With the nutrition of veggies, the flavours of the spices, the irresistible aroma and the soft buttery pav to accompany….. here is the insanely delicious Pav Bhaji recipe that comes to impress you in no time! Street food doesn’t get better than this! This pav bhaji recipe is spicy and flavourful and can be easily made vegan by replacing butter with vegan butter. It is a super easy one-pot dish that packs with flavours and the nutrition the vegetables contribute.

Table of Contents:

1. About the recipe

2. Ingredients

3. Step-by-step method

4. Tips

1. About the recipe

My kids are not very demanding when it comes to food, and enjoy whatever I make. But sometimes or the other they insist on some Indian Street Style food and when it happens how can I not make it for them. Recently, I made this Mumbai Style Pav Bhaji on our Sunday Lunch, which we enjoyed thoroughly.

I have never met anyone who doesn’t like this dish. It’s so good and tasty, how can you not love it?

The best part of this recipe is it comes together in less than 30 minutes. All thanks to the instant pot and pressure cooker. Special Bhaji Masala is a blend of spices like coriander, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon, amchoor powder and more but you can get this masala easily at any Indian Store. 

What is so special about Pav Bhaji 

• Easy, delicious and Nutritious
• Needs only a few basic ingredients
• Vegetarian 
• It can be turned into Vegan, too.
• You can double it or triple it as per your requirement.
• Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.

Let’s start cooking!

  Serving Suggestions: 3 to 4 

  Preparation time: 20 minutes 

  Cooking time: 30 minutes 

2. Ingredients 

       For the Bhaji 

• 1 onion chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 4 medium-sized potatoes(washed, peeled and chopped)
• ½ cup green peas ( frozen or fresh)
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1 green bell pepper chopped 
• 3 to 4 tomatoes chopped
• 2 tablespoons of pav bhaji masala 
• 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 onion chopped for garnish 
• Coriander leaves chopped for garnish 
• Green chillies chopped for garnish
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter
• Sliced lemon 

     For Pav 

• 8 to 10 pav or dinner rolls 
• Butter 
• Pav bhaji masala to sprinkle 

3. Step by Step method 

• Heat a pressure cooker or deep pan on medium flame and add butter to it.
• Now add chopped onions and half of the chopped green chillies. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame or until soft and translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a few seconds.
• Add chopped tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
• Next add all the chopped vegetables ( potatoes, capsicum, cauliflower and green peas).
• Mix everything very well.
• Next, add in the pav bhaji masala, Kashmiri red chilli powder, along with salt and mix everything very well.
• Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of water to the vegetables.
• Cover the pot or pressure cooker on high flame. After the first whistle, lower the flame and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• When the cooking time is complete, let it naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes. Once the pressure settles down, open the lid.
• Now, with the help of a masher, mash the vegetables. You can add a little water at this stage.
• Check the seasoning and add salt if required. Cook the bhaji for 3 to 4 minutes on low flame.
• Turn it off.
• Add chopped coriander leaves, lime juice and butter if desired.
• To toast the pav, melt butter in a pan. Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala on top of the butter and then place the buns on the pan.
• Press to toast the pav until crisp and golden from both sides.
• Top the bhaji with a dollop of butter. Serve with buttered pav or dinner rolls along with some onions, chopped green chillies and a slice of lime.

 4. Tips

• You can use vegetables of your choice.
• Broccoli, Carrots, and Sweet Corn are very good options for this recipe.
• Pav bread is easily available at Indian grocery stores, but If you can’t find pav and don’t want to make it either, here are your options.  Regular Burger Buns, Dinner Rolls, Hawaiian dinner rolls
• Use lots of butter in your bhaji.
• Garnish with lots of coriander leaves.
• A generous squeeze of lemon juice is a must before serving.
• When toasting the pav add a pinch of pav bhaji masala to the butter and then toast the pav.