Pillowy soft, mouth-wateringly delicious, and super easy to make too- it can be hard to find a snack that ticks all these boxes, but that’s exactly what these sooji balls do! These savory semolina dumplings are super healthy and make for the perfect, no-fuss snack or breakfast option.
Plus, considering how versatile these dumplings are, you can actually substitute or swap ingredients based on your taste and preferences, and they’ll still turn out delicious.
Ready to give the recipe a try? Scroll down and read on to know how to do it the right way!
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need two sets of ingredients to make these delicious savory balls.
For the sooji dough
- Sooji (or Semolina): 1 cup
- Oil: 2 tsp
- Onions (finely chopped): ½ cup
- Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
- Carrots (finely chopped): 2 tbsps
- Beans (finely chopped): 2 tbsps
- Salt: ½ tsp
- Black pepper powder: 1 tsp
- Water: 2 cups or as required
- Potatoes (boiled and mashed): 1 cup
For the tempering
- Oil: 1 tbsp
- Dry red chilies: 2
- Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
- Curry leaves: A handful
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Hing/Asafoetida: A pinch
- Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp or as per taste
- Lemon juice: ½ a lemon
- Prepared sooji balls
- Coriander leaves (finely chopped): For garnish (optional)
Kitchen Tools Needed
How to Make the Sooji Balls
Heat a pan and dry roast the semolina in medium flame for a minute or until the semolina turns golden brown in color.
Remove the roasted semolina from the pan and keep it aside.
In the same pan, heat the oil and add the onions. Saute until they become translucent.
Next, add the ginger garlic paste and saute.
Add the carrots and beans next and saute.
Add the seasonings next and mix well.
Pour water over the mixture and mix.
Once the water starts to boil, add in the roasted semolina and mix well.
Let the mixture simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes or until all the water disappears.
Remove the cooked semolina from the pan and let it cool.
Once it’s cool enough, add the mashed potatoes and mix them well.
Make small portions of the semolina mixture and roll them into balls.
Heat oil in the pan and add the mustard seeds, dry red chilies, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.
Next add the hing, turmeric powder, and salt and mix.
Add the lemon juice next and mix.
To this tempering, add the prepared semolina balls and coat them with the tempering.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s a lot you can add to these versatile sooji balls- grated zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, or even bell peppers in different colors. This can be a great way to get more veggies into your snack, and is perfect to serve to kids too! 
Want your sooji balls to have a slightly crisp texture on the outside? Add some rice flour into the mixture along with the sooji while you are still cooking it. Remember that if you’re adding the rice flour, the mixture is likely to become sticky, and you’ll need to grease your hands well before you handle the dough.
A simple trick to implement to keep your sooji balls from falling apart while you are shaping them and afterward is to start to roll them while they are still warm- they’ll stick together more readily that way.
Also remember to add boiled, mashed potatoes into the mixture- potatoes are another excellent binding agent. 
You can! These balls are actually great for meal prep, which is another plus if you’re thinking of packing these in your kid’s lunch box. Just prepare the sooji dough beforehand and refrigerate it for upto 3 days. Then, roll the balls, prepare the tempering and follow the rest of the steps.
Got some leftover sooji balls? You can actually store them for later! Just transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for upto 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave if you prefer them soft, or in a skillet, if you don’t mind a bit of crispiness on the outside. 
Tips to Make the Sooji Balls
Think you’re ready to give this recipe a try? Keeping these additional tips and hacks in mind will help you take it to the next level.
- If you’re making these for kids, you can bring in some variation in the shapes and sizes too! You don’t necessarily need to roll them into balls- use a cookie cutter to cut them into fun and interesting shapes.
- To enhance the flavor and texture of the sooji balls, top them with some desiccated coconut right before you serve.
- You can also sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on the top to lend this dish a nice little texture.
- If the semolina mixture keeps sticking to the palms of your hands and any other surface you’re working with, grease your hands well and then continue shaping them.
- Roasting the semolina before turning it into a dough is absolutely crucial- this step helps semi-cook the semolina and also helps it get a slightly nutty flavor.
- To help the sooji balls hold their shape better, you can also steam them for a few minutes after they have been shaped. This step isn’t necessary, but if you have a few extra minutes, doing this is highly recommended.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Your sooji balls need no special effort to be served- just get them off the skillet and into a plate and enjoy them as is, or with a cup of Masala chai if you’re making these for breakfast. Of course, if you really want to, consider pairing them with some Indian chutneys or any dip of your choice.
You can also serve them with a variety of other Indian snacks and breakfast specialties like Sabudana vada, aloo paratha, or vegetable upma.
Sooji Balls: Savory Semolina Dumplings
Ingredients
Ingredients for Savory Semolina Dumplings
- 1 cup Sooji (or Semolina)
- 2 tsp Oil
- ½ cup Onions (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 2 tbsp Carrots (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp Beans (finely chopped)
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper powder
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Potatoes (boiled and mashed)
Ingredients for the tempering
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 2 pcs Dry red chilies
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 5 pcs Curry leaves
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 pinch Hing/Asafoetida
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ pcs Lemon juice
- 9 pcs Prepared sooji balls
- 2 pcs Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Heat a pan and dry roast the semolina in medium flame for a minute or until the semolina turns golden brown in color.
- Remove the roasted semolina from the pan and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, heat oil and add the onions. Saute until they become translucent.
- Next, add the ginger garlic paste and saute.
- Add the carrots and beans next and saute.
- Add the seasonings next and mix well.
- Pour water over the mixture and mix.
- Once the water starts to boil, add in the roasted semolina and mix well.
- Let the mixture simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes or until all the water disappears.
- Remove the cooked semolina from the pan and let it cool.
- Once it’s cool enough, add the mashed potatoes and mix it well.
- Make small portions of thesemolina mixture and roll into balls.
- Heat oil in the pan and add the mustard seeds, dry red chilies, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.
- Next add the hing, turmeric powder, and salt and mix.
- Add the lemon juice next and mix.
- To this tempering, add the prepared semolina balls and coat them with the tempering.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
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