• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Spice Up The Curry
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • By Category
    • By Ingredients
    • Festivals
    • Collections
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • Festivals
  • Collections
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Fasting (Vrat) Recipes

    Sabudana Kheer

    Published: May 19, 2023 · Last Modified: May 19, 2023 by Kanan Patel / 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    A bowl of sabudana kheer with spoon on the side.

    This thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet sabudana kheer is usually made during Hindu fasting days like Maha Shivratri, Ekadashi, Navratri, Krishna Janmashtami, Gauri vrat, etc. This easy-to-make sabudana kheer is made with 3 main ingredients - tapioca pearls, milk and sugar (plus, flavor & garnish). 

    A bowl of sabudana kheer with spoon on the side.
    Jump to:
    • What Is Sabudana?
    • ❤️ You’ll Love This Sabudana Kheer
    • 🧾 Ingredient Notes
    • 👩‍🍳 How To Make Sabudana Kheer? (Pics) 
    • 💭 Expert Tips For Sabudana Kheer
    • 🥣 Storage Instructions
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • ⭐ Reviews

    What Is Sabudana?

    Sabudana (Tapioca pearls) are small white balls made from tapioca roots (aka cassava). It is highly processed food and full of starch, high in carbohydrates with minimal nutrients. 

    Because of the high-carb nature, sabudana is eaten during fasting (vrat, upwas) so it gives instant energy and keeps you full.

    Other sabudana recipes for vrat - sabudana khichdi, sabudana vada, sabudana pakoda, sabudana thalipeeth

    ❤️ You’ll Love This Sabudana Kheer

    Taste & Texture: 

    • Perfectly sweet
    • Melt-in-your-mouth soft tapioca pearls
    • Thick, creamy, rich and pudding-like consistency. 
    • All the pearls are separated (not sticky or clumped together). 

    Minimal ingredients: You’ll need 3 main ingredients which are sabudana, milk and sugar. For flavor saffron and cardamom powder are added. Plus, nuts are added for some crunch and garnish.

    Easy to make: The process of making sabudana kheer is so simple. Just cook the soaked sabudana in milk, add sugar and flavoring ingredients and simmer for some time. Your kheer is ready. 

    Quick to make: You’ll need 30 minutes of active time to make this delicious sabudana kheer. Though you need to pre-plan as sabudana requires around 2 hours of soaking time. 

    🧾 Ingredient Notes

    Here is the pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make sabudana kheer recipe.

    Sabudana kheer ingredients in bowls and spoons with labels.
    • Sabudana: Use regular sabudana that we widely use in sabudana khichdi. There is another verity called nylon sabudana that is used for sabudana chivda only. 
    • Sugar: Regular white sugar is used.
    • Milk: Full-fat whole milk is recommended to get a rich, creamy texture.
    • Saffron: It adds a nice yellow ting to the kheer. Plus, adds a nice unique flavor and aroma.
    • Green cardamom seeds powder: Open the green cardamoms and use the black seeds. Crush these seeds into a mortar and pestle to make a fine powder.
    • Nuts: I have used almonds and cashews.

    👩‍🍳 How To Make Sabudana Kheer? (Pics) 

    1) Wash Sabudana: Take sabudana in a colander and rinse under running cold water. Massage the pearls lightly while rinsing to get rid of excess starch and dirt. 

    Check if they are washed properly: When sabudana is added into the water and water should look clear (not cloudy anymore). 

    2) Soak: Take washed sabudana in a bowl. Add ½ cup of milk, cover and let it soak for 1 ½ - 2 hours.

    3) After the soaking time, sabudana pearls get bigger in size. 

    Collage of 3 images showing rinsing and soaking sabundana.

    4) Make Kheer: Take milk in a heavy bottom pan and turn the heat to medium. 

    5) Drain the soaking milk from sabudana using a strainer and add to the pan. Keep sabudana aside. 

    6) Let the milk come to a simmer. Take around 1 tablespoon of hot milk and add to a saffron bowl. Let saffron soak in the milk so it releases its color and flavor. Keep it aside.

    7) Keep stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan while the milk is simmering. Simmer milk for around 3-4 minutes or until it starts to thicken. 

    Collage of 4 images showing adding milk and simmering, adding some to saffron.

    8) Add Soaked sabudana.

    9) Keep stirring occasionally and continue cooking.

    10) Simmer for around 8-10 minutes or until sabudana becomes soft and transparent. Check one pearl by pressing between your thumb and index finger. It should mash easily without any effort.

    Collage of 3 images showing adding and cooking soaked sabudana.

    11) Add sugar.

    12) Also, add saffron milk, cardamom powder and almond, cashews.

    13) Mix and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

    14) The kheer should thicken nicely. Keep in mind that it will thicken more as it cools down. So at this moment, sabudana kheer should be thick yet flowing (pourable) consistency. You can see in the pic all the pearls are separated and cooked perfectly. 

    Collage of 4 images showing adding sugar, cardamom, saffron and nuts and cooking until ready.

    💭 Expert Tips For Sabudana Kheer

    • Washing or Rinsing sabudana properly is a must step. You need to get rid of the excess starch otherwise kheer will become clumpy and too thick. So always wash/rinse until the water is clear and not cloudy anymore.
    • Always add sugar once the sabudana is cooked/softened. 
    • Check cooked sabudana texture: It should be soft, and slightly slimy without any bite to it. And it looks translucent. 
    • Nuts & Dry fruits: You can use other nuts like pistachios, walnuts, chironji (charoli), chopped dates and figs. If adding lots of dates then you can skip (or reduce) sugar.
    • Consistency:
      • When sabudana kheer is hot/warm (right after cooking), it should have a pourable (flowing) consistency.
      • As it cools to room temperature, it will thicken more and becomes a pudding-like consistency.
      • If your store it in the fridge, it will thicken even more. So if planning to serve chilled then keep your kheer slightly runny, to begin with. 

    🥣 Storage Instructions

    • It can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
    • As this is a fasting food, it is usually made in a smaller batch and consumed fresh (the day it is made). 
    Taking a spoonful of sabudana kheer from the bowl.

    Check Out Other Kheer Recipes For Vrat

    • Sweet potato kheer
    • Sama ki kheer
    • Makhane ki kheer

    Did you try this sabudana kheer recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.

    📋 Recipe Card

    Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!
    A bowl of sabudana kheer with spoon on the side.
    Print Pin Save Saved!

    Sabudana Kheer Recipe

    5 from 2 votes
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and/or give ★ ratings
    This thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet sabudana kheer is usually made during Hindu fasting days and made with 3 main ingredients - tapioca pearls, milk and sugar (plus, flavor & garnish).
    Author: Kanan
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Indian
    Calories: 330kcal
    Servings 2
    Prep Time 2 hours hours
    Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
    US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

    Ingredients  

    • ⅓ cup Sabudana (Sago or tapioca pearls)
    • 1 ½ + ½ cup Milk
    • 3 tablespoons Sugar
    • 2-3 strands Saffron
    • ¼ teaspoon Green cardamom seeds powder
    • 1 tablespoon Almonds chopped
    • 1 tablespoon Cashew nuts chopped
    • Dried rose petals for garnishing (optional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions 

    • Wash Sabudana: Take sabudana in a colander and rinse under running cold water. Massage the pearls lightly while rinsing to get rid of excess starch and dirt. Check if they are washed properly: When sabudana is added to the water and water should look clear (not cloudy anymore).
    • Soak: Take washed sabudana in a bowl. Add ½ cup of milk, cover and let it soak for 1 ½ - 2 hours. After the soaking time, sabudana pearls get bigger in size.
    • Make Sabudana Kheer: Take milk in a heavy bottom pan and turn the heat to medium.
    • Drain the soaking milk from sabudana using a strainer and add to the pan. Keep sabudana aside.
    • Let the milk come to a simmer. Take around 1 tablespoon of hot milk and add to a saffron bowl. Let saffron soak in the milk so it releases its color and flavor. Keep it aside.
    • Keep stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan while the milk is simmering. Simmer milk for around 3-4 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
    • Add Soaked sabudana. Keep stirring occasionally and continue cooking. Simmer for around 8-10 minutes or until sabudana becomes soft and transparent. Check one pearl by pressing between your thumb and index finger. It should mash easily without any effort.
    • Add sugar, saffron milk, cardamom powder and almond, cashews. Mix and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
    • The kheer should thicken nicely. Keep in mind that it will thicken more as it cools down. So at this moment, it should be thick yet flowing (pourable) consistency.

    Notes

    Check cooked sabudana texture: It should be soft, and slightly slimy without any bite to it. And it looks translucent.
    Nuts & Dry fruits: You can use other nuts like pistachios, walnuts, chironji (charoli), chopped dates and figs. If adding lots of dates then you can skip (or reduce) sugar.
    Consistency of sabudana kheer:
    • When it is hot/warm (right after cooking), it should have a pourable (flowing) consistency.
    • As it cools to room temperature, it will thicken more and becomes a pudding-like consistency.
    • If your store it in the fridge, it will thicken even more. So if planning to serve chilled then keep your kheer slightly runny to begin with.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 302IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 248mg | Iron: 1mg
    *Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
    Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.

    Similar Recipes

    • A glass of mango lassi garnished with saffron the pistachios.
      Mango Lassi
    • A glass of mango milkshake topped with chopped pistachios.
      Mango Milkshake
    • Vrat ke aloo chaat recipe | Aloo chaat recipe for fasting
      Vrat Ke Aloo Chaat
    • Singhare ka Halwa
      Singhare Ka Halwa
    1459 shares
    • Facebook1179
    • WhatsApp

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Rita

      September 25, 2019 at 8:41 am

      Hi Kanan ,
      I made the sabudana kheer today for the
      first time for shraad prasad. Since it was
      gyaras and wanted to avoid using rice .
      It turned out awesome !!!! Everybody over
      loved it !!
      The very simple instructions made it less
      Intimidating for me and I was less nervous,
      even though I make kheer all the time and
      am familiar with using sabudana otherwise.
      It simply made my morning 😇5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        September 27, 2019 at 5:39 pm

        yay!! very happy to know that everyone liked it.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Kanan

    Hi, I'm Kanan Patel. I share easy, delicious vegetarian recipes (mostly Indian) and Eggless baking recipes that you can sure count on!

    More about me →

    Indian Spice Box

    Indian Spice Box

    Top Recipes

    • A stack of eggless chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk.
      Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • eggless brownies on parchment paper.
      World’s BEST Eggless Brownies
    • close up top view of shahi paneer in a serving wok on a wooden board
      Punjabi Shahi Paneer (Restaurant Style)
    • Taking a spoonful of chipotle sauce from a bowl with taco plate in the back.
      Chipotle Sauce
    • eggless banana muffins in a basket with parchment paper liner
      Eggless Banana Muffins
    • Frankie Recipe (Bombay Veg Frankie Roll)
      Frankie Recipe (Bombay Veg Frankie Roll)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Kanan
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Nutrition Disclaimer

    Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Resources

    • Conversion Chart
    • Glossary
    • Recipe Index
    • Contact

    As Featured In

    Spice Up The Curry Featured in sites

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Spice Up The Curry