Beetroot halwa in pressure cooker is a vibrant and delicious Indian dessert made with grated fresh beetroot, milk, sugar and ghee. Using a pressure cooker makes this colorful halwa quick and easy without needing mawa or condensed milk.
Every Thursday and Friday , I perform Guru Pooja and Mahalakshmi Pooja at home. Usually I make Payasam/Kheer or sweet pongal for neivedyam/Prashad. As I am bored of making the same, I am trying out easy sweets recipes like burfi, halwa for every week pooja. Check out my earlier posts suji ka halwa, atta halwa, bread halwa and carrot halwa.
Last week Thursday, I prepared this beetroot halwa for the first time following my carrot halwa recipe using pressure cooker. As I did not have Khoya/mawa or condensed milk in hand, I just used milk and sugar. It came out really well. This halwa takes less ghee and sugar unlike other halwa recipes. Still it tasted rich, looked colorful and shiny. Sendhil & Raksha loved it a lot. I am sure kids would love to taste this halwa just by seeing its color.
Overall its a healthy and nice alternative from the carrot halwa/ Gajar halwa. But remember to add the right amount of ingredients mentioned in the recipe. Adding more sugar makes the halwa hard like burfi. Stirring the halwa for long time makes it chewy. This halwa thickens as it cools down. Keep these points in mind and start making it. You can make a perfect beetroot halwa!
Beetroot halwa stays good for a week when refrigerated. You can serve it chilled or reheat for few seconds in a microwave oven or a kadai with little ghee to serve it warm. It tastes really great when served warm with a scoop of ice cream. Now lets see how to make this yummy, easy, colorful, healthy, Indian dessert recipe – Beetroot halwa with step by step photos and a video!
Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens
- Beetroot Selection: In US grocery stores like Costco, Trader Joe’s or local supermarkets, firm, medium-sized organic beetroots work best. Avoid pre-cooked or packaged vacuum-sealed beets, as fresh raw beetroots provide superior natural sweetness and deep ruby color.
- Grating Tip: Use the coarse shredder disc of a food processor to shred beetroots quickly without staining your kitchen counter. Fine grating releases excessive water, which can make the halwa mushy.
- Pressure Cooking & Instant Pot: For traditional Indian pressure cookers, cook on low flame for 3 whistles. For Instant Pot users, sauté grated beetroot in ghee for 3 to 4 minutes on ‘Sauté Normal’, add warm milk and salt, then cook on ‘Pressure Cook / Manual’ for 3 minutes followed by quick pressure release.
- Milk & Ghee: Whole milk (or half-and-half for an extra rich texture) works wonderfully. Ghee brands like Nanak, Verka or homemade clarified butter enhance the aroma.
- Serving & Storage: Beetroot halwa reheats very well in the microwave. Warm for 20 to 30 seconds and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or chill in the refrigerator to enjoy cold.
Beetroot Halwa Recipe in Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 3 cups Grated beetroot (approx. 300 g / 10.5 oz) (loosely packed)
- ¾ cup Sugar (approx. 150 g / 5.3 oz) (reduce 2 tbsp for mild sweetness)
- 1 ½ cups Boiled milk (approx. 360 ml / 12 fl oz)
- 3 tbsp Ghee (approx. 45 ml / 1.5 fl oz)
- 5 to 6 Cashew nuts split
- 1 tsp Cardamom powder
- pinch Salt
Instructions
- Wash 2 large beetroots, trim the ends and peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Grate using a large-holed grater or food processor coarse disc. Measure 3 cups loosely packed and set aside.
- In a pressure cooker, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of ghee. Add grated beetroot and sauté on medium flame for 7 to 10 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the beetroot turns slightly pale.
- Add boiled milk (at room temperature) and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook on low flame for 3 to 4 whistles (about 12 to 15 minutes). Switch off and let steam release naturally.
- Open the cooker and simmer until 3/4th of the excess milk is absorbed. Once the mixture thickens, add sugar. Mix well as the sugar melts and the mixture turns liquid. Stir continuously on medium-to-high flame until the halwa thickens and leaves the sides of the cooker.
- When the halwa turns glossy and gathers in the center, reduce the flame to low and stir for one minute. Switch off the stove and let it rest in the cooker while roasting cashews.
- In a small pan, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of ghee and fry cashews until golden. Pour over the halwa and mix well. Serve warm on its own or with vanilla ice cream.
Video
Notes
- This halwa stays good for one day at room temperature and 3 to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reduce the quantity of sugar if the beetroots are very sweet. Do not add more sugar than mentioned, or the halwa may become hard like burfi upon cooling.
- Stir the halwa until it thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan; it will set further as it cools down.
- Cardamom powder adds a wonderful fragrant aroma, so do not skip it.
- If using condensed milk, reduce or omit sugar accordingly. You can also mix in unsweetened mawa/khoya at the end for an extra rich texture.
Sharing is caring
I like to have it warm with a scoop of ice cream! Tastes yummy! Try this easy, yummy beetroot halwa for festivals and occasions. You will love it!
Looks really tempting. Nice color.
Thank you :)
I tried it.. Really superb taste! Well desribed!
Thank you so much for the positive feedback :)
Hii Chithra..
I tried out this recipe today…it came out really well…the only modification I did was along with beetroots I added 4 shredded carrots as well… followed Ur procedure perfectly… measurements r perfect… wonderfully described. Kudos dear :):)
Thank you so much for the feedback. Glad it worked well. Addition of carrots is a gud idea :)