.3 |
| 100 g cooked | 131 | 2.8 | 23.4 | 3.3 |
Calculated from the ingredient totals below, before rounding the displayed serving. Use your own cooked weight; retained fat, liquid and portions can change the estimate.
Classic vs lighter, per serving.
The same batata harra, made two ways from the same library entries and the same 4 servings. The lighter version is the one built on the screens below.
| Per serving | Classic | Lighter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| kcal | 332 | 210 | −122 |
| Protein g | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Carbs g | 38 | 38 | 0 |
| Fat g | 19 | 5 | −14 |
| Saturated fat g | 2.7 | 0.8 | −1.9 |
Saturated fat comes from the same USDA entries; the recipe sheet itself shows calories, protein, carbs and fat. Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice.
Swap by swap.
Each change in turn, from the classic to the lighter version, and what it does to one serving.
1. Roast the potatoes instead of frying them
−89 kcal, −10 g fat, −1.4 g saturated fat a serving
Fried cubes take up oil as they cook. Roasting at high heat with a measured amount browns them for 89 kcal and 10 g of fat less a serving.
2. Add the garlic and cilantro without more oil
−33 kcal, −4 g fat, −0.5 g saturated fat a serving
The classic cooks the garlic, cilantro and chili in a second pour of oil. Tossed onto the hot tray for the last minutes they need none, which is another 33 kcal a serving.
More protein, if you need it.
Hitting a protein target is the hard part for most people. Each option is added to the lighter version on its own, with what it does to a serving of 5 g protein and 210 kcal. Save the one you like as its own recipe.
Roast chickpeas on the same tray
+138 kcal, +7 g protein, +22 g carbs, +3 g fat, +0.2 g saturated fat a serving, making 12 g protein a serving
400 g of drained canned chickpeas, roasted with the potatoes, add 7 g of protein a serving for 138 kcal.
Serve it with a garlic yogurt dip
+46 kcal, +7 g protein, +2 g carbs, +1 g fat, +0.1 g saturated fat a serving, making 12 g protein a serving
300 g of nonfat Greek yogurt stirred with a little garlic and lemon adds 7 g of protein a serving for 46 kcal.
Oil and fat: the type changes the fat, the amount changes the calories.
The three oils below are each 884 kcal per 100 g, and ghee is within a few calories of them. Swapping one for another moves the saturated fat, not the calories; using less is what saves them. Butter is lower per gram only because part of it is water.
| Fat, per tablespoon, 14 g | kcal | Fat g | Sat fat g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 124 | 14 | 1.9 |
| Canola oil | 124 | 14 | 1.0 |
| Avocado oil | 124 | 14 | 1.6 |
| Ghee (butter oil) | 123 | 14 | 8.7 |
| Butter, salted | 100 | 11 | 7.2 |
The sample data
These are the amounts of the lighter version used on the screens below, with each figure taken from the library entry for that ingredient. They are sample figures for a pot or tray of this size, not a measurement of anyone's kitchen.
| Ingredient | Amount | kcal | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potatoes, flesh and skin, raw | 800 g | 616 | 16 | 140 | 1 |
| Olive oil | 20 g | 177 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Garlic | 15 g | 22 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw | 30 g | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lemon juice | 20 g | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Red or cayenne pepper | 2 g | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Paprika | 3 g | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Whole recipe | 890 g | 840 | 18 | 150 | 21 |
| Per serving (4) | 160 g | 210 | 5 | 38 | 5 |
Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice. Ingredient values are from USDA FoodData Central, which is in the public domain.
USDA source entries: Potatoes, flesh and skin, raw; Olive oil; Garlic; Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw; Lemon juice; Red or cayenne pepper; Paprika. Match the preparation and weighed amounts to your own ingredients.
Why this recipe
Fried potatoes are hard to log because the oil left in the pan is a guess. A roasted version uses an amount you weigh, so the recipe holds exactly what went onto the tray.
What to weigh
Weigh the potatoes raw, with the skin if you leave it on, as the library entry describes them. The sample goes into the oven at 890 g and comes out at 640 g, because water leaves in the heat. A serving is 160 g.
How to cook it
The method for the lighter version above, using the amounts in the sample data. Use a food thermometer to check the safe temperatures.
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the potatoes into 2 cm cubes, rinse them and dry them well.
- Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, paprika, cayenne and a pinch of salt, and spread them on a lined tray in one layer.
- Roast for 30 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and crisp at the edges.
- Crush the garlic and chop the cilantro, scatter both over the potatoes and roast for 5 more minutes. Finish with the lemon juice and serve.
At a glance
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 35 minutes
- Makes 4 servings
- Per serving: 210 kcal, 5 g protein
Times are for a home kitchen and leave out any marinating or resting the steps mention.
The full workflow, in four steps.
1. Open Create a recipe and search the library
Open Add food and choose Create a recipe, name it, then choose Add ingredient. Search "potatoes flesh and skin raw" and the raw potato entry comes up with its calories per 100 g.
2. Enter the amount you weighed
Pick it, switch the portion to grams and enter the 800 g on the scale. The sheet shows 616 kcal for the potatoes before any oil.
3. Add the rest, then set the servings and finished weight
Add 20 g of olive oil, the garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, cayenne and paprika, then enter the 4 servings and the 640 g the tray weighed out of the oven.
4. Save it and log a serving
Save the recipe and it becomes one of your own foods. The next screen is the normal Add food form, ready to log one serving or any weight of it.
Tips while you build it
- Put the bowl on the scale and pour the oil into it, not onto the tray. Poured straight from the bottle, it is usually double what you meant.
- Dry the potato cubes well and give them room on the tray, so they crisp with less oil.
- A serving is about 160 g of roasted potatoes. Log by weight when you take a different share.
Go further
- Frying them for a gathering? Build the fried version as a second recipe with 75 g of oil and log the one you ate.
- Stir the garlic and cilantro in for the last five minutes only. They stay bright and do not need their own oil.
Each change is a second recipe with its own name, so the first stays as you built it.
Batata harra questions.
How many calories are in batata harra?
It depends on the oil. The roasted sample is 210 kcal a serving, with 5 g protein, 38 g carbs and 5 g fat, against 332 kcal when the same potatoes take up the oil of a fried version.
Should I weigh potatoes raw or cooked?
Raw, because the library entry is raw. Potatoes lose water in the oven, so a cooked weight would undercount them. Weigh the tray once at the end for the finished weight.
Is roasted batata harra still crisp?
Yes, at a high oven temperature with dry potatoes in a single layer. Turning them once halfway helps every side colour.
More example recipes.
- Hummus bi tahini145 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 211 for the classic, with 6 g protein.
- Mujadara286 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 337 for the classic, with 13 g protein.
- Chicken shawarma (oven tray)309 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 444 for the classic, with 50 g protein.
- Kafta162 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 289 for the classic, with 22 g protein.
- Tabbouleh102 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 178 for the classic, with 4 g protein.
- Fattoush166 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 281 for the classic, with 6 g protein.
- Baba ganoush121 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 191 for the classic, with 6 g protein.
- Shish tawook317 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 560 for the classic, with 46 g protein.
- Baked kibbeh (kibbeh bil sanieh)268 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 452 for the classic, with 23 g protein.
- Sayyadieh (fish and rice)438 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 597 for the classic, with 33 g protein.
- Lebanese lentil soup230 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 311 for the classic, with 13 g protein.
- Baked falafel278 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 444 for the classic, with 14 g protein.
- Chana masala288 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 307 for the classic, with 13 g protein.
- Dal tadka241 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 265 for the classic, with 14 g protein.
- Butter chicken314 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 442 for the classic, with 46 g protein.
- Spaghetti bolognese446 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 564 for the classic, with 31 g protein.
- Chicken cacciatore385 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 639 for the classic, with 48 g protein.
- Turkey chili315 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 430 for the classic, with 27 g protein.
- Homemade cheeseburgers363 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 500 for the classic, with 35 g protein.
- Chicken biryani464 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 617 for the classic, with 32 g protein.
- Rajma masala290 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 364 for the classic, with 17 g protein.
- Tandoori chicken357 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 617 for the classic, with 53 g protein.
- Chicken fajitas449 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 639 for the classic, with 46 g protein.
- Chicken burrito bowl613 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 767 for the classic, with 48 g protein.
- Chicken souvlaki329 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 605 for the classic, with 49 g protein.
- Chicken teriyaki559 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 774 for the classic, with 44 g protein.
- Beef and broccoli529 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 676 for the classic, with 46 g protein.
- Palak paneer331 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 500 for the classic, with 19 g protein.
- Chicken tikka masala373 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 698 for the classic, with 49 g protein.
- Keema matar282 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 476 for the classic, with 31 g protein.
- Aloo gobi218 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 353 for the classic, with 7 g protein.
- Lasagna511 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 646 for the classic, with 41 g protein.
- Chicken parmesan481 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 677 for the classic, with 57 g protein.
- Fettuccine Alfredo492 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 869 for the classic, with 20 g protein.
- Spaghetti carbonara483 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 653 for the classic, with 30 g protein.
- Spaghetti and meatballs548 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 729 for the classic, with 38 g protein.
- Minestrone318 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 436 for the classic, with 19 g protein.
- Shrimp scampi567 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 782 for the classic, with 47 g protein.
- Mushroom risotto478 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 706 for the classic, with 19 g protein.
- Moussaka286 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 563 for the classic, with 22 g protein.
- Spanakopita230 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 332 for the classic, with 12 g protein.
- Greek salad (horiatiki)185 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 351 for the classic, with 6 g protein.
- Greek lemon chicken and potatoes510 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 873 for the classic, with 50 g protein.
- Avgolemono soup274 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 403 for the classic, with 30 g protein.
- Gigantes plaki401 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 616 for the classic, with 21 g protein.
- Greek meatballs (keftedes)279 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 475 for the classic, with 29 g protein.
- Pastitsio460 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 657 for the classic, with 29 g protein.
- Shrimp saganaki342 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 496 for the classic, with 42 g protein.
- Mac and cheese410 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 491 for the classic, with 22 g protein.
- Beef tacos386 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 586 for the classic, with 39 g protein.
- Chicken fried rice512 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 592 for the classic, with 36 g protein.
- Dal makhani261 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 375 for the classic, with 16 g protein.
- Chicken korma289 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 486 for the classic, with 38 g protein.
- Aloo matar237 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 305 for the classic, with 9 g protein.
Keep going.
- Recipe builderWhat the builder does, and every example recipe in one place.
- Lebanese food caloriesPer 100 g tables for the dishes the food library finds.
- Nutrition and macro trackingBarcodes, label reading, targets that follow your weigh-ins.
- Help: scan, create and recipesThe same steps in the Help Center.
Cook it once. Log it for good.
Build a lighter version of your own lebanese favourite in Nutrition.