Pumpkin Halwa | Kaddu Ka Halwa

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One of my most favorite sweet dishes made during the Navratri Fasting period is this Pumpkin Halwa. Yes, this vegetable cooks beautifully and absorbs the flavors from the rest of the ingredients quite amazingly. The best part is also the fact that because of the natural color of this veggie, the Kaddu Ka Halwa gets a lovely orange color to it. Subtly flavored, this halwa is quite easy to prepare and makes for a delightful dessert as well.

pumpkin halwa garnished with melon seeds and served in a blue rimmed white bowl with a spoon inside it.

About Pumpkin Halwa

This Kaddu Ka Halwa is a super, duper easy Indian dessert recipe. And I’ll give the entire credit for this amazing recipe to my mother-in-law. The entire halwa gets cooked in a pressure cooker, making it a fuss-free one-pot dessert, that saves on time and energy as well. However, you can make the halwa in a pan as well.

Another recipe that is comes really close to this Pumpkin Halwa is this popular South Indian style Kashi Halwa. This particular recipe is made with white pumpkin, which is also known as ash gourd, ‘petha’ in Hindi, ‘poosanikai’ in Tamil and ‘kumbalanga’ in Malayalam.

There is not much of ghee or oil used in this recipe of Kaddu Ka Halwa as compared to what is usually added to other halwa recipes that tend to make them super rich. So, this halwa is actually a good option as a dessert after your meals.

kaddu ka halwa garnished with melon seeds and served in a blue rimmed white bowl.

I also always add some melon seeds (magaz) in this Pumpkin Halwa as this combination works wonders for the palate. In addition to melon seeds, you can add more nuts like almonds and cashews.

As I mentioned in the beginning too, this Kaddu Ka Halwa is prepared at my home for Navratri fast, and quite a hit dish. A few more fasting dishes that are a common at home include the classic Sabudana Khichdi, Kuttu Ka Paratha, Sabudana Vada and Singhare Ki Poori.

More with Pumpkin

Pumpkin or ‘kaddu’ as it is called in Hindi language, is a vegetable that may not be as popular as others, but surely is a versatile ingredient in the culinary world. Not just the fruit of the pumpkin plant, the leaves, flowers, seeds and the oil from the seeds are also used to make a variety of dishes in different cuisines across the world.

It is also a popular choice of veggie in India, during the fasting (vrat) season, especially in Navratri. The Kaddu Ka Halwa along with this Kaddu Ki Sabji are two of the most common dishes that get cooked at my home. I’m sure it is, for a lot of others too, especially the ones staying in North India.

In addition to this Pumpkin Halwa, there’s a lot more that can be done with pumpkins. For instance, it is a common addition in the South Indian special Sambar. There are typical ways in which it is consumed by Bengalis too.

Besides frying pumpkin flowers in a spiced batter to make kumro phooler bora, the flesh is mashed with mustard oil, some chopped onions, coriander leaves and salt. This is then relished as a kumro bhaate with steamed rice.

Expert Tips

  1. It is best to freshly chop the pumpkin and use it to make this halwa. Using canned puree may not give you the same texture in the halwa and won’t taste good.
  2. If you want to make the halwa, you may increase the quantity of ghee in it.
  3. You can adjust the quantity of sugar depending on the sweetness of the pumpkin.
  4. Raisins and some coconut can also be added in the halwa.
  5. You can serve the halwa either warm or chilled. Store leftovers in an air-tight box or container in a refrigerator. But make sure to consume within 3 to 4 days. Also, reheat in a pan or microwave before serving.
  6. If making in a pan, add ¾ to 1 cup water when the pumpkin cubes begin to lose water. Then, stir, cover and cook till the pumpkin pieces soften completely. If you feel the water has dried up, you can add more water. Then, continue as required.

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pumpkin halwa recipe, kaddu halwa recipe

Pumpkin Halwa | Kaddu Ka Halwa

Pumpkin Halwa is called Kaddu Ka Halwa in Hindi. Subtly flavored, this halwa variant made with pumpkin along with cardamom, melon seeds and nuts – is quite easy to prepare and makes for a delightful dessert as well.
4.84 from 12 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Cuisine North Indian
Course Desserts
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

  • 2.5 to 3 cups pumpkin – chopped, (kaddu or petha)
  • ½ cup sugar or add as required – also depends upon the sweetness in the pumpkin
  • 3 to 4 green cardamoms crushed to a powder in a mortar-pestle or ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder
  • 2 tablespoons oil – neutral flavored or 1.5 tablespoon ghee. the halwa tastes good with ghee
  • 2 teaspoons melon seeds (magaz), optional
  • 1.5 to 2 tablespoons nuts – chopped, like almonds, cashews, pistachios
  • ¾ to 1 cup water or add as required

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the pumpkin or kaddu first in water. Peel and chop into small cubes.
    Smaller the better as they will cook faster. Also, remove the pith and seeds while chopping.
  • Heat the oil or ghee in a 3 litre pressure cooker.
  • Add the pumpkin cubes in the pressure cooker.
  • Mix and sauté till they start releasing water or for about 8 to 10 minutes on a low heat.
  • Add water and stir to combine.
  • Cover and pressure cook the kaddu pieces for 4 to 5 whistles or until the pumpkin has become mushy.
  • *For making the halwa in a pan, check notes below.
  • Open the lid only when the pressure drops naturally in the cooker.
  • And check if the kaddu pieces have softened or not.
  • They should be of mashable consistency.
  • If they have not cooked thoroughly, then pressure cook for few more minutes, adding some more water, if required.
  • Once the kaddu pieces have cooked well then place the pressure cooker on stovetop and keep to simmer on low to medium-low hat.
  • After 1 to 2 minutes of simmering, add sugar and cardamom powder.
  • Cook the mixture stirring often till it thickens.
  • The consistency of the halwa should like be a pudding or pumpkin puree.
  • The water should reduce in the halwa.
  • You can thicken it more if you want.
  • Add the melon seeds and chopped nuts and cook the halwa for 1 to 2 minutes more.
  • Serve pumpkin halwa warm or cold.
  • You can also garnish it with melon seeds or preferred nuts. Refrigerate the leftovers. This halwa keeps well for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • * If making in a pan, when the pumpkin cubes begin to release water, add ¾ to 1 cup water from above. Stir and cover and cook till the pumpkin pieces have softened completely. If the water dries up then add more water. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
  • Add sugar as needed. In place of sugar you can also add jaggery. With jaggery the color of the Kaddu ka Halwa will change. 
  • Add nuts and dry fruits of your choice. You can also add some raisins and coconut if you prefer.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Halwa | Kaddu Ka Halwa
Amount Per Serving
Calories 296 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Sodium 6mg0%
Potassium 387mg11%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 36g40%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 8229IU165%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.1mg7%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg6%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 0.1mg5%
Vitamin C 9mg11%
Vitamin E 5mg33%
Vitamin K 2µg2%
Calcium 35mg4%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 17µg4%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 36mg9%
Phosphorus 85mg9%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This Pumpkin Halwa from the archives first published in October 2013 has been updated and republished on December 2022.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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17 Comments

    1. it will be roughly 10 to 12 minutes on a medium flame for a 2 litre cooker.

  1. This always turns out so well. Made it today.Happy to be able to post comments again and connect. May you be blessed with peace and prosperity.5 stars

    1. thank you veena for the comment and feedback on pumpkin halwa. also thanks for your best wishes. yes we opened the comments after a few months as we had some errors happening in the comment fields and it did take a lot of time to get it resolved.

  2. Please use instagram. Yo will rock there too with your really impressive food photigraphy. I miss you there

    1. harsangeet, i am already there on instagram at @vegrecipesofindia. at times i do give myself a reminder to update instagram 🙂

  3. Made this sweet. Very easy and delicious. I grated the pumpkin and then cooked it.
    Thank you.4 stars

  4. Looking yummy….I like all your recipes they helps me a lot… can I continue the same recipe using pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin cubes if so how many whistles should I pressure cook it…

    1. thanks. you can. if using pumpkin puree, you don’t need to pressure cook as the pumpkin is already cooked. just heat ghee and then add the puree. add sugar and cardamom powder. saute till you see the puree thickening and becoming glossy. if you add more ghee, then you can see the ghee releasing from the sides. then add the dry fruits and just cook for 1 or 2 minutes.

  5. I’ve tasted it once, and have always wondered how to make it. Never realised it was so simple.

    Thank you.