How much protein is in kaddu ka halwa (pumpkin halwa) with ghee, cardamom and cashews?

Each of the 6 servings has 5 g of protein, 3 g of fiber and 277 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.

What can I substitute in kaddu ka halwa (pumpkin halwa) with ghee, cardamom and cashews?

Grated jaggery instead of brown sugar — more traditional, with deeper molasses notes. add it off the heat or on very low heat so the milk doesn't curdle.. Orange sugar pumpkin or kabocha instead of butternut squash — equally authentic. wetter pumpkins need 5–10 extra minutes of sautéing before the milk goes in.. 2 tbsp milk powder or khoya stirred in with the sugar — richer, fudgier texture that tastes closer to a mithai-shop halwa.. Almonds instead of cashews — crisper crunch and a slightly nuttier, less buttery flavor..

Kaddu Ka Halwa (Pumpkin Halwa) with Ghee, Cardamom and Cashews

Pumpkin halwa made with grated butternut squash simmered in milk, then finished with ghee, brown sugar, cardamom, cashews and raisins. A cozy Diwali dessert.

Vegetarian Under 400 kcalContains Tree NutsMeal Prep

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Serves: 6

Kaddu Ka Halwa (Pumpkin Halwa) with Ghee, Cardamom and Cashews — Pumpkin halwa made with grated butternut squash simmered in milk, then finished with ghee, brown sugar, cardamom, c — Illustration generated by AI · SDXL

Kaddu Ka Halwa (Pumpkin Halwa) with Ghee, Cardamom and Cashews is a vegetarian dessert recipe made with ghee, raw cashews, golden or dark raisins. It takes 55 minutes of hands-on time, serves 6, and each serving has 277 calories, 5 g of protein and 3 g of fiber.

Butternut squash is sweeter and less watery than most carving pumpkins, so it cooks down to a dense, glossy halwa without turning stringy. Grating it finely and sautéing it in ghee before the milk goes in drives off raw moisture and builds a toasty base. The sugar goes in only after the milk has reduced, because sugar added too early keeps the squash firm and slows thickening. Brown sugar stands in for jaggery and adds a similar caramel depth.

Ingredients

6 servings

Nuts

Halwa

3 tbspghee, for the halwa
1½ lbbutternut squash, peeled, seeded and finely grated (about 5 cups grated)
2 cupswhole milk
½ cuplight brown sugar, packed, add up to 2 tbsp more if your squash is not very sweet
½ tspground cardamom, preferably freshly ground
1 pinchfine salt
1 pinchsaffron threads, crumbled into 1 tbsp warm milk (optional)
1 tbsppistachios, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Kit: box grater or food processor, wide heavy-bottomed pan or kadai, wooden spoon or flat spatula

Tips

Grate the squash finely. Coarse shreds stay chewy and take much longer to soften in the milk.
Use a wide pan. More surface area lets the milk reduce faster and lowers the risk of scorching.
Taste after the sugar melts and adjust. How sweet butternut squash is changes a lot from season to season.
The halwa firms up as it cools, so take it off the heat while it still looks slightly softer than you want.

Swap ideas

Grated jaggery instead of brown sugar: More traditional, with deeper molasses notes. Add it off the heat or on very low heat so the milk doesn't curdle.
Orange sugar pumpkin or kabocha instead of butternut squash: Equally authentic. Wetter pumpkins need 5–10 extra minutes of sautéing before the milk goes in.
2 tbsp milk powder or khoya stirred in with the sugar: Richer, fudgier texture that tastes closer to a mithai-shop halwa.
Almonds instead of cashews: Crisper crunch and a slightly nuttier, less buttery flavor.

The numbers

277kcal per serving

Protein5 g

10% DV

Fiber2.6 g

9% DV

Carbs39.4 g

14% DV

Fat12.7 g

16% DV

Everything else · 6 servings per recipe

Saturated fat: 6.8 g 34%
Sugars: 26.8 g
Sodium: 75 mg 3%
Potassium: 600 mg 13%
Calcium: 172 mg 13%
Iron: 1.4 mg 8%
Vitamin C: 24 mg 27%
Vitamin B12: 0.43 µg 18%

% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.

Sources: Butter oil, anhydrous, Nuts, cashew nuts, raw, Raisins, dark, seedless (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), Squash, winter, butternut, raw, Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D, Sugars, brown, Spices, cardamom, Salt, table

Method

Peel the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds, and grate the flesh on the fine side of a box grater or with a food processor grating disc. You should have about 5 loosely packed cups.
Warm 1 tbsp ghee in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium-low heat. Fry the cashews, stirring, until light golden, 2–3 minutes. Add the raisins and stir until they puff, about 30 seconds. Scoop everything onto a plate, leaving the ghee behind.
Add 2 tbsp of the remaining ghee to the same pan and raise the heat to medium. Add the grated squash and sauté, stirring often, until it darkens slightly, smells sweet and the raw edge is gone, 8–10 minutes.
Pour in the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring every couple of minutes and scraping the bottom, until the squash is very soft and nearly all the milk has been absorbed or evaporated, 18–22 minutes.
Stir in the brown sugar, salt and saffron milk if using. The mixture will loosen as the sugar melts. Keep cooking and stirring until it thickens again, turns glossy and starts pulling away from the sides of the pan as one mass, 6–8 minutes.
Add the last 1 tbsp ghee and the cardamom and stir for 1–2 minutes, until the ghee starts to shine around the edges of the halwa.
Fold in most of the fried cashews and raisins. Serve warm, topped with the rest of the nuts and the pistachios if using.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan over low heat with a splash of milk and a little ghee, or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Keep the garnish nuts separate so they stay crisp.

Questions

How much protein is in kaddu ka halwa (pumpkin halwa) with ghee, cardamom and cashews?: Each of the 6 servings has 5 g of protein, 3 g of fiber and 277 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
Is kaddu ka halwa (pumpkin halwa) with ghee, cardamom and cashews vegan?: No, it's vegetarian rather than vegan because it contains ghee and ghee and whole milk. Everything else in it is plant-based.
How long does kaddu ka halwa (pumpkin halwa) with ghee, cardamom and cashews take to make?: 15 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking, so 55 minutes of hands-on time.
Can you make kaddu ka halwa (pumpkin halwa) with ghee, cardamom and cashews ahead?: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan over low heat with a splash of milk and a little ghee, or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Keep the garnish nuts separate so they stay crisp.
What can I substitute in kaddu ka halwa (pumpkin halwa) with ghee, cardamom and cashews?: Grated jaggery instead of brown sugar — more traditional, with deeper molasses notes. add it off the heat or on very low heat so the milk doesn't curdle.. Orange sugar pumpkin or kabocha instead of butternut squash — equally authentic. wetter pumpkins need 5–10 extra minutes of sautéing before the milk goes in.. 2 tbsp milk powder or khoya stirred in with the sugar — richer, fudgier texture that tastes closer to a mithai-shop halwa.. Almonds instead of cashews — crisper crunch and a slightly nuttier, less buttery flavor..
Does kaddu ka halwa (pumpkin halwa) with ghee, cardamom and cashews contain tree nuts?: Yes — the ingredient list includes tree nuts, in some cases as an optional ingredient you can leave out. Check the labels on the products you buy if you're cooking for an allergy.

Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.

Published October 5, 2026 ·Indian