This delicious nutty Pistachio Halwa is made with semolina, milk, sugar and crushed pistachios. It is an easy to make Indian dessert, perfect for a quick treat or as a delightful Diwali or Eid mithai.

pistachio halwa squares in a metal serving plate.

I love semolina halwa, known as Sooji no Siro in Gujarati households. It is so comforting yet light. This Pistachio Halwa is basically the same recipe but with the addition of vibrant pistachio nuts.

Pistachio nuts add a sweet, nutty and slightly woody taste to recipes and are common in Indian cuisine. They go wonderfully with chocolate, especially in this Chocolate Pistachio Barfi.

For a similar treat, try this Turkish Semolina Halva (Irmik Helvasi) made with butter and pine nuts.

Ingredients and notes

  • Semolina – you need the coarse variety suji/sooji for this recipe.
  • Pistachio nuts – use whole or chopped pistachios. Do not use salted pistachios but plain roasted is okay to use.
  • Cardamom powder – always added to Indian desserts, cardamom powder adds flavour.
  • Ghee – I use my homemade desi ghee but you can use a flavourless oil such as sunflower oil
  • Milk – for best results use whole milk, aka full fat milk but you can absolutely make it using skimmed milk too. You will be adding ghee anyway which adds fat.
  • Sugar – white granulated sugar is best.

Storage

Store leftover pistachio halwa in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

I recommend serving immediately for the best texture. You can reheat halwa if you wish or serve at room temperature.

To reheat, warm in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of milk to loosen it.

Halwa can also be frozen for 1 month in a freezer safe container. Defrost in the microwave or at room temperature.

pista halwa garnished with rose petals and crushed pistachio nuts.

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pistachio halwa squares in a metal serving plate.

Pista Halwa

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This delicious nutty Pistachio Halwa is made with semolina, milk, sugar and crushed pistachios. It is an easy to make Indian dessert, perfect for a quick treat or as a delightful Diwali or Eid mithai.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Author Hayley Dhanecha

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • ½ cup pistachio nuts ground
  • 1 cup semolina
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup ghee
  • 3 cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder

Instructions

  • Lightly roast the pistachio (if using raw) and grind coarsely in a spice grinder.
  • Heat the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and set aside.
  • In a heavy bottom kadai, heat the ghee and add the semolina. Roast on a low heat until you notice a roasting aroma. You need to continuously stir to prevent burning as this can make the halwa taste bitter. This step can take up to 10 minutes. The semolina should only turn golden, not brown in colour.
  • Now add the milk and mix well, then tip in the sugar and pistachios and allow the mixture to cook.
  • As it starts to thicken and become 1 mass, take off the heat.
  • Spread the mixture evenly in a greased tray and allow it to cool slightly. You can then cut into diamond or squares. Optionally, serve loose halwa whilst warm in a bowl.
  • You can sprinkle over more pistachio slivers.

Video

Notes

Optionally garnish with pistachio and almond slivers and edible dried rose petals. 
You may like these other Indian milk sweets or desserts. 

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 1mg

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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Note – This recipe was first published in June 2010. This post has since been updated with helpful content and new images. The recipe remains the same.

Hi! I'm Hayley. Many of these recipes are inspired by my Mum's upbringing in India and my Dad's East-African Indian influence. This British-Asian background allows me to explore the culinary best of both worlds.

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43 Comments

  6. pistachio halwa looks so yummy! liked the idea of adding pandan essence…I used munch on these semolina halwas in Singapore 🙂

    Reply

  9. what a warm and heart felt tribute to fatherhood.no one can forget what all our father showered us in our upbringing.we owe our lifelong gratitude to him.Happy fathers day to one and all. the halwa looks tempting and inviting.

    Reply

  16. Jagruti, I have never had this kind of halwa and am surely going to try it out, looks and sounds lovely. Happy father's day to both the men in your life 🙂

    Reply

  33. That was really sweet…i finally got my hair cut (ya the horrendous 45 quid haircut) at the Greenwich Clippers- a pretty normal place…imagine paying that much for a normal haircut ..im still crying abt it ..

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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