Beetroot Halwa
Beetroot Halwa is a delish Indian sweet made by slow-cooking grated beetroots with milk, sugar, cardamom, ghee and dry fruits. This Beetroot Halwa recipe is the one that I have grown up eating. At home, we used to make this together with Carrot Halwa on most festive occasions. This tradition continues till today. Try this unique recipe which will make you fall in love with beetroots all the more.
About Beetroot Halwa
Beetroot Halwa may not be as popular and favored as its siblings Carrot Halwa or Sooji Halwa, but many people do like it. The exceptional natural color and texture that the beetroots bring in this recipe is unmatched. So, the end result is beautiful too.
In addition to this, the Beetroot Halwa recipe is actually very nutritious and good for health too. It is also excellent for kids who are usually not fond of this root vegetable. Other ways to feed beetroot to your kids are by including it in chaat and salad recipes.
Beetroot Halwa is made in a similar way as that of carrot halwa. One major difference is that the texture of Beetroot Halwa is moist as compared to gajar halwa. You can increase the health quotient by adding dry fruits and nuts in the halwa. I have added cashews and flavored it with crushed cardamom powder. You can also add raisins, pistachios and almonds.
The best thing about the Beetroot Halwa recipe is that even after adding other ingredients, the taste of beetroot is quite prominent in the dessert. This Beetroot Halwa can be relished hot, warm or chilled as well.
How to make Beetroot Halwa
1. Rinse, peel and grate 500 grams beetroots. You can either use a hand-held grater or a food processor to grate the beetroots.
2. Take the grated beetroots in a thick bottomed kadai or pan. Add 3 cups full fat whole milk.
3. Mix and cook the grated beetroot and milk mixture on a low to medium heat.
4. The milk will boil and froth while cooking. Continue to cook and keep stirring often.
5. When the milk has reduced to almost 75% to 80%, add 3 tablespoons ghee and 6 tablespoons sugar. Stir and continue to simmer the halwa till its almost done.
6. Towards the end, add ⅓ teaspoon cardamom powder.
7. Add 15 to 20 cashews.
8. Stir and continue to cook till the milk has evaporated.
9. Serve Beetroot Halwa hot or warm or cold. Store any leftovers by refrigerating the halwa for about 3 to 4 days. While serving, lightly warm the halwa in a skillet or pan.
For more delicious beetroot recipes, you can check this link – Beetroot Recipes.
Expert Tips
- Buy the best beetroots: It is important to buy tender beetroots so that they are easy to grate. Prepare yourself for an arm workout, unless you have a food processor.
- Grating vs. shredding: I recommend grating the beets versus shredding. Grating can be done by using a hand-held grater or a food processor. Obviously, a food processor makes grating of the beetroots easier.
- Best pan to make halwa: I suggest using a heavy iron skillet or kadai (wok) to make the halwa. You can also use any thick-bottomed pan or skillet.
- Storing: You can store the halwa in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. While serving, just warm the halwa and then serve.
- Scaling: You can easily halve, double or triple this Beetroot Halwa recipe depending on how many servings you’d like to make.
- You can add nuts and dry fruits like cashews, almonds, pistachios and raisins in the halwa. If you don’t have these, you can skip adding these too.
FAQs
For how many days the Beetroot Halwa lasts?
The Beetroot Halwa stays good for 3 to 4 days if stored in the refrigerator. Do not keep it at room temperature as it gets spoilt.
Can I make this halwa without nuts or dry fruits?
Absolutely! Feel free to use any toasted seeds of your choice instead or omit them altogether.
Can I make a vegan version of this Beetroot Halwa?
Yes, you definitely can. Simply swap the dairy milk with your favorite non-dairy milk and use coconut oil or any neutral flavored oil in place of ghee. But remember, coconut oil will impart its own flavor and aroma to the halwa.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 500 grams beetroot or about 3 cups grated beetroot
- 3 cups whole milk
- 6 tablespoons sugar or raw sugar – adjust as required
- 3 tablespoons Ghee
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder or 5 to 6 green cardamom crushed and finely powdered in a mortar-pestle
- 15 to 20 cashews
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins – optional
Instructions
- Rinse, peel and grate the beetroots using a hand held grater or food processor.
- In a kadai or deep thick bottomed pan, combine milk and grated beetroot.
- On a low to medium heat, bring the whole mixture to a boil and then simmer.
- Keep on stirring at intervals while the mixture comes to a boil and later simmers.
- The grated beetroot will cook in the milk and the milk will start to reduce and evaporate.
- When the milk has almost reduced to 75% to 80%, add the ghee and sugar to the halwa mixture.
- Stir well, continue to simmer and cook on a low heat.
- Keep stirring the Beetroot Halwa at intervals.
- Towards the end, add the cashews, cardamom powder and raisins (if using) and simmer till all the milk is evaporated. Stir often. Switch off the heat.
- Serve Beetroot Halwa hot, warm or cold.
Notes
- Try to use beets which are fresh and tender.
- Do use whole milk and not toned or low-fat milk as it may split or curdle.
- Choose to add your choice of nuts and dry fruits depending on what is available to you.
- Slow cooking is the key to the recipe. Try not to speed up the process as it may result in the halwa getting browned or burnt.
- You can easily halve or double this beetroot halwa recipe.
Nutrition
This Beetroot Halwa post from the archives first published on Feb 2014 has been republished and updated on 10 May 2022.
Hi, all your recipes are my reference. I just want to know if i can use coconut milk instead dairy milk? Also jaggery or brown sugar instead of white sugar.
Thank you for the kind words. You can use coconut milk or other plant based milk like almond or oat milk.
Add the coconut milk at the final stage when the beetroot is nearly cooked and most of the moisture has evaporated, and keep the heat low to avoid curdling.
If using jaggery or brown sugar, add it towards the end after the mixture has reduced, so the coconut milk stays smooth and the sweetness blends well.
Hi Dasannaji, I always refer to your recipes and they are amazing… your betroot halwa recipe reminds me of my childhood.. just a small clarification.. can I replace sugar with sugarfree and if yes what would be the proportion?
thanks akshita. i am not sure how much proportion of sugarfree you can add. however, you can just add first around 4 tablespoons of sugarfree. once the halwa is done then check the taste. if less sweet, then you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons and mix it very well.
Hello,
When I search any recipe on the google., your’s is the first listed. I always like your recipes and try out. Especially paneer butter masala is my favourite recipe of yours. It comes out as you describe. Great job . Keep it up.
Thanks Shaistha for this positive feedback. Glad to know that you like the recipes from the blog.
I made this recipe yesterday, it was awsome. We all loved it. Thank you dasanna.
welcome alisha. thanks for the positive review on beetroot halwa recipe.
Hi,
I had doubled the recipe and took me almost two hours of stirring on a low flame ( got induction coil at my place, heat is uneven sometimes) turned out yummy?Just had a doubt, can it be made in a pressure cooker if yes then will the proportions change?
thanks amritha. if the recipe is doubled, then more time is taken. in a pressure cooker, you can make. but use a large cooker. otherwise the milk froths up and can spill from the whistle (vent weight). use 2 cups milk. i think this should be enough.
Dear Dassana, thank you for this lovely recipe. Do you think I can substitute full fat milk with a non-dairy milk e.g. soy milk?
ksenia, you can use soy milk. but soy milk will give it particular taste in the halwa. if its fine with you, then you can add it. i have also made carrot halwa with soy milk before. you can also use almond milk.
Thank u dassana ji.it tasted just like gajar ka halwa.
thanks for the feedback geeta. yes does taste similar to gajar halwa.
how long we can keep this beetroot halwa and carrot halwa?
in the fridge stays good for about 10 to 12 days.
Hi Dassana,
Can we make it the same way as your Condensed Milk Gajar ka halwa?
Thanks
Rimzim
yes rimzim, you can follow the condensed milk gajar halwa method for this recipe too.
I have eaten Gajar Halwa many times, but have only recently tried Beetroot Halwa – in Amritsar.
The grated beetroot in your photo looks cooked.
I have used raw carrots cooked in milk for the Gajar Halwa.
Can you please clarify?
thanks
the beetroots are not cooked. they are cooked along with the milk.
thanks
I will have a go 😉
welcome richard. happy cooking.
Your recipes are so simple to follow and never fails one for me. Such a clear explanation of proportions and procedures.love ur blog
thanks indira for sharing this positive feedback on recipes.
Hi Dassana ,
I must confess that I always refer to your web ,whenever I’m stuck ! As a student ,I stayed in a hostel & after completing my studies ,I worked in such institutions where a mess was there .So it never occurred to me that I will Have to COOk .But then I got married & came to UK . Hence ,I learnt cooking from different websites . But I found your way of cooking very easy ,delicious & gives a touch of home made food with minimum spices . Have tried many recipes of yours, like Beetroot halwa .Earlier I made it with sooji ,but yest. I made with your ingredients & it came out very well .Wow , I really love your way of cooking ! I also made Bharwan karela ,dal makhani & moong dal halwa .Everything came out so well that don’t have words to express ! Thank you soooo much ,for helping all of us ,with providing such minute details of cooking each & every thing . Now I’am a fan of yours & never visit any other websites ,ONLY YOURS & YOURS ,I visit .Thanks a ton .
welcome neena. i feel so good to read your comment. i am humbled and don’t know what to say. i wish you all the best.
thank you
welcome 🙂
can we do in microwave oven just like carrot halwa.
yes priya, you can make it just like carrot halwa in the microwave oven.