Beetroot Halwa (Easy Nourishing Winter Sweet)
Classic chukandar ka halwa with grated beets, milk, ghee, and cardamom. Sauté beets first for the best texture; serve warm or chilled with nuts on top.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottom kadai or wide pan
- Box grater or food processor with grating blade
Ingredients
For the halwa
- 500 g beetroot about 4 medium, washed, peeled, medium-grated
- 3 cups whole milk full-fat
- 4-6 tbsp ghee divided, see instructions
- 1/2-2/3 cup granulated sugar or grated jaggery start with 1/2 cup; adjust to taste
- pinch fine salt balances sweetness
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom or 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 tbsp cashews chopped
- 2 tbsp almonds or pistachios chopped
- 1 tbsp golden raisins optional
- 1/4 cup grated khoya (mawa) optional, for richer halwa
- 1/2 tsp rose water optional
Instructions
Prep and sauté beets
- Wash, peel, and grate beets on the medium side of a box grater. Pat very wet gratings lightly with a clean towel if they release a lot of juice.
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a heavy wide pan over medium heat. Fry cashews, almonds, and raisins (if using) until lightly golden. Scoop nuts out to a small bowl; leave any ghee in the pan.
- Add grated beets to the pan. Sauté 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the raw smell fades, color deepens, and excess moisture cooks off.
Cook with milk
- Pour in milk. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, then lower heat to medium-low.
- Cook uncovered 25 to 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the pan sides. The milk should reduce until the beets are soft and most liquid is absorbed.
Sweeten and finish
- Add sugar or jaggery and the pinch of salt. The mixture will loosen; keep cooking and stirring until thick again, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in khoya if using. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until incorporated.
- Add remaining ghee 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition, until the halwa looks glossy and pulls away from the pan sides.
- Turn off heat. Mix in cardamom, fried nuts, and rose water if using. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Taste before the last tablespoon of ghee; beet sweetness varies by season.
Vegan swap: coconut oil instead of ghee, full-fat coconut milk instead of dairy milk, coconut sugar or jaggery. Sauté longer until coconut milk reduces; texture will be slightly softer.
Lighter version: skip khoya and use 2 tablespoons less ghee total.
Storage: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days. Reheat gently with a splash of milk, or serve chilled.
Freezer not recommended; thawed halwa turns grainy.
Pair on a dessert table with easy instant rabdi with ricotta for a mix of quick and slow-cooked sweets.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!