You have to try this unique version of Sabudana Kheer! By caramelizing the sugar before adding milk, the kheer develops a rich golden color and deep caramel flavor that sets it apart from the traditional recipe. Creamy, aromatic, and naturally gluten-free, this Caramel Sabudana Kheer is made with simple pantry ingredients like tapioca pearls, milk, sugar, nuts, saffron, and cardamom. Perfect for festivals, fasting days, or when you crave a comforting Indian dessert.
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What Is Sabudana Kheer
Sabudana Kheer, also known as Sago Kheer or Sabudana Payasam, is a traditional Indian tapioca pudding made with tapioca pearls (sabudana), milk, sugar, cardamom, and saffron. The tapioca pearls, called sabudana in Hindi and javvarisi in Tamil, are small, round pearls made from the starch extracted from the cassava root (also known as yuca or tapioca). They are naturally gluten-free, rich in carbohydrates, and an excellent source of quick energy - making them perfect for Hindu fasting days (vrat) like Navratri, Ekadashi, or Mahashivratri.
In Indian households, sabudana is a versatile ingredient used to prepare dishes like Sabudana Khichdi, Sabudana Vada, Sabudana Thalipeeth, and of course, Sabudana Kheer. This comforting Indian dessert is luxuriously creamy, delicately flavored with saffron and cardamom, and topped with ghee-roasted nuts for extra richness. The soft, translucent tapioca pearls lend a delightful texture to every spoonful, making this sweet sago pudding a festive favorite for both kids and adults alike.
Caramel Sabudana Kheer
If you haven't tried making Sabudana Kheer with caramelized sugar, you're in for a treat! Caramelizing the sugar before adding milk transforms the classic Indian pudding into something truly special - rich, golden, and irresistibly aromatic. The deep caramel flavor adds a toffee-like sweetness and a beautiful golden hue that sets it apart from the traditional version.
Every spoonful of this Caramel Sabudana Kheer feels indulgent yet comforting, with soft tapioca pearls soaked in creamy, caramel-infused milk. It's a unique twist on the traditional sabudana payasam, perfect for festive celebrations, fasting days, or when you crave a luxurious Indian dessert with a modern touch. This kheer recipe is a keeper!
If you love experimenting with fusion Indian desserts that blend tradition with creativity, you're going to love these unique recipes! Each one adds a fun, modern twist to classic Indian sweets while keeping the nostalgic flavors intact.
Try indulgent treats like Caramel Kalakand, Biscoff Mysore Pak, Chai Cheesecake, Rabdi Cheesecake, Apple Cheesecake, Rasmalai Cheesecake, and Carrot Halwa Ice Cream. Or explore floral and festive creations like Gulkand Ice Cream, Karanji Baklava, Gulkand Shrikhand Tarts, Carrot Halwa Baklava, Gulab Jamun Kulfi, and Paneer Gujiya Shells.
These easy Indian fusion desserts are perfect for Diwali, Holi, Thanksgiving, Christmas, festive parties, or when you want to impress your guests with something truly different yet familiar.
Why Make It
- 🥄 Made with simple ingredients - a fuss-free recipe using pantry staples.
- 🌾 Gluten-free Indian dessert - naturally wholesome and perfect for everyone.
- ✨ Ideal for festive occasions - Diwali, Navratri, Mahashivratri, Holi, or family celebrations.
- 🍯 Caramel-flavored twist - rich, golden, and indulgent version of traditional sabudana kheer.
- 🥛 Creamy and comforting - soft tapioca pearls soaked in luscious milk, perfect warm or chilled.
- ⏱️ Quick and easy - minimal prep and cook time for a satisfying sweet treat.
- 🙏 Vrat-friendly option - perfect for fasting days without compromising on taste.
- 🎉 Party-ready dessert - serve at dinner parties, potlucks, or festive gatherings for a show-stopping treat.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Sabudana Pearls: Use good-quality medium-sized tapioca pearls (sabudana). Rinse them well under running water to remove excess starch - this prevents the kheer from turning sticky or clumpy. Soaking them for a while before cooking helps them swell fully and cook evenly, giving you soft, translucent pearls with that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture. Get the regular-sized sabudana which you can easily find in Indian grocery stores here in the US.
Milk: For a rich and creamy sago kheer, opt for full-fat whole milk, creamer, half and half, or even evaporated milk. The creaminess of the milk blends beautifully with the caramelized sugar and sabudana, giving the kheer a luxurious, indulgent texture that's hard to resist.
Sugar: Regular white sugar works perfectly to create the caramel base, giving the kheer its rich golden hue and distinct caramel flavor. For a deeper, more earthy sweetness, you can substitute with jaggery powder. Just remember to add the jaggery only after turning off the heat - adding it to very hot milk can cause the kheer to curdle. Condensed milk can also be added instead.
Nuts: I love adding a mix of cashews, almonds, and pistachios for crunch, aroma, and richness. Toast them lightly in ghee before adding - it brings out their flavor and adds a festive touch to the sabudana kheer.
Cardamom and Saffron: A pinch of cardamom powder adds warmth and fragrance, while a few saffron strands give a subtle color, aroma, and that special celebratory feel. These finishing touches elevate the simple sabudana kheer into a stunning festive dessert.
Ghee- Use a small amount of ghee to roast the nuts - it enhances their flavor and adds a rich, nutty aroma that perfectly complements the creamy sabudana kheer.
How To Make It 🔪
- Add the sabudana (tapioca pearls) to a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under running water for about a minute until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and prevents the kheer from turning sticky.
- Transfer the rinsed sabudana to a bowl and soak it in 1 cup of milk for about an hour. Tip - You can also soak it in hot milk for 30 minutes. Soaking helps rehydrate them.
- After an hour, the pearls will absorb most of the milk and become soft and plump.
- Roughly chop the almonds, pistachios, and cashews using a nut chopper or knife.
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- Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a heavy-bottom pan. Add the chopped nuts and roast for about a minute until fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn them.
- Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add another teaspoon of ghee and the sugar. Do not stir - let the sugar melt naturally over medium flame.
- Once the sugar begins to melt, swirl the pan gently. Allow it to turn a deep golden color, but don't let it get too dark or it will taste bitter.
- Gradually pour in the remaining milk while stirring continuously. The caramel will bubble up - keep stirring until it dissolves completely into the milk. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and let it simmer on medium heat for about 12-14 minutes, stirring occasionally. The milk will take on a rich golden hue and develop a deep caramel flavor.
- Add the soaked sabudana along with any leftover milk to the caramel milk. Lower the flame and cook, stirring often to prevent sticking. Note - Do not add the sabudana before the milk comes to a rolling boil. It can curdle the milk.
- Simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the sabudana turns translucent and the kheer reaches a creamy consistency. Scrape down the sides of the pot as it cooks. Press some sago pearls to see if its become soft. They should not be dense or chewy when you bite into them. That's your cue.
- Add saffron strands soaked in a little warm milk, cardamom powder, and the roasted nuts. Stir well to combine all the flavors.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Turn off the heat and allow the Caramel Sabudana Kheer to rest for a few minutes before serving - this helps the flavors deepen and the texture become luxuriously creamy. You can serve this delicious Indian tapioca pudding warm for cozy comfort or chilled for a refreshing festive treat. It's naturally gluten-free, easy to digest, and ideal for Navratri, Diwali, Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Mahashivratri, Ekadashi, or other vrat (fasting) days.
For a wholesome festive spread, pair it with pooris, just like aamras poori - a classic combo loved in many Indian households. This rich and flavorful sabudana payasam also makes a wonderful dessert for dinner parties, potlucks, or weekend brunches. Whether served in individual bowls or elegant jars, its silky texture and caramel aroma are sure to impress your guests every time.
💭 Priya's Recipe Tips
You can also enhance the flavor and texture by adding a mix of nuts like cashews, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, or even pine nuts. If you're allergic to nuts, dried fruits such as chopped dates, dried cranberries, raisins, or figs make wonderful substitutes, adding natural sweetness and chewiness. You can make this kheer recipe using other ingredients like makhana (fox nuts), semiyan (vermicelli), or rice - each variation has its own unique flavor and texture, perfect for festive occasions or as a comforting Indian dessert anytime.
FAQs 📖
Absolutely! Sabudana Payasam is a wonderfully versatile dessert that can be customized with different flavors to suit your taste or the occasion. Instead of caramelizing the sugar, you can make the classic version by simply adding sugar while simmering the kheer. To make Rose Sabudana Kheer. (similar to Rose Basundi) flavor it with rose syrup, gulkand, and rose water - it adds a beautiful aroma and delicate sweetness.
You can also experiment with floral or fruity variations like orange extract, vanilla, mango puree (aamras), strawberry or chikoo pulp, or even a touch of carrot puree for a colorful festive look. Warming spices such as cinnamon, or nutmeg can make the kheer taste even more comforting, especially during winter.
For something truly unique, stir in Thandai powder to create a Thandai Sabudana Kheer - a delicious fusion dessert that's perfect for Holi or festive celebrations. You can even infuse it with kewra water or lavender extract for a refreshing, aromatic flavor.
Yes, it's always best to soak sabudana before making kheer. Soaking helps the tapioca pearls rehydrate, absorb liquid, soften evenly, and cook faster - giving your sabudana kheer that perfect creamy texture. If you skip this step, the pearls will take much longer to cook and may remain chewy or clump together. Ideally, rinse the sabudana thoroughly under running water until the starch washes off, then soak it in milk or water for about an hour. This ensures the pearls turn translucent and melt beautifully into the caramelized milk while cooking. I always prefer soaking sabudana first - it makes the kheer creamier, smoother, and much easier to digest.
Making vegan sabudana kheer is easy and just as delicious as the traditional version. Start by boiling dry sabudana (tapioca pearls) in water for about 7-8 minutes, or until they turn translucent and float to the top - that's how you know they're cooked. Then, add your favorite unsweetened dairy-free milk such as almond, oat, or coconut milk. Stir in sugar (or jaggery for a richer flavor) and let it simmer gently for 5-6 minutes until the kheer slightly thickens. Avoid boiling it too long, as plant-based milk can curdle when overheated.
Keep stirring frequently to prevent the sabudana from sticking to the pan. Finish with crushed cardamom, fried nuts, and saffron strands for that traditional festive touch.
If you love creamy, comforting vegan desserts, you should also try my semiyan payasam, and teff kheer porridge - both are plant-based and perfect for celebrations or cozy evenings.
Yes, you can easily make this Caramel Sabudana Kheer in the Instant Pot, and it turns out just as creamy and flavorful as the stovetop version! To make this Indian tapioca pudding, start by rinsing and soaking the sabudana pearls for about 30-60 minutes. Then add the soaked sabudana, water, cardamom, and saffron directly into the Instant Pot. Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on Pressure Cook (Manual) mode for 6 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes, then carefully open the lid.
Next, pour in the milk and sugar (or jaggery powder, if using) and switch to Sauté mode. Stir continuously as the kheer thickens and turns rich and creamy. If using jaggery, remember to add it only after turning off the heat, since adding it to very hot milk can cause curdling.
Finally, mix in the fried nuts and turn off the Instant Pot. Your Instant Pot Sabudana Kheer is ready to serve - warm, chilled, or at room temperature. I also make Rice Kheer in the Instant Pot.
Once the Sabudana Kheer cools completely, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days. As it sits, the tapioca pearls continue to absorb liquid, making the kheer thicker in texture. When you're ready to enjoy it again, simply reheat the sago kheer on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little warm milk (or plant-based milk if vegan) to loosen it back to a creamy consistency.
Freezing Sabudana Kheer isn't recommended since dairy (or even non-dairy milk) can separate or curdle upon thawing and reheating. For the best texture and flavor, always refrigerate leftovers and consume them within a few days.
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Recipe 📖
Golden Caramel Sabudana Kheer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup sabudana
- 2 teaspoon ghee
- 10-12 cashews
- 10-12 pistachios
- 10-12 almonds
- 7 cups full-fat whole milk
- ½ teaspoon saffron
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ cup sugar
Instructions
- Add the sabudana (tapioca pearls) to a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under running water for about a minute until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and prevents the kheer from turning sticky.
- Transfer the rinsed sabudana to a bowl and soak it in 1 cup of milk for about an hour. Tip - You can also soak it in hot milk for 30 minutes. Soaking helps rehydrate them.
- After an hour, the pearls will absorb most of the milk and become soft and plump.
- Roughly chop the almonds, pistachios, and cashews using a nut chopper or knife.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a heavy-bottom pan. Add the chopped nuts and roast for about a minute until fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn them.
- Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add another teaspoon of ghee and the sugar. Do not stir - let the sugar melt naturally over medium flame.
- Once the sugar begins to melt, swirl the pan gently. Allow it to turn a deep golden color, but don't let it get too dark or it will taste bitter. Keep the flame low-medium.
- Gradually pour in the remaining milk while stirring continuously. The caramel will bubble up - keep stirring until it dissolves completely into the milk. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and let it simmer on medium heat for about 12-14 minutes, stirring occasionally. The milk will take on a rich golden hue and develop a deep caramel flavor.
- Add the soaked sabudana along with any leftover milk to the caramel milk. Lower the flame and cook, stirring often to prevent sticking. Note - Do not add the sabudana before the milk comes to a rolling boil. It can curdle the milk.
- Simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the sabudana turns translucent and the kheer reaches a creamy consistency. Scrape down the sides of the pot as it cooks. Press some sago pearls to see if its become soft. They should not be dense or chewy when you bite into them. That's your cue.
- Add saffron strands soaked in a little warm milk, cardamom powder, and the roasted nuts. Stir well to combine all the flavors. Serve this delicious Indian tapioca pudding warm for cozy comfort or chilled for a refreshing festive treat.
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