Looking for a cozy treat? Try this Sweet Potato Halwa! Delicately flavored, lightly sweetened, and melt-in-your-mouth creamy, it’s made with aromatic cardamom and saffron for that extra festive touch. The best part? It’s super easy to whip up in the Instant Pot! Whether you're fasting or just craving something sweet, this halwa is sure to hit the spot!
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Sweet potatoes are an absolute staple in my kitchen! Whether it’s adding them to curries, dals, or even homemade Indian bread, I just love how versatile they are. Plus, they’re a traditional "fasting" approved vegetable in India, making them perfect for special occasions.
This year, the 4th of July also coincided with Ashadhi Ekadashi, an Indian festival where many people fast or enjoy special foods. Fasting foods have always been a favorite of mine, and this year was extra special because I got to celebrate and cook with my mom.
Our menu featured some of my favorites—crispy, non-fried Sabudana Vada with yogurt and peanut chutney, sweet and creamy Sweet Potato Halwa, and a refreshing ginger lemonade. These dishes are also perfect for other fasting days like Navratri or Maha Shivratri. It's all about enjoying delicious food while honoring traditions!
Why We Love Sweet Potato Halwa
- gluten-free
- Make it vegan by using oil and nut milk
- make ahead recipe
- fasting friendly for my Indian followers
- easy and quick
I was so excited when my mom decided to use the Instant Pot to make her famous Sweet Potato Halwa instead of her traditional stovetop method! We were both amazed at how the Instant Pot delivered the same beautiful, creamy texture in half the cooking time.
Instead of spending time individually shredding the sweet potatoes, we just sliced them up, added all the other ingredients, and pressure cooked for just 3 minutes. The result? A creamy, luxurious halwa with half the effort! Everyone loved the flavors, and it was such a hit with the whole family.
Check out this quick video where Mom shows exactly how she made it:
Recipe
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Halwa
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee Oil for Vegan option
- 3 medium sweet potatoes washed, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar more or less
- ¼ cup grated unsweetened coconut
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 cardamom pods
- 1 generous pinch of saffron
- Optional Garnish
- 1 tablespoon almonds and pistachio slices
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode. Add ghee, sliced sweet potatoes. Add almond milk, brown sugar, coconut, salt, cardamom, and saffron.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Press Cancel and select Pressure cook(Hi) and adjust the time to 3 minutes. Allow Natural Pressure Release. Garnish with nuts and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
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lathiya says
Hands down winner recipe..looks scrumptious
Archana says
Thank you Lathiya!
Laura says
This looks amazing. Is 1/4 cup liquid really enough? I'm afraid I'll burn up my pot. The manual says minimum is 1 1/2 cups.
Archana says
Hi Laura! 1/4 cup of low fat milk or almond milk works well for this recipe. Sweet potatoes also have water content in it that helps build the pressure in the IP. Hope you make this recipe! Let me know.
chefkreso says
"A delicately flavored, lightly sweetened dish with melt-in-mouth textures and aromatics from cardamom and saffron" - you got me at this description 😀
Archana says
Thank you!
Vishal says
I'm new to the instant pot, didn't really think something this easy could be so good! I only had desiccated coconut, and that worked pretty well. I'm also partial to cream over milk, so used 1/3 cup almond/ coconut half and half.
The amount of sugar made it feel like a dessert that its intended to be, but I'm curious to see how much the sugar can be reduced without messing up the taste. I'll probably try 1/4 cup first, then maybe 1/8th.
Also, I wonder if the recipe will carry over well with carrot. I still can't believe I made halva, thanks!
Archana says
Hi Vishal, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this healthy dessert! You can def reduce the sugar to your taste. Here is my recipe for carrot halwa in the instant pot that is simple and delicious- http://ministryofcurry.com/carrot-halwa-instant-pot/ you can use regular milk and cream instead of almond milk and almond meal if you like!
Suneeta says
This sounds delicious, I can’t wait to try it! Curious if I could use full fat milk instead of nut milk (same amounts?) and cardamom powder instead of cardamom pods without messing up the taste or texture?
Archana says
Yes for both!
Sue says
Can’t wait to try this! If I make it beforehand what’s the best way to serve (bring to room temp, reheat in IP or microwave)?
Archana says
Reheat in micorowave. enjoy!
Sarika says
if you want to make this for a diabetic - instead of sugar can you use an alternative? How much would that be (measure)
Archana says
You can use any sweetener you like. I like coconut sugar and add it to taste. I would start with just 1 to 2 tablespoons. Add more in the end if needed.
Aruna says
A recipe to keep!! Perfect!! But would certainly want to reduce the sugar a little bit next time. Archana, thanks again for yet another instant pot recipe.
Archana says
You are welcome! thank you for the feedback
Varsha says
Lovely recipe! Can I try this without almond milk?
Archana says
Yes absolutely! You can use water or low fat milk
Nazira says
Just tried the sweet potato halwa & it was super yummy. Thanks.
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback
Chaitrakokila Swamy says
Sweet Potato Halwa has turned to be a favorite in our house. Kids want to have at least once in a week. So easy to prepare this sweet dish.
Thank you for such a easy and tasty recipe!!
Archana says
Awesome! It is healthy and delish!
smruti says
i doubled this recipe because i had 6 smallish white sweet potatoes that needed to be used up. I used a mix of heavy cream and 1% milk bc i did not have almond milk, I did add a few extra tablespoons of milk just because I wasn't sure the liquid amount would be enough. I also added a little less than 2/3 cup brown sugar for the doubled recipe. The halwa turned out creamy, just sweet enough and delicious! I would make this again-maybe using the orange sweet potatoes to see if it makes a difference. I think the guidelines are very good
Archana says
Thank you Smruti!