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EveryThali
Samosa Usal

Usal

In its own language: ऊसळ

Sprouted beans cooked in a spiced gravy from Maharashtra

Photo: Faisal Shaikh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Usal is a dish from Maharashtra, India, made by cooking sprouted legumes such as peas, lentils, or beans with onions, spices, and curry leaves. The result is a thick, savory gravy, often eaten as part of everyday meals.

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  • Made with sprouted legumes like peas, lentils, or beans
  • A staple dish from Maharashtra, India
  • Cooked with onions, spices, and curry leaves
  • Has a thick, gravy-like consistency

What is Usal?

Usal is a thick stew made by cooking sprouted legumes such as peas, lentils, black-eyed beans, moth beans, green gram, or hyacinth beans. The sprouts are combined with onions, spices, and curry leaves, then simmered with a little water to form a hearty gravy. The dish is usually savory and aromatic from the blend of spices and curry leaves. Its texture is soft, with the legumes holding their shape in a thick sauce.

Where does Usal come from?

Usal comes from Maharashtra, a state in western India. It is a traditional part of Maharashtrian cooking, where legumes are a staple. The dish likely developed as a way to use sprouted beans, which are common in the region's food. Usal reflects the local preference for legumes and spices, and is closely tied to everyday home cooking in Maharashtra.

How is Usal made?

To make usal, dried legumes are first soaked in water and left to sprout for a day or two. Once sprouted, the beans are stir-fried with onions, spices, and curry leaves in oil. Water is added to help cook the sprouts and create a thick, gravy-like consistency. The choice and amount of spices can change depending on the type of legume and personal taste.

How and when is Usal eaten?

Usal is typically eaten as part of a regular meal in Maharashtra. It can be served on its own or alongside rice or flatbreads. The dish is versatile and can be adjusted to suit different tastes by changing the spices or the type of beans used. It is a common everyday food, enjoyed for its nourishing qualities and comforting flavors.

Kinds of Usal

The main variation in usal comes from the choice of legumes. It can be made with peas, lentils, black-eyed beans, moth beans, green gram, or hyacinth beans. The spices and seasonings also vary by household and region, making each version slightly different in taste and aroma. Some versions may be drier or more saucy, depending on preference.

What Usal means

Usal is a staple in Maharashtrian homes and is part of the region's daily cuisine. It showcases the importance of legumes in the local diet and the use of sprouting to enhance nutrition. While it is not tied to specific festivals or religious occasions, usal is valued for its simplicity and adaptability in home cooking.

Questions people ask about Usal

What is usal made of?

Usal is made from sprouted legumes such as peas, lentils, black-eyed beans, moth beans, green gram, or hyacinth beans, cooked with onions, spices, and curry leaves.

Where does usal come from?

Usal comes from Maharashtra, a state in western India, and is a traditional part of Maharashtrian cuisine.

Is usal vegetarian or vegan?

Usal is vegan, as it is made entirely from plant-based ingredients like legumes, onions, spices, and curry leaves.

How is usal usually served?

Usal is typically served as a thick stew, often alongside rice or flatbreads as part of a regular meal.

What does usal taste like?

Usal has a savory, aromatic flavor from the blend of spices and curry leaves, with a hearty texture from the sprouted legumes.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Usal", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryThali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

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