Persian Halva Recipe

~ Plant-Based Persian
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An easy recipe for Persian Halva, a traditional vegan dessert made of fried flour and rose water syrup.

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Why You’ll Love Persian Halva

  • Halva (also spelled Halvah) is a confectioner sweet found in many variations in different cultures. The Israeli Halvah is tahini- based and often served as a snack or for breakfast. Persian Halva is a dessert of fried flour and rose water syrup.
  • Halva is traditionally vegan, made with oil instead of butter.
  • Persian cooking is a labor of love, and my grandmother was the epitome of selflessness and love. She enjoyed cooking for her family, and she regularly made Persian Halva. Only later, when I made Halva myself, did I realize what arm strength it requires! It requires mixing constantly and quickly flour in oil for up to 20-30 minutes until the correct color and consistency are reached.
  • Persian Halva is delicious with a cup of Persian tea, called chaie.

Ingredients/Equipment Notes

To make this delicious Persian Halva, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements are in the recipe card below):

  • sugar
  • rosewater – you can get this at the Persian or Indian store or even Amazon.
  • ground saffron
  • ground cardamom
  • oil 
  • all-purpose flour
  • crushed pistachios for garnish

You will also need the following equipment:

How to Make the Best Persian Halva

  • Prepare the rosewater syrup. First, add the water and the sugar to a medium pot on medium/high heat. 
  • Add the rosewater, ground saffron, and ground cardamom.
  • Bring to a simmer and stir continuously until sugar is dissolved. 
  • Set aside. If needed, put through a sieve to remove larger saffron threads. 
  • Add oil to a large pan on medium/high heat.
  • Once the oil is hot, add the flour and mix continuously until the flour has thickened and changed color. 
  • Once the flour has darkened, add the rosewater syrup. Stir quickly and continuously until the syrup is fully absorbed.  
  • Place the Halva on a plate, and let cool for 10 minutes. Use cookie cutters, if desired, to make individual servings.
  • Garnish with crushed pistachios. 

How to Serve Persian Halva

Persian Halva is delicious served with a cup of Persian tea called chaie. Halva is traditionally served for funerals, memorials, and other ceremonial events. It is one of my favorite desserts and you can use small pastry cutters to serve your Persian Halva bite size. For more Persian desserts, see these other recipes also on the blog:

Recipe Tips

  • This Persian Halva recipe is fairly simple, but requires careful and quick mixing to prevent the flour from burning. It requires quick mixing on the stove for up to 30 minutes so find a sous chef to help!

Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag us on Instagram @plant_basedpersian or share it on Pinterest!

“Where there is love, nothing is too much trouble and there is always time.” – Abdul-Baha

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Vegan Persian Halva

Persian Halva

  • Author: Plant-Based Persian
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

A fried flour and rosewater Persian dessert

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup rosewater
  • 1/2 tsp ground saffron
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 cup oil
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ground pistachio for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the rosewater syrup. First, add the water and the sugar to a medium pot on medium/high heat. 
  2. Add the rosewater, ground saffron, and ground cardamom.
  3. Bring to a simmer and stir continuously until sugar is dissolved. 
  4. Set aside. If needed, put through a sieve to remove larger saffron threads. 
  5. Add oil to a large pan on medium/high heat.
  6. Once the oil is hot, add the flour and mix continuously until the flour has thickened and changed color. 
  7. Once the flour has darkened, add the rosewater syrup. Stir quickly and continuously until the syrup is fully absorbed.  
  8. Place the Halva on a plate, and let cool for 10 minutes. Use cookie cutters, if desired, to make individual servings.
  9. Garnish with crushed pistachios. 

Notes

Have patience as Persian Halva can require up to 30 minutes of stirring on the stove to reach the right brown color and consistency. 

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Persian/Iranian