Vegan Gajar Halwa

If you are a vegan, will you miss out on the yummy delicacies? Absolutely not! Indian desserts are one of the most fascinating parts of Indian cuisine, so missing out on it just because you are vegan is never an option.

So, for all my vegan family, here is your favorite gajar halwa recipe but in vegan style, i.e., dairy-free, egg-free.

But before we dive into the recipe, let us take a quick glance at what we’re about to make.

What is a Vegan Gajar Halwa?

Carrot Halwa itself is a vegan dessert made with carrots. Red carrots are most suited for this recipe but are not available in many parts of the world.  Hence, orange carrots are also a good fit for this dessert.

The vegan Gajar Halwa is a sweet, melt-in-your-mouth delicacy made with shredded carrots roasted with non-dairy milk and cardamom. Gajar Halwa tastes like a delicious carrot cake crumble with cardamom. This vegan dessert recipe is gluten- and soy-free and hence can be considered healthy. Isn’t that a rare and a million-dollar combination? Health plus taste!

Carrot Halwa is a delectable treat that resembles roasted carrot cake. It comes in a number of variants, depending on the region. Some recipes cook the carrots for an extended period of time, while others simmer them right until they are soft. Some are fudgier or wetter, while others are cooked until the carrots are candied.

My version of this vegan gajar halwa is faster and, of course, dairy-free. Dairy products are, unfortunately, a common ingredient in Indian desserts. But trust my words, even without dairy products, it’s just as tasty as it should be. It requires less oil and only takes 15 minutes to prepare.

The rest is simply waiting for the carrots to cook on low heat. To substitute the dairy ingredients, you can use a variety of non-dairy kinds of milk, like almond milk, soy milk, or any other vegan milk as per your choice, with a little oil and almond meal. You may make this with a pumpkin seed meal and your favorite non-dairy milk as well.

Let’s begin with the recipe now.

Notable Ingredients At A Glance

Carrots – Since red carrots are hard to find, fresh orange carrots are a suitable fit.

Milk – Milk is a crucial part of this recipe. Because we are making the vegan version, instead of dairy products, we will opt for vegan milk like almond milk, soya milk, or oat milk mixed with almond meal or pumpkin seed meal.

Sugar – I used powdered white sugar in this recipe. You can also use granulated sugar, but it takes much longer to melt. Hence, I prefer powdered sugar. If you are using red carrots, you must adjust the amount of sugar as per the taste, as they are naturally sweet. While with orange carrots, that’s not a problem.

Cardamom – Gives the halwa a pleasant fragrance and flavor. I usually prefer to grind the fresh cardamom to powder as the halwa tastes so much better that way. However, you can also use store-bought cardamom powder.

Cashews, Walnuts, pistachios, Almonds, and Raisins – My favorite halwa is one with a lot of nuts and raisins. However, I know a lot of individuals who dislike them, so it’s a personal preference. Cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachio, and golden raisins are some of my favorite additions. You can add any other dry fruits as well, as per your choice. Nuts also impart a slight crunch to the creamy textured halwa making it taste like heaven.

How To Prepare Vegan Gajar Halwa?

Take a heavy bottom pan and mix together the carrots and the almond milk.

Cover the pan and cook the carrots on low heat for 15-20 minutes till the almond milk gets incorporated.

Keep stirring in intervals while it’s being cooked.

After 10-15 minutes, add sugar and mix it thoroughly with the carrot.

Stir the mix on low heat for another 5 mins.

Finally, add 1 tbsp chopped walnuts, 1 tbsp pistachios, and 2 tbsp raisins; you can also add almonds, cashews, or any other dry fruits of your choice.

Please switch off the heat, add the cardamom powder, and stir once before pouring it out.

Pour the halwa into serving bowls and garnish it with some more dry fruits.

The gajar halwa is now ready to be served.

Some Expert Tips For Preparing Vegan Gajar Halwa

• Garnish with chopped nuts and raisins of your choosing.
• Carrot Halwa can be stored in a refrigerator for about a week.
• I haven’t used oil or ghee in this recipe. But you can. Since it is a vegan version, use unsalted vegan butter.