Coconut Pumpkin Halwa, also called Kaddu ka Halwa, is an Indian pumpkin dessert made with pumpkin, sugar, ghee, coconut, and nuts. No grating of pumpkins is needed, and you can cook it in a stovetop pressure cooker or an Instant Pot; it takes less than 30 minutes to make this delicious sweet.
This recipe is reprinted with permission from Vegetarian Indian Cooking in the Instant Pot by Manali Singh, Page Street Publishing Co., 2018.
Halwa and Kheer are two of the most popular Indian desserts. In India, we make halwa from a variety of ingredients. Some popular ones are aate ka halwa, sooji halwa, besan halwa, moong dal halwa, badam halwa, and my favorite carrot halwa.
Pumpkin Halwa
Pumpkin halwa is another one I thought I wouldn’t enjoy as much. However, my opinion has completely changed, and I am in love with this Coconut Pumpkin Halwa from my friend Manali Singh of cookwithmanali.com. She released a beautiful book called Vegetarian Indian Cooking with the Instant Pot, where she shares this wonderful recipe.
Pumpkin is called kaddu in Hindi, hence Kaddu ka Halwa. This pumpkin sweet recipe is also popular in Pakistan. This is also a great dessert to make for an Indian Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!
With mashed pumpkin, sugar, a variety of nuts, and lots of ghee, the pumpkin halwa is so delicious. It has a wonderful taste you will savor and want more.
The best part is that this recipe doesn’t require grating pumpkin. You can directly add chopped pumpkin to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker, and the halwa will be ready in less than 30 minutes.
After eating the halwa, I kept thinking that I should have doubled it. That said, it’s so easy to make, and I will be making it frequently now.
Table of Contents
How to Make Pumpkin Halwa?
Even though we are making a wonderful dessert, it surprisingly doesn’t take long to cook. Bring on all those sugar pumpkins and enjoy this delicious pumpkin dessert with your family and friends.
Step 1: Gather the Ingredients
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients to make Coconut Pumpkin Halwa: pumpkin, ghee, sugar, desiccated coconut, almond milk, cardamom, and nuts of your choice.
If you want to make ghee at home, check out my recipe to make ghee from unsalted butter. For a vegan version, use unsalted vegan butter or coconut oil. However, for me, it is hard to imagine halwa without ghee.
Use almond milk to make this halwa vegan. Otherwise, regular milk works great in this recipe.
Peel the pumpkin, remove seeds, and cut into 1.5-inch cubes. I used a small sugar pie pumpkin to make this halwa.
Step 2: Cook the Pumpkin
Heat the pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) on sauté mode. Add ghee and pumpkin, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add the milk and pressure cook for 5 minutes at high pressure.
For a stovetop pressure cooker, cook over a medium-high flame for two whistles. Quick release the pressure manually.
Step 3: Add Other Ingredients and Thicken
Then open the pressure cooker and set it back to sauté. Mash pumpkin using a fork or potato masher. Add sugar and sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
If using milk (dairy), when you open the pressure cooker, it might seem like the milk is spoiled. It is not; just mix it with the pumpkin while mashing.
Add desiccated coconut and cardamom and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals while the halwa thickens. Then add the remaining ghee and nuts.
The halwa should have thickened by now and be ready to enjoy. Pumpkin halwa can be served warm or cold. I personally prefer it warm.
Pro-Tips
For Instant Pot: Use a separate sealing ring when making sweet and savory dishes in your Instant Pot. I also recommend washing the lid and parts thoroughly before making any desserts so the smell of the food does not transfer.
Sugar: I used brown sugar in this recipe, but granulated white sugar will work too.
Vegan Variation: To make the recipe vegan, replace ghee with unsalted vegan butter or coconut oil. And use almond milk.
Coconut: Desiccated coconut is a must in this recipe. I loved the texture added by the coconut.
Storage: This pumpkin halwa will store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will also freeze well. Store in small portions in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat after defrosting in the microwave or in a pan.
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Kalakand (Easy 30-Minute Recipe)
Badam Katli (with almond flour)
Coconut Almond Ladoo
Coconut Pumpkin Halwa (No grating needed!)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 4 cups Pumpkin, cubed to about 1.5 inches, 600 grams
- 1/2 cup Almond Milk, or whole milk
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar, add more to taste
- 1/2 cup Desiccated Coconut, plus more for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom powder (Elaichi)
- 1 tablespoon Cashews, broken, plus more for serving (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Almonds, sliced, plus more for serving (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Raisins, golden
- 2 teaspoon Ghee, for finishing
Instructions
- Start the pressure cooker in sauté mode. One it is hot, add 2 tablespoons of ghee to the pot, then add the cubed pumpkin.
- Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the raw smell of the pumpkin goes away. Add the almond milk and close the pot with the lid.
- Press the pressure-cook button with the pressure valve in the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Do a quick-pressure release. (For a stovetop pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles)
- Open the pot and set it to sauté mode. Mash the pumpkin with a fork or potato masher.
- Then add the sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the desiccated coconut and cardamom powder, then cook the halwa for 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring continuously until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Add the cashews, almonds, and raisins, then cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of ghee and mix.
- Garnish with more nuts and saffron, if desired, and serve warm.
Hi Meeta, love your recipes and especially your explanations! Re this pumpkin kheer, can I use a can of coconut milk instead of dessicated coconut and dairy milk?
Hi Sam – I have not tested with coconut milk so cannot say it will work well. I do feel that the dessicated coconut adds good texture and taste to the halwa.
This looks amazing! My boyfriend talks about a carrot version he had and loved. Do you have a carrot Halwa recipe too?
Hi Audrey – Thanks. Here is the carrot halwa recipe – https://pipingpotcurry.com/gajar-ka-halwa/
Hi Meeta, I am Raaj at present based in UK have you tried veppila katti. If you have the recipe can you please share it here. I tried to look out for the kind I remember having it when I was in Kerala, but they dont seem to be the same type, the one which I had tried in Kerala also had tamarind in the mix. It would help me to try out if you may please post the recipe.
Hi Rajesh – Sorry, I don’t have a recipe for that. I do see some recipes show up on a google search, but I am sure you have already tried that.
I don’t own a pressure cooker or an instant pot. Would you suggest roasting the pumpkin in the oven and then just cooking it on the stove afterwards?
Hi Sara – You can make a pulp and use that OR you can also use grated pumpkin to make halwa on the stovetop. Follow the same steps to add the grated pumpkin once the ghee is heated. Then cook the pumpkin until the raw smell is gone and the pumpkin starts to cook well. Then follow the steps to add sugar and other ingredients. Hope you enjoy the halwa!
Thanks for the recipe! I have a can of puréed pumpkin. Can I use this in lieu of cubed pumpkin and, if so, how much of the can can I use?
Hi Sonia – I have not tried this recipe with canned pumpkin, but I do think it will work with canned pumpkin too. I would suggest to reduce the pressure cook time to 2 minutes. Please do share how it turns out.
Tried this today. It came out very well. Thanks for such a delicious sweet.
Hi Naga – So good to hear that. Thank you for sharing. 🙂