Semiya Payasam (Vermicelli Kheer) is a classic Indian dessert made with vermicelli (seviyan), milk, sugar, nuts, and cardamom in under 20 minutes. You can serve this sweet hot, warm, or chilled. People prepare this vermicelli pudding during Indian festivals, Christmas, and special occasions like weddings, anniversaries, and birthday parties.
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Semiya Payasam (Vermicelli Kheer)
Semiya Payasam, also known as vermicelli kheer (seviyan kheer, vermicelli payasam, shevayachi kheer, shevai doodhpak, or creamy Indian style pudding), is a cardamom-flavored, milk-based Indian sweet recipe. Seviyan, or vermicelli, refers to a very thin type of noodles made from wheat, rice, semolina, or even millets. Kheer, or payasam, is one of the most popular and loved sweets made during almost all Indian festivals and special occasions, as it takes less than 20 minutes to make. Milk, ghee, and jaggery or sugar represent prosperity, sweetness, and purity in traditional rituals like Navratri, Varalakshmi, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc.
Are semiya payasam, vermicelli kheer, and seviyan kheer the same?
Semiya Payasam is a South Indian term, and Vermicelli kheer is commonly used in North India. Both are the same dessert, with minor ingredient preferences, such as adding nuts. Vermicelli is an English name. It is called semiya in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Sevai in Hindi, Shavige in Kannada, Shevai in Marathi, and Konkani.
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Also check out Navratri fasting recipes, Gowri Ganesh Chaturthi recipes, Janmashtami recipes, Eid special recipes, Christmas holiday dessert ideas, the best Indian desserts and traditional sweets for festivals, and easy Diwali sweets.
Why you'll love this recipe?
- Quick and easy- ready in under 20 minutes.
- Minimal ingredients - all pantry staples.
- Festival favorite- perfect for Diwali, Holi, Pongal, Eid, Navratri, Christmas, and Birthdays.
- Customizable - can be easily made vegan and gluten-free.
Which vermicelli is good for kheer?
- Pre-roasted thin wheat vermicelli is the best choice for making payasam or kheer. It absorbs milk well, cooks faster, and doesn't turn mushy.
- Nylon vermicelli is super fine and often used in desserts like sheer khurma.
- For a gluten-free version, you can use red rice, ragi, or millet vermicelli.
- In India, brands like MTR and Bambino are very popular. You can find red rice vermicelli in stores like Aldi. Different brands label it as Roasted Seviyan, Vermicelli Semiya, Sevaiya, Sevai, Semoi, Sewai, Sevian, etc. All are the same.
Ingredients
Vermicelli: Use pre-roasted semiya, red rice, or regular rice vermicelli, ragi, or even other millet noodles. If using non-roasted vermicelli, roast it to get a nutty taste and traditional texture.
Ghee: Adds richness and aroma.
Milk: Whole milk gives the creamiest payasam. For vegan vermicelli kheer, use almond milk or coconut milk.
Sugar: Used as a sweetener. Adjust according to taste.
Flavorings: Cardamom and/or saffron.
Nuts: Almonds, cashews, pistachios, or raisins.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make vermicelli kheer?
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan. Add cashews and sauté until golden. Add raisins and sauté for a few more seconds. Transfer it to a plate.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add roasted vermicelli and sauté for a few seconds.
- Add whole milk and bring the roasted vermicelli to a boil on medium-low flame. Stir often to prevent burning on the bottom. Scrape the sides and put it back in the kheer. This will make it richer and creamier.
- Continue cooking until the vermicelli softens and is cooked through.
- Add sugar and mix well until dissolved.
- Add cardamom and/or saffron and roasted nuts, and mix well. Switch off the flame.
Tips
- You can also add almonds and pistachios.
- For runny payasam, use 5 cups of milk.
- Use wheat, semolina, rice, or millet vermicelli.
- For a rich kheer, use full-fat milk. This kheer thickens as it cools down. You can thin it down with milk to keep the richness, or else use water. In either case, adjust the sugar accordingly.
- Whole milk makes this dessert rich. But you can also use skim milk or fat-free or low-fat milk.
- Cooking time for semiya or seviyan varies by brand. Check the package instructions
- To make kheer vegan, sauté nuts in vegan butter and use dairy-free milk like almond, soy, or coconut.
Variations
Coconut milk kheer- Instead of whole milk, use coconut milk. The payasam will have classic South Indian flavor and will also be good for a vegan diet.
Dry fruit-loaded payasam- Add more nuts like almonds, pistachios, figs, and dates for extra crunch.
Jaggery semiya payasam- Use grated jaggery or jaggery syrup instead of sugar for traditional earthy flavor and sweetness.
How to serve vermicelli kheer?
You can serve Semiya Payasam hot, warm, or cold. It tastes great anyway. You can garnish with more nuts before serving, if desired. This kheer, or payasam, is popularly prepared during Indian festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Eid, Onam, Raksha Bandhan, Navratri, Ugadi, and Special occasions and family gatherings. Also, whenever you have a sweet craving, you can prepare this dessert easily, as it needs only basic kitchen ingredients.
How to store semiya payasam?
Since this is a milk-based dessert, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. You can reheat the payasam or kheer on very low heat if you want to serve it hot or warm. Make sure to thin it with water or milk, as kheer thickens when refrigerated.
You can also make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just adjust the consistency, as it thickens a lot in the fridge.
How to prepare non-roasted vermicelli for kheer?
Heat tablespoon of ghee in a pan. Add vermicelli or semiya and roast on medium flame until light golden and aromatic. Keep stirring so you don't burn it.
How do I prevent vermicelli kheer from becoming too thick?
To avoid the kheer from becoming thick, turn off the gas while the kheer is still runny. It thickens as the noodles absorb milk as it cools. You can thin down the kheer again by adding milk or water.
Recipe FAQs
Some variations of payasam or kheer use condensed milk, making your dish richer and creamier. But if you want to make a traditional Indian kheer dessert, use milk.
Yes. You can use rice vermicelli to make kheer. It's also a good option for a gluten-free diet.
Yes. You can make it without roasting vermicelli, but your kheer will become mushy and sticky. Also, you'll miss the signature nutty flavor if you skip this step. To avoid this, try to buy pre-roasted vermicelli.
Yes, you can make this kheer without sugar. Substitute it with jaggery, dates, or even plant-based sugar substitutes.
Kheer is rich and creamy sweetened milk with vermicelli flavored with saffron and cardamom and garnished with nuts.
More Indian Kheer and Payasam
Recipe card
Semiya Payasam (Vermicelli Kheer) | Easy Indian Dessert
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- ½ cup Vermicelli (60g) pre-roasted semiya
- 2 tablespoon Ghee divided
- 3 ½ to 4 cups Whole Milk
- ¼ cup Sugar additional 1 to 2 tablespoon only if needed, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 8 to 10 strands Saffron optional
- 2 tablespoon Cashews , chopped (you can substitute it with almonds, pistachios)
- 1 tablespoon Raisins
Instructions
How to make vermicelli kheer?
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan. Add cashews and sauté until golden. Add raisins and sauté for a few more seconds. Transfer it to a plate.2 tbsp Ghee, 2 tbsp Cashews , 1 tbsp Raisins
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add roasted vermicelli and sauté for a few seconds.2 tbsp Ghee, ½ cup Vermicelli (60g)
- Add whole milk and bring the roasted vermicelli to a boil on medium-low flame. Stir often to prevent burning on the bottom. Scrape the sides and put it back in the kheer. This will make it richer and creamier.3 ½ to 4 cups Whole Milk
- Continue cooking until the vermicelli softens and is cooked through.
- Add sugar and mix well until dissolved.¼ cup Sugar
- Add cardamom and/or saffron and roasted nuts, and mix well. Switch off the flame.½ tsp Cardamom powder, 8 to 10 strands Saffron
Semiya Payasam Instant Pot
- Even before you start, make sure your Instant Pot is clean and dry to avoid milk from curdling. Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter to the steel insert. When it melts, add cashews, raisins and saute till it turns light golden. Transfer this to plate.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter, add vermicelli, and simply fry for 30 seconds.
- Add 3 cups milk, sugar, cardamom powder, saffron. Press cancel and stir well. Close IP with lid and pressure valve should be in sealing position.
- Press the porridge button and set the timer to 6 minutes. Wait for the pressure to release naturally for 6 minutes then manually release.
- Simmer on sauté mode if you feel the kheer is runny and cook for another 2 minutes. Remember this kheer thickens as it cools down so do not thicken it a lot here.
Video
Notes
-
Use pre-roasted semiya, red rice, or regular rice vermicelli, ragi, or even other millet noodles. If using non-roasted vermicelli, roast it to get a nutty taste and traditional texture.
-
You can also add almonds and pistachios.
- For runny payasam, use 5 cups of milk. Adjust the milk based on the consistency you like for your kheer.
- Use wheat, semolina, rice, or millet vermicelli.
- For a rich kheer, use full-fat milk. This kheer thickens as it cools down. You can thin it down with milk to keep the richness, or else use water. In either case, adjust the sugar accordingly.
- Whole milk makes this dessert rich. But you can also use skim milk or fat-free or low-fat milk.
- Cooking time for semiya or seviyan varies by brand. Check the package instructions
- To make kheer vegan, sauté nuts in vegan butter and use dairy-free milk like almond, soy, or coconut.
Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this recipe for vermicelli kheer in Aug 2016. It has now been modified in Aug 2026 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
Mary K Stallings says
I'm normally the laziest chef but even I could pull it together for a 20 minute dish this delish looking! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Kuntala says
Oh wow! That looks absolutely deliciuos! I have never had anything like that before, and I can't wait to try it!
Pati Robins says
i really want to try this recipe , i think Indian food and snacks are so full of flavor , we are a big fans
Cristina Petrini says
Can you believe that I've never tasted red rice? I could start doing this by starting with trying your recipe!
Elizabeth O says
What an amazing looking dish! I can't say that I've ever seen this before. I have to try it. It seems like it would be so good!