A three ingredients Indian sweet that is super easy to make and can be done quickly without really having to cook.
Sago Peanut Ladoo, as the name says, is made from sabudana (tapioca pearls), peanuts, and jaggery. A no-fuss recipe that is perfect as a festival sweet or a mid-day snack.
Indian cuisine has a vast variety of desserts that are made from different ingredients ranging from grains, lentils, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts! It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Indians can turn any ingredient into a sweet dish in unique ways. I mean it!
Although there are so many different types of ladoo and halwa that are made especially on fasting days like Mahashivratri, Navratri, trying a new recipe is always exciting, isn’t it? Especially when it ticks all the boxes? After all, sabudana is indeed a go-to ingredient on such days.
If you are looking for a new sweet recipe for this festival or want to quickly make a sweet, try these fuss-free sago/sabudana peanut ladoo. They are perfect for your fast days or as a mid-day energy booster after a long meeting or for your child’s snack box!
And the best part? They can be done in around 30 minutes! A little longer than my 15 minutes Badam Halwa, but not too long either. 😉
What is Sabudana Peanut Ladoo/Laddu?
Ladoo or Laddu or Laadu is basically a round-shaped Indian sweet. There are many types of ladoos that are made from different ingredients.
Sabudana Peanut Ladoo is a variety of ladoo that is made mainly from tapioca pearls (known as Sabudana in Hindi), peanuts/ groundnuts, jaggery, and ghee/coconut oil. Jaggery is unrefined cane sugar. Optionally, sesame seeds, cardamom are also used.
This ladoo needs no cooking! Apart from dry roasting the tapioca pearls, peanuts, and sesame seeds, there is absolutely no need to turn on the stove. The dry roasting part can also be done in an oven for hands-free prep work.
Based on the ingredients used, it can be called Vrat ki ladoo or Upwas ki ladoo as well. These ladoos provide instant energy boost which is essential after fast or tiresome activities.
Ingredients Required
Sago or Tapioca Pearls-
Also known as Sabudana in Hindi, Seeme akki, or Sabbakki in Kannada. The starch from the roots of tapioca is extracted and further processed into these pearls. You can use small or big (normal) sized tapioca pearls for this recipe.
Peanuts-
You can use raw peanuts with or without skin. If you can get pre-roasted peanuts, go ahead and use those. I have used raw peanuts with skin and dry roasted them. Since sago is high in carbohydrates, the protein and good fat in peanuts balance the high carbs.
Jaggery-
I used jaggery cubes and cut them into small pieces. We would be using a mixer/blender to make fine and sticky jaggery powder. If you can get powdered jaggery, feel free to use it. However, it also has to be blended to get the moisture from it released. Since we are not making jaggery syrup, this method helps to bind the ladoos.
Since I was sure that the jaggery I am using does not contain impurities, I used the blended powder directly.
In case you are unsure, I would suggest you melt the jaggery cubes in a minimal amount of water (mind the quantity). Then strain it and mix it with the powdered sago and peanuts mixture.
Sesame seeds-
These are totally optional. I added these for nutritional aspects and also for the nutty flavour that is released on toasting these.
Cardamom-
I used the cardamom seeds and blended them along with other ingredients. You can either crush the seeds and use them or directly use store-bought cardamom powder. They are so aromatic.
Ghee-
It is not mandatory to use ghee. The reason I used it was for binding. However, if you can manage to bind the ladoos without adding ghee, you can skip it. Melted coconut oil can be used in place of ghee for a vegan version.
How to make Sabudana Peanut Ladoo: Step-by-Step with Pictures
Step 1:
Heat a pan. Add in 1 cup sabudana/sago and dry roast them until all the pearls have turned solid white in color. It is okay if they turn slightly golden brown also. Transfer these onto a plate and let them cool down.
Step 2:
In the same pan, dry roast 1/2 (up to 3/4 cup) peanuts with skin. Roast until you see dark brown/blackish spots on them which indicate they have turned crispy. Skip this step if you are using pre-roasted peanuts. Transfer them onto the plate and let them cool down.
Step 3:
Toast 2 tbsp sesame seeds, if using. Let the heat be on low-medium to enable them from turning golden brown without burning them. Transfer these also onto the plate and let them cool down.
Step 4:
Meanwhile, cut jaggery cubes into smaller pieces. I used nearly one cup, but the quantity can be reduced. Skip this step if you are using powdered jaggery.
Step 5:
Once tapioca pearls, peanuts and sesame seeds are cooled down, transfer them into a mixer jar along with cardamom seeds. Blend the ingredients well until the oil from the peanuts and sesame seeds start to release making the mixture slightly sticky. When you press the mixture, it should hold its shape.
Transfer the mixture into a bowl.
Step 6:
Add in the jaggery pieces or jaggery powder into the mixer jar and blend or pulse until it gets slightly sticky. Again, it should hold its shape when you press the powder.
Transfer this also to the bowl.
Step 7:
Add in 1 tbsp melted ghee into the bowl and mix all the ingredients really well. If you find it hard to mix, you can transfer back everything to the mixer jar and pulse a few times.
You should now be easily able to shape this into balls. If it is not holding its shape, add more ghee.
Step 8:
Take small portions of the mixture and shape it into ladoos by gently pressing it with your hand. You can grease your hand with ghee while shaping.
Continue the same procedure to make the rest of the ladoos.
Serve immediately or store them in an air-tight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these ladoos gluten-free?
Yes, they are totally gluten-free.
Are these vegan?
They are not, if you use ghee. But you can easily use melted coconut oil instead and make them vegan.
How long do the ladoos stay good?
They will stay good without refrigeration (in an air-tight container) up to a week for sure. Upon refrigeration, they will stay good for longer, but can turn harder.
Can I use milk instead of ghee for binding?
Yes, you can. But, the ladoos will turn bad soon if you use milk.
Can dates be used instead of jaggery?
Yes, definitely. Use soft seedless dates, in that case, chopping them into smaller pieces. Once the sabudana, peanuts, and sesame seeds are powdered, add chopped dates directly into the mixer and blend them all together until they form a sticky mixture.
Recipe Card
For a stepwise description with pictures, please refer above.
Sago/Sabudana Peanut Ladoo
Ingredients
Note: 1 cup = 250 ml
- 1 cup tapioca pearls - also known as sago or sabudana
- 1/2 cup peanuts - can use up to 3/4 cup
- 1 cup jaggery - nearly 200 g, adjust quantity as per your taste
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds - optional
- 1 tbsp ghee - melted (use melted coconut oil for vegan)
- 1/2 tsp cardamom - optional
Instructions
- Heat a pan. Add in 1 cup sabudana/sago and dry roast them until all the pearls have turned solid white in color. It is okay if they turn slightly golden brown also. Transfer these onto a plate and let them cool down.
- In the same pan, dry roast 1/2 to 3/4 cup peanuts with skin. Roast them until you see dark brown/blackish spots on them which indicate they have turned crispy. Skip this step if you are using pre-roasted peanuts. Transfer them onto the plate and let them cool down.
- Toast 2 tbsp sesame seeds, if using. Let the heat be on low-medium to enable them from turning golden brown without burning them. Transfer these also onto the plate and let them cool down.
- Meanwhile, cut jaggery cubes into smaller pieces. I used nearly one cup, but the quantity can be reduced. Skip this step if you are using powdered jaggery.
- Once tapioca pearls, peanuts and sesame seeds are cooled down, transfer them into a mixer jar along with cardamom seeds. Blend the ingredients well until the oil from the peanuts and sesame seeds start to release making the mixture slightly sticky. When you press the mixture, it should hold its shape. Transfer the mixture into a bowl.
- Add in the jaggery pieces or jaggery powder to the mixer jar and blend or pulse until it gets slightly sticky. Again, it should hold its shape when you press the powder. Transfer this also to the bowl.
- Add in 1tbsp melted ghee into the bowl and mix all the ingredients really well. If you find it hard, you can transfer back everything to the mixer jar and pulse a few times.
- You should now be easily able to shape this into balls. If it is not holding its shape, add more ghee.
- Take small portions of the mixture and shape it into ladoos by gently pressing it with your hand. You can grease your hand with ghee while shaping. Continue the same procedure to make rest of the ladoos. Serve immediately or store them in an air-tight container.
Notes
- You can use small sized sabudana as well.
- Increase or decrease the quantity of jaggery as per your taste. This measure was sweet enough for us.Â
- The nutrition values displayed are a rough estimate only. If you want to be sure, please use your trusted nutrition calculator.Â
Nutrition
Possible Variations
Using dried fruits and nuts
You can toast raisins, chopped almonds, cashews, pistachios in ghee or coconut oil and mix these in the ground mixture.
Alternatively, you can dry roast the nuts & powder them along with the other ingredients.
Addition of dry coconut
You can use dry grated coconut also. Just toast them on a hot pan until they turn slightly golden brown. Mix them into the ground mixture before shaping into ladoos.
I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed preparing it and writing it down for you all. 🙂
If you have any questions about the recipe, kindly post them below under comments.
If you try this recipe, do take a minute to rate the recipe and post your feedback under the comments section below or share the pictures with me personally on Instagram / Facebook.
I would love to see your recipe recreations. 🙂