Carrot sooji halwa is a creamy Indian dessert that is easy to make and absolutely delicious. It is the perfect combination of two of my favorite dishes carrot halwa and suji halwa. Make it for festivals, parties or as an anytime sweet treat.

Brass bowl with carrot sooji halwa topped with raisins and cashews

My family has major sweet tooth and I am always looking for new sweet treats to make for them. Luckily the kids have started to enjoy them too. So, I make gajar halwa and rava kesari quite frequently.

Today I have carrot sooji halwa which is a yummy combo of gajar and suji halwa. This is my take on popular North Indian shahi halwa recipe. My version is made with carrots along with semolina.

This sooji halwa is quick and simple to make. But it looks like it took a long time to make. Try this rich sooji halwa recipe and I am sure you will love it.

Brass bowl with shahi halwa with carrots topped with raisins and nuts

Why I love this recipe

quick and easy Indian dessert
needs just handful of main ingredients
perfect to make for festivals, parties and any big or small celebrations
crowd pleaser

Ingredients

This recipe needs just a handful of ingredients. Here is what you need:

Sooji - I love using the fine variety of suji in this recipe. But if you only have the coarser variety, then go ahead and use it.
Carrot - I use the regular carrots because that is all I get here in the US. But if you can get your hands on 'gajar' or the bright red winter carrots, then use them.
Ghee - is a quintessential ingredient for most Indian desserts. So, try to get good quality store bought ghee or may it yourself.
Sugar - I use regular white sugar.
Dry fruit - I used cashews, almonds and raisins. Feel free to use walnuts, pistachios, melon seeds etc.
Milk - I use 2%, but feel free to use whole milk.
Ground cardamom

Ingredients needed - details in the recipe card

Instructions

Here is how to make this easy and delicious carrot suji halwa recipe:

Melt 1 tablespoon ghee in a medium size pan on medium heat. Add cashews, almonds & raisins and cook till the nuts are golden and raisins plump up. Using a slotted spoon, remove the dry fruit into a small bowl.

In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon ghee and sooji. Cook till sooji changes color and smells fragrant, about 3~5 minutes. Remove in to a small bowl and set aside.

Cooking sooji in ghee until golden and removed into a bowl

In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee and add the grated carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it is slightly soft and does not smell raw anymore, about 6~8 minutes.

Add the milk and mix well. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Grated carrot cooked in ghee until soft and then cooked in milk

Stir in the fried sooji and mix well to make sure that there are no lumps. Cook for 2~3 minutes.

Sooji added to the pan and cooked till thickened. Sugar and cardamom are then added

Next add sugar and mix well. Cook on low flame until halwa slightly thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Finally add ground cardamom and fried dry fruit. Mix well and serve hot, cold or at room temperature.

Toasted dry fruit added to carrot sooji halwa

Notes

I prefer to use fine sooji in this recipe. But feel free to use coarser variety if that is what you have on hand. Adjust the amount of milk in the recipe accordingly.
If you can get your hands on some bright red winter 'gajar', then use them here. They impart tons of flavor and beautiful color to the dish.
You can make this carrot sooji halwa vegan. Use vegan butter and plant based milk in the recipe. I love almond or oat milk because they are thick and rich.
This suji aur gakar ka halwa is great to serve hot, at room temperature or chilled. Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can add more ghee (3~4 tablespoons more) to make this even more rich and decadent.
I use all milk, but you can use 50:50 milk and water to make it less rich.

Top view of carrot suji halwa topped with fried dry fruit

Few more sooji/ semolina based recipes to try

I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.

Carrot-Sooji Halwa

Carrot sooji halwa is a creamy Indian dessert that is easy to make and absolutely delicious. It is a yummy combination of carrot halwa and suji halwa.

Author: Pavani

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: south indian

Servings: servings

Ingredients

¼ cup Ghee, divided use
1 tablespoon Cashews, chopped
1 tablespoon Almonds, chopped
1 tablespoon Raisins
⅓ cup Sooji
2 Medium Carrots, grated
⅓ cup Sugar (or more as per taste)
2 cups Milk (2% or whole milk)
¼ teaspoon Ground Cardamom