Now make this popular and decadent Indian dessert recipe called carrot or gajar ka halwa vegan, and in the Instant Pot using just 7 ingredients!
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What Is Halwa
It is a traditional sweet pudding made in many Asian countries. It's either made with fruits or certain vegetables. One of the most popular kind is Gajar ka Halwa (Gajrela). Gajar means carrot in Hindi and halwa is derived from Arabic and it means sweet. This gajar halwa or carrot pudding recipe is a decadent dessert that has a cult fan following.
It's normally made with milk, nuts, sugar, khoya/mawa, or condensed milk. It is a bit tedious to make because it takes a long time to cook and you need to keep stirring it. In India, it was considered a wintertime dessert because that's the season for red carrots. But now it's made all year round due to the easy availability of orange carrots.
My Memories Of Carrot Halwa
Mom would always make this dessert for Diwali! I would always look forward to it because this is my favorite Indian dessert! I am not a dessert person, but I love this one. She would obviously make it the traditional way - on a stovetop where she would spend a long time cooking it. I would sometimes help her grate the carrots.
But back then, I never realized how much effort went into making this lip-smacking dessert. I was only interested in eating it. Today, when I have to make it for myself, I look for the easy way out but just cannot compromise with the taste. Thankfully, Instant Pot comes to the rescue.
Why Make Gajar Ka Halwa In The Instant Pot
Having made gajar halwa recipe a million times, I can say that nothing beats the convenience of making gajar halwa in the Instant Pot! The microwave method comes a close second. It doesn't require you to be standing in front of your stovetop to keep stirring it for a long time. The Instant Pot cooks the carrots well with reduced effort and time!
If you want some alternate cooking options, check out my Carrot Halwa Baklava recipe to see how to make it in the microwave. I love how easy and simple even this is. You can also make it on a stovetop by following this Carrot Halwa Ice Cream recipe. So now, with the Instant pot version added, I have 3 ways to make the gajar ka halwa recipe!
I also have a Beetroot Halwa recipe on the blog that's a take on this Indian carrot dessert! It's very delicious to taste as well.
Why Make It
- An Indian carrot dessert
- This recipe does not call for khoya, cream, or condensed milk
- vegan and gluten-free carrot recipe
- Made in the Instant Pot
- Is made with jaggery
- Very easy to make
- It's a one-pot meal
- No food color added
- Needs just 7 basic ingredients
- It's a healthier version
Ingredients needed 🧾
Carrots - In India, during the winters, you get red carrots that are perfect for making this halwa. Since here in the US I don't get them, I use regular orange ones.
In this recipe, to save time, I have used pre-shredded carrots. Since this was being cooked in the Instant Pot, it cooked beautifully.
Non-dairy milk - Any vegan milk like almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk will work in this recipe. I have used oat milk here. You can also skip the milk and add water.
Sweetener - I have used jaggery powder in this gajar ka halwa recipe. You can also use white or brown sugar or stevia.
Almond meal or powder - This helps with the binding of the pudding and also gives it a nice grainy texture. Add milk powder or khoya if you are not vegan.
Almond slices and cardamom are added for more flavor. You can also add raisins and cashews. If adding these two, then fry them in vegan ghee for a few seconds and then add them to the halwa as garnish.
Ghee - Like most Indian desserts, this one too calls for ghee. I have used homemade vegan ghee here and it worked wonderfully. Ghee enhances the bright red color of the carrot pudding.
This vegan carrot recipe is made in an Instant Pot. I have used the Duo Nova 6-Quart and I love it!
How to make it 🔪
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- Turn on the saute mode and then adjust the setting to low or less. Add grated or shredded carrots to the pot.
- Then add the oat milk. Give it a mix.
- Cover with a glass lid and let it cook for 30 minutes. Set an external timer or since the saute mode defaults to 30 minutes, the Instant Pot will automatically shut off after 30 mins.
- The mixture will turn foamy or frothy. That is normal. Keep lifting the lid and stirring it twice or thrice if you want to.
- After 30 minutes, lift the lid. Be careful, the lid will be hot. The carrots will be fully cooked and there is no liquid left behind. Mix and scrape the bottom in case the carrots are stuck.
- Add the jaggery powder and cardamom powder along with a tablespoon of almond slices.
- Now add the almond powder. Give it all a good mix. Turn on the saute mode in a normal setting and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Chef Tip - Keep stirring it. There should not be any liquid remaining and it should thicken.
- Garnish with the remaining almond slices and vegan ghee. Mix and turn off the Instant Pot. Chef Tip - Transfer the carrot pudding to another bowl immediately because otherwise, the heat will continue to cook it and make it drier.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Serve them in small individual bowls. To make them more presentable, garnish the halwa with sliced almonds and saffron. Depending on the weather outside you can serve gajar ka halwa hot or cold. Some like to enjoy a hot bowl of gajar halwa with vanilla ice cream.
To make it fancier, serve them as parfaits similar to Mango Cranachan. Alternate layers of halwa and whipped cream and serve chilled. You can also serve this vegan carrot halwa for special occasions like birthdays, potlucks, anniversaries, weddings, baby showers, parties, get-togethers, events, date nights, etc.
This Instant pot gajar halwa is the perfect festive treat for Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Janmashtami, Navratri, Diwali, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.
Leftover carrot pudding can be reused to create a totally new recipe like Carrot Halwa Baklava or Carrot Halwa Ice Cream!
Top recipe tips 💭
Besides oat milk, you can also make this vegan Indian carrot halwa recipe with almond milk, coconut milk, or any other dairy-free milk. You can also skip adding the milk and add water instead. Add more jaggery powder if you want more sweetness. This recipe has just the right amount of sweetness. You can also add white or brown sugar or even Stevia.
I got shredded carrots to save time. If after 30 minutes, they are still not fully cooked, cook them for another 3-5 minutes. You can always buy whole carrots and grate them. You can double or half the recipe but that will not change the pressure cooking time.
Recipe FAQs 📖
Red carrots are the best for carrot pudding as they are sweeter. But if you can't find them, use the regular orange carrots.
Just ensure they are tender, juicy, and not fibrous. Shred them using a grater or a food processor.
Alternatively, you can also get pre-shredded carrots and save on time and effort. It doesn't matter whether they are finely shredded or thick. It will cook well in the IP.
I have made this vegan carrot dessert recipe with jaggery powder. You can use white or brown sugar. Monk fruit sweetener can also be used.
If adding white sugar, add it along with the milk and carrots. You can also add stevia. Adjust the quantity based on your preference.
To make it richer and creamier, add ¾ cup of condensed milk. But, if you want to make it sugar-free, add chopped dates.
You can easily make almond powder/flour at home. Pulse whole almonds in a food processor until you get powdered almonds. Similarly, you can use cashews.
Almond meal is more coarse, but can also be used. Ricotta cheese or milk powder can also be added instead. Quantity remains the same.
Leftovers if any, can be stored in the fridge for 7-8 days. This vegan carrot halwa also freezes very well.
You can even make this Indian carrot dessert ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave as and when needed.
Follow my Carrot Halwa recipe to see how to make it in the microwave. You can also make it on a stovetop. Follow the steps in this Carrot Halwa Ice Cream recipe.
You can totally make this carrot halwa using traditional ingredients. Use full-fat whole milk instead of dairy-free milk. Use milk powder in place of almond powder.
In the end, top this Indian carrot dessert with regular ghee instead of vegan ghee!
More festive desserts
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Recipe 📖
Instant Pot Vegan Carrot Halwa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cups shredded or grated carrots
- 1 cup full-fat oat milk
- ½ cup jaggery powder
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoon almond slices
- ½ cup almond powder
- 1 tablespoon vegan ghee
Instructions
- Turn on the saute mode and then adjust the setting to low or less. Add grated or shredded carrots to the pot.
- Then add the oat milk. Give it a mix.
- Cover with a glass lid and let it cook for 30 minutes. Set an external timer or since the saute mode defaults to 30 minutes, the Instant Pot will automatically shut off after 30 mins.
- The mixture will turn foamy or frothy. That is normal. Keep lifting the lid and stirring it twice or thrice if you want to.
- After 30 minutes, lift the lid. Be careful, the lid will be hot. The carrots will be fully cooked and there is no liquid left behind. Mix and scrape the bottom in case the carrots are stuck.
- Add the jaggery powder and cardamom powder along with a tablespoon of almond slices.
- Now add the almond powder. Give it all a good mix. Turn on the saute mode in a normal setting and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring it.
- Garnish with the remaining almond slices and vegan ghee. Mix and turn off the Instant Pot. Transfer the carrot halwa to another bowl immediately.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
Pravin says
My favourite, used to relish it everytime mom made, looking forward for this one
Priya says
I know right 🙂 I will make it for you.