Seviyan, also called sweet vermicelli or vermicelli pudding, is a simple yet delicious dessert that is widely served in the Middle East during festive occasions like Eid. This traditional dessert is made with easy pantry ingredients and cooks on your stove top in 15 minutes.
Next time try this easy milk pudding recipe.
Sweet vermicelli is a warm cozy dessert reminiscent of festive times with my family. Vermicelli is cooked with butter, sugar, water, and your favorite seasonings and flavorings. Top this with your favorite nut assortment, dry fruits or even shredded coconut.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- A traditional dish served in many parts of the world.
- A 15 minute dessert made with easy pantry ingredients.
- Able to change up the flavor by adding your favorite seasonings and spices to the dessert.
- Easy to prepare dessert.
For me, sweet vermicelli is a nostalgic dessert that brings back many sweet memories from my childhood. This is a quick and easy to make dessert.
📝 Ingredients
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📋 Ingredient Notes
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- Thin vermicelli noodles: long like spaghetti are made from maida flour, which is a white flour made from wheat. It is ok to use roasted vermicelli as well.
- Ghee or butter: used as a flavoring as well as to brown the vermicelli.
- Sugar: gives the sweetness to the dessert.
- Ground cinnamon: a common spice to give flavor to the sweet vermicelli.
- Vanilla extract: adds a vanilla flavor to the dessert.
- Cardamom powder: found in many Indian dishes gives a nice earthy flavor.
- Rose or Orange blossom water: a floral or citrus flavoring added to give an extra delicious flavor in many desserts.
🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a heavy bottom pan over medium heat melt butter or ghee.
- Add vermicelli.
- Keep stirring until they turn golden brown.
- Add water, sugar and flavoring of choice and stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce heat until vermicelli is tender and cooked.
- Serve as is or with warm milk garnished with nuts and coconut flakes.
💡 Expert Tips
- It is easier to find regular vermicelli here than the roasted ones. If you can get the roasted one then skip the roasting step but add ghee for flavor.
- Some people like to cook the vermicelli in whole milk instead of water, but I find it easier to cook in water first, then add milk when serving.
- You can serve this vermicelli as is or hot cereal style by adding some warm milk in each serving bowl according to each person's liking.
👩🍳 Variations
- You can use milk instead of water if you choose.
- You can use oil instead of ghee.
- Brown sugar or honey can be used in place of white sugar.
- Top with your favorite dried fruits or assorted nuts.
- Some people use cardamom powder or even cardamom pods for flavor.
🧺 Storage
Store leftover sweet vermicelli in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Check the smell and appearance before eating especially if it has milk.
💬 FAQs
Use oil or vegan butter instead of ghee and simply use any plant based milk such as coconut milk.
This recipe is mostly popular with wheat flour vermicelli, I've never tried it with rice vermicelli before.
📣 More Recipes From the Blog
- This creamy shaabiyat dessert made with puff pastry cups is a family favorite.
- Um Ali, or Ali's mother is an Egyptian dessert you do not want to miss.
- Here is an easy pomegranate dessert made with very simple ingredients.
- Qatayef is a popular Middle Eastern dessert that is often consumed during Ramadan. Fluffy small pancakes filled with cream then drizzled with syrup or honey. Here is another popular version of qatayef filled with nuts and then fried until golden brown.
- Try this Simple Sweet Couscous Recipe next time you need something sweet in just 5 minutes. This couscous recipe is unique and I bet you haven't tried it before.
More Vermicelli Recipes
- Got more vermicelli? try this delicious and easy to follow Lebanese rice recipe, perfect side dish for any Middle Eastern meal. Garnish with fresh herbs or toasted pine nuts to boost flavors.
I hope you'll like this recipe and please if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #amiraspantry — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter!
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Seviyan (Sweet Vermicelli)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry vermicelli noodles
- 1 Tablespoon ghee or butter
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup sugar or to taste
To flavor:
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- rose water or orange blossom water to your liking
Optional garnish:
- Chopped mixed nuts pistachios, almonds and cashews
- Coconut flakes
- Raisins
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat melt ghee, then add vermicelli.
- Keep stirring until they turn golden brown.
- Add water, sugar and flavoring of choice and stir to dissolve sugar.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat until vermicelli is tender and cooked.
- Serve as is or with warm milk garnished with nuts, coconut flakes.
Notes
- It is easier to find regular vermicelli here than the roasted ones. If you can get the roasted one then skip the roasting step but add ghee for flavor.
- You can use oil instead of ghee.
- Some people like to cook the vermicelli in milk instead of water, but I find it easier to cook in water first, then add milk when serving.
- You can serve this vermicelli as is or hot cereal style by adding some warm milk in each serving bowl according to each person's liking.
Nutrition
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First published Apr 2, 2014 . Last updated March 9, 2022 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.
🧕 Story Behind The Recipe
I was born in Saudi Arabia, stayed there for a couple of years and returned to Egypt when I was just 2 years old. Many years later when I was almost 9 my dad went back for work and we stayed back. We used to spend the summer vacations there for many years so I have many sweet memories of being there with lots of friends from different countries - a thing I have never experienced in Egypt. I had friends from India, Pakistan, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq.. you name it. I had friends who did not know how to speak Arabic or English yet we communicated very well!!! I've had friends from many cultures and religions yet we got along .I think kids should teach adults how to live together in harmony.
Many of these sweet memories are related to food. During the month of Ramadan and Eid many dishes were exchanged between the families so we've got an amazing opportunity to have other cuisines in our home. A very simple yet delicious dessert that is widely spread in Iraq and Saudi Arabia is this sweet vermicelli.
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Dinah
How is the milk version of this made? My parents used to make it for us during Ramadan. The Egyptian style. Thanks ❤️
Amira
Hello Dinah,You reminded me of that delicious version with milk.. I miss that. So for the milk version you brown a cup of vermicelli in a couple of tablespoons of butter or oil if you prefer to. Turn heat off and add a half cup of hot milk then cover so the noodles absorb the milk and get tender for like 15 minutes. Pour in another half cup of milk bring everything to a light boil, add sugar and a little vanilla. Turn heat off and enjoy.
Molly
What is this dish called in Iraqi Arabic?
Amira
Molly, thanks for stopping by and checking my recipes. In Arabic this is called حلاوة الشعرية العراقية
I hope this will help.
Molly
No - I don't read the Arabic alphabet . . . yet 🙂 Can you transliterate it into Roman letters?
Amira
I am so sorry, I thought you wanted it in pure Arabic. It is called Halawet el she'reyaa. Hope that will help.
Molly
Yes, thank you!!
Marie
I had to have a go Amira. It looked so delicious!
And it really is, tasty and sweet.
Thanks for sharing such nice and easy recipes. To be true, it's the first time I am trying recipes from a blog I follow! Big change!
Amira
I'm honored that you have chosen one of my recipes as a first 🙂 Thanks Marie and glad you liked it.
Noor
Every Ramadan my mother in law (Saudi) makes a dish kind of like this. It is simple though with just sugar. She makes it not bc it is the best, but bc it reminds of her of her grandma that used to be poor and made it every Ramadan.
Amira
It is a very easy and frugal dessert. I sometimes do this in Ramadan when I am short of desserts :).
Bam's Kitchen
Growing up internationally and moving around opens your eyes up to amazing cultures, languages and friendships. I am so glad my kids have also had this experience. When you ask them where is home, they look kind of puzzled as we have moved around a bit. I guess home is wherever your family is at. I see the wonder influences of your experiences in this sweet vermicelli dish. I would have never thought to put dried fruits in a vermicelli but reading recipe I can see how this is something that I need to try. Take care, BAM
Amira
This is so sweet of you Bam., there is wisdom in your words my friends.
Coffee and Crumpets
Yes, Indian and Pakistan has a sweet version similar to this one. We have one that is a bit more soupy with milk and then a drier version made with sugar syrup. Both are common during Eid. I didn't realise Iraqis had a version too. I know this is incredibly good!
Amira
I love anything noodles 🙂 and vermicelli is no difference. Thanks Nazneen.
Kathy
Too bad adults don't learn these lessons from children. Respecting others differences and cultures are so important for everyone. Being exposed to so many interesting people at such a young age truly is a gift. Your recipe sounds delicious and quite interesting!
Amira
Thanks Kathy, I believe the source of all of today's problems is that people do not try to understand and accept their differences. Too bad really.
Joanne T Ferguson
G'day! What an unusual dish!
Thank you for allowing me to learn something new Amira!
Cheers! Joanne
Amira
Thanks Joanne for your sweet comment.
Liz
Sounds like a lovely childhood, Amira! And these candied noodles with dried fruit sound exquisite!!!
Amira
Thanks Liz, I've had a happy childhood 🙂 I hope my kids will be happy too.
Henna
These look wonderful Amira! It's crazy how foods change a little across the border. In Pakistan and India we have similar sweets made of Vermicelli; in fact I've got both the milk version and a version similar to yours on my blog! 🙂
Your childhood memories sound wonderful. You know, to outsiders it seems as if the Middle East and Saudi Arabia specifically is a place hostile to outsiders, but in all truth it's the very opposite. I lived in the UAE a part of my teenage years, and my encounters with those of different backgrounds sounds very much like yours! 🙂
Amira
This is the difference between kids and adults, kids are willing to understand and accept each other but adults are not and I think this is the cause of today's major problems. About the dish I thought I've seen a Pakistani version with milk too I bet it is a richer one.
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You
Amira: How great is to know that people from different cultures live together in harmony, respecting each other and their differences. This dish sounds amazing! I love to try foods from different ethnicities...I would be happy to eat this one!
Amira
Thanks Denise I hope you'll try this.
John@Kitchen Riffs
In a lot of ways I was so much smarter as a kid than I am now! Sounds like you had a great childhood. Love this dish -- I haven't had it before, and it's so interesting. Love the technique -- you could flavor this almost any way you want! Definitely I'll be trying this -- thanks.
Amira
Hahaha you are still smart john!! Try this dish and you will fall for it I am sure.
BTW: I've tried your rolls It was super super good I am going to comment on it in your blog.
Nami | Just One Cookbook
You have a wonderful childhood experience! I always wished to live in another country growing up (well, now I ended up in another country though). Without the same language it's amazing how we try to understand to each other - mostly we learn to listen. 🙂 Trying out new dishes is a fun part too. I wish I could bring my kids to other parts of the world... you are so lucky! 🙂 I didn't have a chance to eat this dish, but it sounds amazing. I've only tried savory vermicelli dish, so this was a fun surprise!
Amira
We learn to listen ... I love this part of your comment Nami. In the US you do not have to bring your children to other parts of the world!! in USA other parts of the world come to you 🙂 the diversity is huge here. We just need to teach them to accept the differences. Thanks for your sweet comment.
Shady
So Delicious, I love it coconut, powdered sugar and nuts of course:)
Amira
Thanks dear :).