Sabudana Thalipeeth (Sago Thalipeeth) is a crispy flatbread made using tapioca pearls or sabudana. It is a Maharashtrian dish and made for breakfast or for vrat (Hindu fasting days). Here is how to make it (gluten-free, vegetarian).

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About Sabudana Thalipeeth
Sabudana Thalipeeth (Sago Thalipeeth) is a flatbread made using sabudana (tapioca pearls).
This dish is very popular in Maharashtra and North Karnataka and is perfect to serve as a light meal, snack, or breakfast.
It is also called upvasache thalipeeth, upvas thalipeeth, or farali thalipeeth as it is specially made for the Vrat Days (Hindu Fasting, Upvas).
The sabudana mixture to make the sago thalipeeth is very similar to that of sabudana vada but these two dishes are very different from each other in terms of texture and taste.
Sabudana vada is deep fried while sabudana thalipeeth is shallow fried on a griddle.
You can shape sabudana thalipeeth directly on the griddle (tawa) but I have a super easy solution to shape these perfectly without any fuss.
I use a parchment sheet to shape the thalipeeth which makes it very easy to transfer it to the hot griddle.
Do try this sabudana thalipeeth recipe and let me know how you liked it! This dish is vegetarian and gluten-free.
You can scale the recipe up or down as per your requirements.
Here are some more sabudana recipes that you might like
Ingredients

Sabudana (sago pearls, tapioca pearls) – Use medium-sized sabudana (black peppercorn size) to make the thalipeeth. You will find it at any Indian grocery store or on online portals like Amazon.
Boiled Potatoes help in binding the ingredients.
Boil them in a traditional pressure cooker, instant pot, or in a pot over the stovetop. Peel and mash to use in the recipe.
Tip – Try to use freshly boiled potatoes as they are better for binding the sabudana.
Peanuts – I love the crunch that crushed roasted peanuts add to this rather soft sabudana thalipeeth.
Rajgira Atta (Amaranth Flour) helps to bind the mixture.
You can replace it with any other gluten-free flour like water chestnut flour (singhade ka atta) or buckwheat flour (kuttu ka atta).
Others – You will also need cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), rock salt (sendha namak), green chillies, lime juice, sugar, cumin seeds, and oil or ghee for frying.
You can use regular salt in place of sendha namak if not making it for vrat.
How To Make Sabudana Thalipeeth
Wash 1 cup of medium-sized sabudana pearls with water to remove any impurities. Do not wash it too much like you do to make the sabudana khichdi. You need the starch in this recipe to bind the mixture.
Soak the sabudana in ½ cup of water for 6-8 hours.
Note – You should be able to mash the soaked sabudana and it shouldn’t have a hard center. If the sabudana still has a hard center, add 2-3 tablespoon water and soak for another hour.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together
- soaked sabudana
- ½ cup boiled, peeled, and mashed potatoes
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- ½ teaspoon rock salt
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies
- ¼ cup coarsely powdered roasted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup rajgira atta
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Knead well to make dough.
Note – The dough should be easily pliable. If it is very dry, splash a little water and mix well.

Heat a nonstick griddle (tawa) over medium flame.
Grease a parchment sheet, aluminum foil, or a banana leaf with oil.
Tip – Do not use a plastic sheet as it might get stuck to the griddle while transferring the thalipeeth.

Wet your hands with water, take a small lemon-sized ball of dough, and shape it into a round.
Press it gently between your palms and keep it on the parchment sheet.

Using your fingers, shape the dough to make a 5-inch round. Keep smoothing the edges using your palms.
The thickness of the round must be approximately ⅛th inch and the edges must be slightly thinner than the center.
Check the video recipe for a better understanding of the shaping process.

Make a small hole in the center of the circle using your finger.

Now lift the parchment paper and transfer the thalipeeth onto the hot griddle. Peel the parchment paper gently.

Pour ½ teaspoon oil in the hole and drizzle 1 teaspoon oil on the sides of the thalipeeth.
Cook on medium heat until the bottom is golden brown and crisp (3-4 minutes).

Flip the thalipeeth and drizzle some more oil on the sides and in the hole.
Cook from the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
Serve hot with plain yogurt, masala chai, and vrat wali green chutney.
Make all the sabudana thalipeeth in the same manner.

Pro Tips By Neha
Be very careful while soaking the sabudana. Do not oversoak it or use excess water, otherwise, it will become mushy.
Avoid adding overcooked potatoes as they will add moisture to the dough and the thalipeeth might break while cooking.
Peanuts should be coarsely ground and not into a fine powder.
Adjust the green chilies as per your taste, If making it for kids, you can skip adding them too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! Just shape the mixture like vada and deep fry them. Serve hot with chutney.
If the dough is too dry, the thalipeeth might break while rolling. In this case, sprinkle a little water on the mixture and mix it again.
It can also break if the mixture is too loose. Add some more flour if the dough looks very loose.
Yes, you can use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. Boil, peel, and mash them just like regular potatoes. The taste will differ a bit, as they will lend a slightly sweet flavor to the thalipeeth.
In A Pot Over The Stovetop – Start by peeling the skin off the potatoes and then chop them into 4-8 pieces. Add the potatoes to a saucepan and pour water to immerse the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and cook the potatoes for approximately 15 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker – Begin by washing the potatoes and cutting them into two halves, keeping the skin intact. Add the potatoes to the pressure cooker. Fill the pressure cooker with enough water to fully submerge the potatoes. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles on high heat. Remove the cooker from heat and allow the pressure to naturally release, then open the cooker, and let the potatoes cool before peeling them.
Instant Pot – Cut the potatoes into two halves, leaving the skin on. Place the potatoes in the Instant Pot and add enough water to cover them completely. Close the lid of the pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 5 minutes at high pressure. Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure. Allow the potatoes to cool before peeling them.
Stove Top – Begin by heating a kadai or skillet over medium flame. Add peanuts and dry roast, stirring frequently, taking care to avoid burning them, and ensuring even roasting throughout the process Once roasted, allow the peanuts to cool completely.
Oven – Start by preheating it to 360°F (180°C). Take an oven-proof tray and spread the peanuts evenly on it. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 7 minutes initially. After this time, give the peanuts a stir to ensure even roasting, and continue baking for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the peanuts acquire a slightly duller color. Remove the tray from the oven and let the peanuts cool down completely.
Once the peanuts are roasted, I like to remove the pink skin before using them in the recipe.
Take a handful of peanuts in your hands and rub them together gently. This friction will help loosen the skin. Use your fingers to separate the peanuts from the skin. Gently apply pressure to the peanuts, and the skin should start to peel off easily. If some stubborn skin remains, you can use your fingers or a clean kitchen towel to rub off the remaining skin.
Now coarsely crush the peanuts in a food processor or a mortar and pestle and use in this recipe.
Storage Suggestions
You can store sabudana thalipeeth dough in the refrigerator for about 2 days in an airtight container. Just shape and cook them fresh.
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Recipe Card

Sabudana Thalipeeth Recipe (Sago Thalipeeth)
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium-sized sabudana (black peppercorn sized)
- ½ cup boiled, peeled, and mashed potatoes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- ½ teaspoon rock salt (sendha namak) (use regular salt if not making it for vrat)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies
- ¼ cup coarsely powdered roasted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup amaranth flour (rajgira atta) (or any other gluten-free flour)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- oil or ghee ( for frying)
Instructions
- Wash sabudana with water to remove any impurities. Do not wash it too much like you do to make the sabudana khichdi. You need the starch in this recipe to bind the mixture.
- Soak the sabudana in ½ cup water for 6-8 hours.
- You should be able to mash the soaked sabudana and it shouldn’t have a hard center. If the sabudana still has a hard center, add 2-3 tablespoons of water and soak for another hour.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together soaked sabudana, potatoes, cilantro, salt, green chili, peanuts, lime juice, sugar, rajgira atta, and cumin seeds.
- Knead well to make dough. The dough should be easily pliable. If it is very dry, splash a little water and mix well.
- Heat a nonstick griddle (tawa) over medium heat.
- Grease a parchment sheet, aluminum foil, or a banana leaf with oil.
- Tip – Do not use a plastic sheet as it might get stuck to the griddle while transferring the thalipeeth.
- Wet your hands with water, take a small lemon-sized ball of the dough, and shape it into a round. Press it gently between your palms and keep it on the parchment sheet.
- Using your fingers, shape the dough to make a 5-inch round. Keep smoothing the edges using your palms. The thickness of the round must be approximately ⅛th inch and the edges must be slightly thinner than the center.
- Make a small hole in the center of the circle using your finger.
- Now lift the parchment paper and transfer the thalipeeth onto the hot griddle. Peel the parchment paper gently.
- Pour ½ teaspoon oil in the hole and drizzle 1 teaspoon oil on the sides of the thalipeeth. Cook until the bottom is browned and crisp (3-4 minutes).
- Flip the thalipeeth and drizzle some more oil on the sides and in the hole. Cook from the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
- Serve hot with plain yogurt, masala chai, and vrat wali chutney.
- Make all the thalipeeth in the same manner.
Manjula Bharath
wow thalipeeth looks super inviting and so perfectly made 🙂 love all your clicks dear !!