Beet Halwa With Pistachios

Name: Beet Halwa
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients: ½ cup raw pistachios; 1 2" cinnamon stick; 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. green cardamom pods; 2 tsp. black peppercorns; 2 tsp. whole cloves; 5 medium red beets (about 2 lb.), trimmed, scrubbed; 4 cups whole milk; 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter; ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; A spice mill or mortar and pestle

By Preeti Mistry

March 16, 2021

Beet Halwa With Pistachios recipe from Preeti Mistry

Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Frances Boswell, prop styling by Sophie Strangio

“In a lot of Indian sweets, the base technique is cooking something down in lots of milk,” chef Preeti Mistry says. “I don’t make a lot of desserts, and what I love about this one is that it’s really easy for non-bakers to make.” This vibrantly hued halwa consists of grated beets cooked down in the milk, giving the beets a surprising richness. Fold in pistachios for texture and crunch, and serve this warm or chilled. If warm, you can scoop ice cream on top. If chilling, halwa can be set in a 9x9" baking pan if you don’t have ramekins.

The spices in this recipe are the same ratio Mistry uses in their masala chai, so reserve any extra for use in tea.

Find more of chef Preeti Mistry’s Holi party recipes here.

Recipe notes

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