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Two bowls of pumpkin halwa with spoons garnished with nuts

Pumpkin Halwa

Shweta Arora
Pumpkin halwa, or Kaddu ka Halwa, is a quick and easy Indian dessert made with pumpkin, sugar, ghee, and nuts. Ready in 30 minutes using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot; this delicious halwa is especially popular during Indian festivals and pumpkin season.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 575 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 black cardamom badi elaichi
  • 4 cups pumpkin skin peeled and cut in cubes, (~600 grams chopped)
  • ½ cup sugar adjust to taste
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 2 tablespoons cashews roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon almonds roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon raisins golden

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Instructions
 

  • Start Instant Pot on saute mode. Add ghee and black cardamom, followed by pumpkin.
  • Saute for 2-3 minutes until the pumpkin's raw smell disappears. Add ½ cup of water and close the lid.
  • Press the manual or pressure-cook button with the pressure valve in the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
    (For the stovetop pressure cooker, cook for one whistle on a high flame.)
  • Let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and start the pressure cooker on saute mode.
  • Use the back of the spatula or potato masher to mash the cooked pumpkin. It should mash easily.
  • Add sugar, cardamom powder, and nuts (reserve some for garnishing). Mix well until well combined.
  • After adding sugar, the mixture will loosen. Keep cooking while stirring continuously until the halwa thickens, the ghee separates, and the halwa deepens in color. Turn off the heat and transfer the halwa to a serving bowl.
  • Garnish with more nuts, if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

Choose Sweet Pumpkin: Red or sugar pumpkins have a natural sweetness and a creamy texture, making them ideal for halwa.
Adjust Sweetness to Taste: Start with a bit of sugar and add more if needed, as pumpkins can vary in sweetness.
Skip black cardamom: if you make this halwa for fast or pooja prasad.
Use a spatula to mix: This ensures you can scrape the bottom and sides properly so nothing sticks to the pot.
Vegan Pumpkin Halwa: To make this pumpkin halwa vegan, replace ghee with unsalted vegan butter or coconut oil.
Coconut Pumpkin Halwa: Once the pumpkin is cooked, add desiccated coconut powder, sugar, and cardamom. This adds a nice texture to the halwa.

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 6mg
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