Beetroot Halwa recipe is a rich, healthy, and vibrant popular Indian dessert made with grated beetroot, full-fat milk, sugar, cardamom powder, and nuts in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Stove Top. This beet halwa recipe is also known as chukandar ka halwa in Hindi and generally made during the festival or any celebration.
What is Halwa?
Halwas are easy and delicious Indian desserts that have a pudding-like texture. The best part is you can make halwa from lentils to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables turning them into healthy desserts.
Beets are an excellent source of folate, manganese, potassium, and copper. They are also a known source of magnesium, phosphorous, vitamin C, iron, vitamin B 6, and dietary fiber. They are low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
Other Beetroot recipes from my blog are Beetroot & chickpea Stir Fry, Beetroot Kurma, Beetroot Rice, Beetroot Raita.
Beetroot contains an ample amount of sugar in it and hence this dessert requires less sugar. This Indian beetroot pudding dessert doesn't taste beetroot at all so even beetroot haters will love this dish trust me. You can either warm it or eat it cold.
Other Sweet Dishes to Try Milk Powder Burfi , Pineapple Dessert , Lauki Kheer , Chocolate Makhana
Dont have an Instant Pot?
Also for those of you who do not have an Instant Pot, check out the Stovetop pot recipe instructions below.
How to make Beetroot Halwa in Instant Pot
Take 4 medium-sized beetroots, peel the skin and grate the beets using a grater or food processor. I have used a thick shredder/grater attachment.
Press SAUTE button. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee into the pot, once hot add cashews, and stir fry till they are light golden brown in color. Remove and keep aside.
Add the shredded beetroot and Saute with the leftover ghee for about 3-4 minutes till the raw smell disappears.
Next, add milk into the pot and close the lid, and turn the pressure valve to the SEALING position.
Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set the timer to 4 minutes and When the instant pot beeps, Quick Release the pressure. Open the lid.
Add sugar, almond flour/meal, raisins and remaining ghee.Mix well.
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté (High) and cook for 6-8 mins until all the liquid is mostly absorbed (evaporated) and ghee separates from halwa.
Add cardamom powder, roasted cashew nuts and mix well.
Serve instant pot pressure cooker beetroot halwa warm or cold and garnish with some pistachios.
Stovetop Method
- In a large Kadai/Pot, add 1 tablespoon of ghee into the pot, once hot add cashews, and stir fry till they are light golden brown in color. Remove and keep aside.
- Add the shredded beetroot and Saute with the leftover ghee for about 3-4 minutes till the raw smell disappears.
- Next, add milk into the pot and stir well. Cover with a lid, boil for 20 minutes stirring occasionally on medium-low flame.
- When 75% of the liquid is evaporated, add sugar, almond flour/meal, raisins, and remaining ghee. Mix well.
- Cook for 6-8 mins until all the liquid is mostly absorbed(evaporated) and ghee separates from halwa.
- Also, add cardamom powder, roasted cashew nuts and mix well.
- Serve beet halwa, warm or cold, and garnish with some pistachios.
Note: If you are not adding almond flour or khoya you can increase the amount of milk while cooking beets.
Tips & Variations
- Using fresh and juicy beetroot will help to reduce adding more sugar.
- Can reduce sugar if you want it to be a lighter version. You can use coconut sugar or jaggery or brown sugar instead of refined sugar.
- I have added almond flour to make the dish more healthy and rich, however, you can add either milk powder or khoya/mawa too.
- If you want to add condensed milk reduce sugar by 3 tbsps and add 2 tbsps of condensed milk or skip sugar completely.
- You can follow the same pressure cooker beetroot halwa recipe for carrot as well.
FAQs
You can simply replace sugar with dates. Blend ½ cup of dates in milk and add dates puree once beetroot has cooked in milk.
How to make Vegan Beetroot Halwa?
Replace ghee with coconut oil and use full-fat almond milk or coconut milk in place of dairy milk (but the taste will vary a bit).
How long can I store Beet Halwa?
Beetroot Halwa stays good when refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3-4 days.
More Instant Pot Dessert recipes
Checkout for more 12+ instant pot Indian dessert recipes from my blog.
Beetroot Halwa(Instant Pot & Stove Top)
Equipment
Ingredients
Measuring cup used (1 cup = 250 ml)
- 5 cups beetroot shredded
- 1 cup milk(preferably full fat) OR almond milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup almond flour OR milk powder OR Khoya
- 3 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ cup cashews
- 2 tablespoon raisins
- 2 tablespoon pistachios chopped
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Press SAUTE button. Add ghee into the pot ,once hot add cashews and stir fry till they are light golden brown in color.Remove and keep aside.
- Add the shredded beetroot and Saute with the leftover ghee about 3-4 minutes till raw smell disappears.
- Next add milk into the pot and close the lid, and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.
- Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set timer to 4 minutes and When the instant pot beeps,Quick Release the pressure. Open the lid.
- Add sugar, almond powder/meal, raisins and remaining ghee.Mix well.and ghee separates from halwa.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté(Hi) and cook for 6-8 mins until all the liquid is mostly absorbed(evaporated) and ghee separates from halwa.
- Add cardamom powder, roasted cashew nuts and mix well.
- Serve warm or cold and garnish with some pistachios.
Stove Top Pot Method:
- In a large kadai/Pot ,add 1 tablespoon of ghee into the pot ,once hot add cashews and stir fry till they are light golden brown in color.Remove and keep aside.
- Add the shredded beetroot and Saute with the leftover ghee about 3-4 minutes till raw smell disappears.
- Next add milk into the pot and stir well. Cover with a lid, boil for 20 minutes stirring occasionally on medium low flame.
- When 75% per of the liquid is evaporated, add sugar, almond powder/meal, raisins and remaining ghee.Mix well.
- Cook for 6-8 mins until all the liquid is mostly absorbed(evaporated) and ghee separates from halwa.
- Also, add cardamom powder, roasted cashew nuts and mix well.
- Serve warm or cold and garnish with some pistachios.
Notes
- Using fresh and juicy beetroot will help to reduce adding more sugar.
- Vegans can replace ghee with coconut oil and can use full fat almond milk or coconut milk in place of dairy milk(but taste will vary a bit).
- Can reduce sugar if you want it to be lighter version.You can use coconut sugar or jaggery or brown sugar instead of refined sugar.
- I have added almond flour to make the dish more healthy and rich, however you can add either milk powder or khoya/mawa too.
- If you want to add condensed milk reduce sugar by 3 tbsps and add 2 tbsps of condensed milk or skip sugar completely.
- If you are not adding almond flour or khoya you can increase amount of milk while cooking beets.
- You can follow same recipe for carrot as well.
Nutrition
Subscribe to my Youtube Channel for healthy & tasty video recipes. Looking for Instant Pot recipes, check out my Instant Pot Recipes board on Pinterest.
Radha says
It came out very well
bhavana says
Nice!glad you liked it and thanks for sharing.