Indulge in the warmth of winter with this gajar ka halwa recipe! Made with grated carrots, milk, ghee, and cardamom, this traditional Indian dessert is rich, creamy, and ready in just 20 minutes in the Instant Pot, no hours of stirring required.
Growing up in India, winters meant one thing above all else: the smell of gajar ka halwa wafting through the house. My mom made the best version, carrots simmering slowly in milk, ghee, and sugar, the whole kitchen filled with that sweet, cardamom-scented steam.
That first warm bite always felt like a hug. This Instant Pot version gets you the same flavor and texture in a fraction of the time, so you can make it any night you're craving it, not just on special occasions.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 20 minutes, not hours - the Instant Pot pressure-cooks the carrots in milk instead of making you stand over the stove stirring for an hour.
- Just 8 ingredients, most of which are already in your pantry.
- Naturally gluten-free, and easy to make vegan, nut-free, or sugar-free (see Substitutions below).
- Tastes like the traditional stovetop version - the sugar-first sauté step keeps the carrots' vibrant color and flavor.
- Freezes well, so you can make a big batch and portion it out for later.
What Is Gajar Ka Halwa?
Gajar ka halwa, also called carrot halwa or gajrela is a traditional North Indian dessert made from grated carrots slow-cooked with milk, ghee, and sugar, and flavored with cardamom. It's often enriched with khoya (reduced milk solids) and topped with chopped nuts and saffron.
It's a fixture of North Indian winters, when red carrots are in season, and shows up at weddings, festivals, and family gatherings across India. This recipe uses regular orange carrots and almond flour in place of khoya, so you can make it year-round with ingredients from any grocery store.
Ingredients For Gajar Halwa
- Carrots: Grated fresh carrots form the base, they cook down into a soft, sweet, vibrant halwa.
- Full-fat milk: Simmered with the carrots to build the halwa's signature creamy texture.
- Ghee: Used to sauté the carrots first, giving the halwa its rich, nutty depth of flavor.
- Sugar: Added in two stages, some early to help the carrots hold their color, the rest at the end to taste.
- Almond flour: Stands in for khoya, adding richness without the extra step of making or sourcing milk solids.
- Cardamom powder: Warms up the whole dish and balances the sweetness.
- Saffron: Soaked in warm milk before adding, a small amount goes a long way for color and fragrance.
- Chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios): Roasted and used as garnish for crunch and visual appeal.
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Gajar Halwa in the Instant Pot
Once the carrots are grated, this comes together in about 10 active minutes. Grating is the only slow part, a food processor with a shredding attachment makes quick work of it.
Step 1: Soak the saffron. Soak the saffron strands in 2 tablespoons of warm milk and set aside.
Step 2: Sauté the carrots. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté (high). Once it reads "HOT," add 1 tablespoon of ghee, the grated carrots, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Don't skip the sugar here, it helps the carrots keep their bright color.
Step 3: Pressure cook. Add 1 cup of milk and mix well. Cancel Sauté, then set to Manual/Pressure Cook (high) for 3 minutes with the vent sealed. Quick-release the pressure once it beeps.
Step 4: Finish on sauté. Turn Sauté back on (high). Add the remaining sugar, the saffron milk, cardamom powder, and almond flour. Cook, stirring, until the moisture evaporates, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Add the final ghee. Stir in the last tablespoon of ghee and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
Step 6: Garnish and serve. Top with roasted almonds and pistachios. Serve warm.
Stovetop Gajar Halwa Recipe
No Instant Pot? Use a heavy-bottomed pot or an 8-quart Dutch oven and follow the same steps above. Bring the carrot-and-milk mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the milk is fully absorbed and the carrots are tender, about 20-25 minutes. From there, the sugar, saffron, cardamom, almond flour, and final ghee steps are identical to the Instant Pot method.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vegan / dairy-free: Swap the ghee for a neutral oil or vegan butter, and use full-fat coconut milk or almond milk in place of dairy milk.
- Nut-free: Skip the almond flour and nut garnish. Pumpkin or chia seeds work well as a garnish substitute.
- Sugar-free: Replace the sugar with your preferred sweetener, adjusting to taste.
- Richer / traditional style: If you have khoya on hand, stir in ¼-⅓ cup in place of the almond flour for an even creamier, more traditional texture.
Storage & Freezing
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
Freezer: Gajar ka halwa freezes well for up to 3 months. Portion it into an airtight, freezer-safe container, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat in the microwave or on the stove before serving.
Expert Tips
- Choose fresh, tender carrots, they grate more easily and give the best flavor.
- Grate the carrots evenly (a food processor makes this fast and consistent) so they cook at the same rate.
- Use full-fat milk for the richest, creamiest result.
- Use good-quality khoya for added richness. You can make khoya at home or buy it from a store.
- Soak saffron in warm milk before adding it, it releases more color and fragrance that way.
- Adjust the amount of sugar according to your taste preference. Some prefer a sweeter halwa, while others prefer it less sweet.
- Roast the grated carrots in ghee until they release a sweet aroma. This step enhances the overall flavor of the halwa.
- Roast the nuts lightly before garnishing to bring out their flavor and crunch.
- Keep an eye on the halwa's consistency. It should be thick and not too runny. Cooking it further after adding khoya and sugar helps achieve the desired thickness.
- Garnish with a generous amount of chopped nuts for both visual appeal and added texture. You can also use edible silver foil for a traditional touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's rich, sweet, and creamy, with the natural sweetness of carrots balanced by sugar, warmed by cardamom, and finished with crunchy nuts for contrast.
It's a treat rather than a health food, between the sugar, ghee, and (optional) khoya, it's meant to be enjoyed in moderation rather than as an everyday dish.
Yes. It freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat before serving.
Gajar halwa is called carrot halwa in English, it's sometimes also referred to as gajrela.
Yes, see the stovetop method above. It takes a bit longer (about 25-30 minutes total) but uses the same ingredients and steps.
More Indian Desserts
- Sooji Halwa
- Instant Pot Gajar Halwa (No-Grate Method)
- Sweet Potato Halwa (Shakarkandi Halwa)
- Til Ke Laddu with Jaggery
Gajar Ka Halwa (Instant Pot Carrot Halwa)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups firmly packed medium grated carrots
- 1 cup whole milk (For vegan please refer recipe notes)
- 2 tablespoon Ghee (For vegan please refer recipe notes)
- ½ cup sugar, as per taste (For sugar-free please refer recipe notes)
- ¼ cup Almond Flour (For nut-free please refer recipe notes)
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 15-20 strands Saffron
- 2 tablespoon warm milk (For vegan please refer recipe notes)
For garnish:
- 2 tablespoon almonds, pistachios slivered, add more if desired (For nut-free please refer recipe notes)
Instructions
Gajar Halwa Instant Pot
- Soak saffron strands in 2 tablespoon of warm milk, keep it aside.
- Turn on Instant Pot to saute mode (high).
- When it displays "HOT", add 1 tablespoon of ghee, shredded carrots, 2 tablespoon of sugar. Mix well.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add cup of milk. Mix well. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Turn on Manual/Pressure cook mode (high), 3 minutes, vent sealed. When Instant Pot beeps, quickly release pressure. Open the IP lid.
- Turn on saute mode (high), add remaining sugar, saffron soaked in milk, cardamom powder, almond flour. Mix well.
- Saute on high until all the moisture is evaporated, around 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee, mix well for 1-2 minute.
- Switch off Instant Pot.
- Carrot halwa is ready to be served. Garnish with some almonds, pistachios. Enjoy!!
Video
Notes
- HOW TO MAKE GAJAR KA HALWA VEGAN / DAIRY-FREE - Substitute neutral oil or vegan butter instead of ghee. Substitute full fat milk with nut milk like almond milk or full fat coconut milk.
- HOW TO MAKE GAJAR KA HALWA NUT-FREE - For a nut-free gajar ka halwa, simply skip all the nuts and the almond flour. Instead you can use some pumpkin seeds, chia seeds for garnish. It will still taste delicious.
- HOW TO MAKE GAJAR KA HALWA SUGAR-FREE - For a sugar-free gajar ka halwa, substitute sweetener of your choice instead of refined sugar.
- For Stove top instructions: Use any heavy bottom pot or a dutch oven around 8 quarts. Follow the same recipe, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until all the moisture is evaporated and the carrots are cooked through. This will take around 20-25 mins. Keep stirring halwa in between to avoid sticking to the bottom. Rest of the recipe is same as Instant Pot.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Priya S. says
This turned out SO good! I've been intimidated by gajar halwa for years but the Instant Pot made it so easy. My husband said it tasted just like his mom's. Thank you!
Jyoti Behrani says
Priya, this made my day! That's the best compliment gajar halwa can get. So glad the Instant Pot took the intimidation factor away, it really does make this so much more approachable. Thanks for coming back to share!
Anjali M. says
Do you think this would work with pre-shredded carrots from the store to save time?
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Anjali, it can work in a pinch, but store-bought shredded carrots are usually cut thicker and drier, so they won't cook down quite as soft or absorb the milk as well. If you use them, I'd add an extra minute or two to the pressure cooking time. A food processor with the shredding attachment is still my go-to for the best texture!
Robert K. says
Made this for a dinner party and everyone asked for the recipe. Used coconut milk to make it dairy-free for a guest and it was still delicious.
Jyoti Behrani says
Robert, that's wonderful to hear! Coconut milk is one of my favorite dairy-free swaps for this, it adds its own subtle richness. So glad it was a hit with your guests!
Sunita D. says
The taste was delicious, but came out a little runny even after the sauté step — any tips?
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Sunita, that usually just means it needs a bit more time on sauté after pressure cooking, the moisture should fully evaporate before you add the final ghee. If it's still loose, keep it on sauté (stirring often so it doesn't stick) for another 2-3 minutes. It'll also thicken slightly more as it cools, so a small amount of looseness right off the heat is normal.
Meera T. says
Thanks Jyoti for this delicious recipe! I have made this few times and it's now our family favorite. This time I want to make a big batch, Can I double this recipe in the same Instant Pot?
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Meera, So glad to hear that you all liked my recipe. Yes, doubling works well! Just keep the pressure cooking time the same (3 minutes), but plan on a few extra minutes during the final sauté step since there's more volume to reduce down. Make sure your pot isn't more than about two-thirds full before pressure cooking.