Protein in Green Peas (Matar): Fresh, Frozen & Dried
Fresh green peas (matar) contain roughly 5–5.5 g of protein per 100 g, which works out to about 8 g in a standard katori (~150 g cooked). Frozen peas are almost identical. Dried green peas (sukha matar) are far more concentrated at approximately 22–24 g per 100 g uncooked — comparable to dal — because the water has been removed.
- Fresh and frozen matar are moderate protein sources: about 5–5.5 g per 100 g, or roughly 8 g in a katori of cooked peas.
- Dried green peas jump to approximately 22–24 g of protein per 100 g dry — in the same league as moong and chana dal.
- Freezing does not destroy protein; frozen matar is a reliable year-round option with nutrition close to fresh.
- Green peas are a legume, not a vegetable — which is why they carry more protein than most sabzis on your plate.
- Even dried peas need pairing with cereals (rice, roti) for a complete amino acid profile, as they are low in methionine.
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Is Matar Actually a Good Protein Source?
Green peas sit in an unusual spot on the Indian plate. We treat them like a vegetable — tossed into aloo matar, pulao, or matar paneer — but botanically they are a legume, the same family as dal and rajma. That is exactly why matar carries noticeably more protein than the average sabzi like lauki, bhindi, or gobhi, which usually deliver only 1–2 g per 100 g.
For India's large vegetarian population, that matters. Protein adequacy is a genuine everyday challenge here, and small, familiar foods like peas quietly add up. A cup of matar in your pulao is doing more nutritional work than a cup of most other vegetables — and if you reach for dried green peas, the numbers get seriously impressive. Our complete guide to plant protein in India puts foods like matar in the bigger picture of a vegetarian day.
Protein in Green Peas: Fresh vs Frozen vs Dried
The single most important thing to understand is that "green peas" can mean three very different things nutritionally. The water content is what changes the numbers dramatically. Fresh and frozen peas are mostly water; dried peas are not.
The figures below reflect well-established values from the ICMR-NIN Nutritive Value of Indian Foods and the USDA FoodData Central database. Treat them as approximate — real values vary by variety, maturity, and season.
| Form of green peas | Protein (per 100 g) | Protein per typical serving | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh green peas (raw/shelled) | ~5–5.5 g | ~8 g per katori (~150 g) | Seasonal; peak in winter |
| Frozen green peas | ~5–5.5 g | ~8 g per katori (~150 g) | Year-round; nutrition close to fresh |
| Cooked green peas (boiled) | ~5 g | ~7–8 g per katori | Slight change with water/cooking |
| Dried green peas (sukha matar, whole) | ~22–24 g | ~5–6 g per 25 g dry (before soaking) | Concentrated; comparable to dal |
| Dried peas, cooked (after soaking/boiling) | ~8–9 g | ~12–13 g per katori | Ragda, matar chaat, ghugni |
Note: values are approximate and can shift by around ±1–2 g depending on variety, ripeness, and preparation. Dried peas roughly triple in weight when soaked and cooked, which is why their per-100 g cooked value falls back toward dal-like territory.
Why dried matar has so much more protein
It is not that drying "adds" protein — it removes water. Fresh peas are around 78–80% water, so once you dehydrate them, everything else (protein, fibre, starch) becomes concentrated by weight. This is the same reason 100 g of raw moong dal shows ~24 g of protein while a cooked katori shows only ~7–8 g. Always check whether a number refers to the dry or the cooked form before comparing foods.
Green Peas vs Other Indian Protein Foods
To make matar's numbers meaningful, it helps to see them next to the foods you already eat. Fresh peas are a solid supporting player; dried peas can be a lead protein source in a meal.
| Food | Protein (per 100 g) | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh green peas (matar) | ~5–5.5 g | Cooked/fresh |
| Dried green peas (sukha matar) | ~22–24 g | Dry, uncooked |
| Moong dal | ~24 g | Dry, uncooked |
| Chana dal | ~20–25 g | Dry, uncooked |
| Roasted chana | ~18–20 g | Ready to eat |
| Paneer | ~18–20 g | As eaten |
| Soya chunks | ~52 g | Dry |
| Curd (dahi) | ~3–4 g | As eaten |
| 1 roti (~30 g) | ~2.5–3 g per roti | As eaten |
The takeaway: fresh matar in your sabzi is a nice bonus, but if you are counting on peas as a real protein source, the dried form — used in ragda, ghugni, or matar chaat — is what genuinely competes with dal and paneer.
Are Green Peas a Complete Protein?
Not on their own. Like most legumes, matar is relatively low in the sulphur-containing amino acid methionine, though it is a good source of lysine. Cereals such as rice and wheat are the opposite — higher in methionine, lower in lysine. This is why the everyday Indian habit of eating matar with rice, roti, or bread naturally balances the amino acids into a more complete profile. Your matar pulao and matar-stuffed paratha are quietly doing complementary-protein work.
If you want to understand this pairing logic in depth — and how it maps onto plant protein powders — our guide to whole-body nutrition walks through how protein quality, not just quantity, shapes a good vegetarian diet.
Fresh, Frozen or Dried: Which Should You Buy?
Fresh matar
At its best in the Indian winter (roughly November to February), fresh matar is sweet, tender, and widely available in local mandis at low cost — often ₹40–₹80 per kg in season, though shelled weight is much less than what you buy. Great for pulao, matar paneer, and poha.
Frozen matar
A genuinely good option, and not a nutritional downgrade. Peas are usually blanched and flash-frozen within hours of harvest, which locks in most of their protein and vitamins. Frozen matar gives you consistent quality year-round, which matters in a country where fresh peas are strongly seasonal.
Dried green peas
The protein powerhouse of the three. A packet of sukha matar is cheap, stores for months without refrigeration, and delivers dal-like protein. Soak overnight and you can make ragda for chaat, ghugni, or a simple matar curry. For anyone building a budget-friendly high-protein vegetarian diet, dried peas deserve a permanent spot in the kitchen.
Easy Ways to Get More Protein from Matar in an Indian Kitchen
- Make ragda or ghugni: Dishes built on dried white or green peas can deliver 12–15 g of protein per bowl — a serious upgrade over fresh-pea sabzi.
- Add peas to khichdi and pulao: A generous handful of matar boosts the protein of an otherwise rice-heavy meal.
- Pair with paneer: Matar paneer combines legume and dairy protein, rounding out the amino acid profile in one dish.
- Use frozen peas as an everyday default: Keep a bag in the freezer so protein-rich matar is always one minute away.
- Sprout or soak dried peas: Soaking sukha matar improves digestibility and reduces the antinutrients that can limit mineral absorption.
How Much Protein Do You Actually Need — and Where Matar Fits
ICMR-NIN guidance puts protein needs at roughly 0.8–1 g per kg of body weight per day for most adults, with active people often aiming higher. For a 60 kg adult, that is around 48–60 g daily. A katori of matar contributes about 8 g toward that — useful, but clearly not the whole story. Even dried peas, at ~12–13 g per cooked katori, would need several servings a day to carry your entire target alone.
This is the honest reality of Indian vegetarian eating: individual foods each add a modest amount, and it takes deliberate combining to reach a full day's protein. Matar helps, dal helps, curd and paneer help — but many busy people still fall short, especially on rushed mornings. If you are figuring out how to close that gap efficiently, our guide on how to choose a plant protein in India is a practical starting point.
Where a Pea-Based Shake Fits In
It is worth knowing that the isolated protein from yellow peas — a close cousin of the matar you cook with — is one of the most widely used plant proteins in the world, valued for its digestibility and its strong lysine content. That is exactly why KABO's Butter Coffee all-in-one shake is built on a pea and brown-rice protein blend: the two together create a complete amino acid profile, mirroring the same legume-plus-cereal logic as matar with roti. Each 54 g serving delivers 23.11 g of plant protein along with 26 vitamins and minerals (including biotin 40 mcg, B12, vitamin D, iron and zinc), 8 billion CFU probiotics, digestive enzymes and 60+ superfoods — dairy-free, lactose-free and FSSAI-licensed. It is not a replacement for real food like matar and dal; it is a convenient way to top up on the days your meals cannot.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein is in one katori of green peas?
A standard katori (~150 g) of cooked fresh or frozen green peas contains approximately 8 g of protein. If the katori is made from dried green peas that have been soaked and cooked, the protein rises to roughly 12–13 g because dried peas are far more concentrated than fresh ones.
Do frozen peas have less protein than fresh peas?
No, not meaningfully. Frozen matar is usually blanched and frozen soon after harvest, which preserves most of its protein and micronutrients. Fresh and frozen green peas both provide roughly 5–5.5 g of protein per 100 g, so frozen peas are a reliable year-round option with nutrition very close to fresh.
Why do dried green peas have so much more protein?
Drying removes the water — fresh peas are around 78–80% water. Once that water is gone, the protein, fibre and starch become concentrated by weight, so dried green peas show approximately 22–24 g of protein per 100 g. After soaking and cooking they absorb water again and fall back to about 8–9 g per 100 g, similar to cooked dal.
Are green peas a complete protein?
On their own, no. Matar is relatively low in methionine, one of the essential amino acids, though it is a good source of lysine. Pairing peas with cereals like rice or roti — as in matar pulao or a matar paratha — balances the amino acids into a more complete profile, which is why traditional Indian combinations work well nutritionally.
Are green peas good for a vegetarian weight-management diet?
Yes. Green peas offer protein and fibre for relatively few calories, which supports fullness and steady energy. Dried peas in particular are a budget-friendly, filling protein source. As with any food, portion and overall daily balance matter more than any single ingredient, so build peas into a varied plate rather than relying on them alone.
Matar is one of the more protein-dense foods on the Indian plate, especially in its dried form — but a bowl or two rarely covers a full day's needs. KABO's Butter Coffee shake is built on the same pea-and-cereal protein logic, with 23.11 g of plant protein per serving alongside 26 vitamins and minerals, probiotics and 60+ superfoods. It complements real food like matar and dal on the days your meals fall short. Explore KABO.