Craving Pav Bhaji? This one pot recipe brings real Mumbai flavor with both Instant Pot and stovetop methods. I am sharing easy steps, expert tips, a secret ingredient that street side vendors use and fixes for common mistakes included!
Pav Bhaji is a popular street food from Mumbai made of a spicy, buttery mix of mashed vegetables served with soft, toasted bread rolls called pav.
Growing up in Mumbai, Pav Bhaji was one my favorites. Just the aroma of the buttery pav and spicy bhaji from the streets called my name, however my fondest memories of enjoy Pav bhaji are from Shiv Sagar. It was a special part of childhood.
This recipe brings that same authentic Mumbai street flavor right to your kitchen. Whether you use the Instant Pot for a quick fix or the stovetop for the classic touch, I’ve shared all my best tips so you can make pav bhaji that tastes just like the real thing.
- Ingredient Notes
- How to make Pav Bhaji in Instant Pot
- How to make Pav Bhaji on Stove Top
- Anvita’s Top Tip
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- More street foods of India
- Authentic Mumbai Pav Bhaji (Instant Pot & Stove Top)
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and quantities is in the recipe card. Here are just some of my personal ingredient notes for you.
- Vegetables : Potatoes, cauliflower, green bell peppers, carrots , peas. Try to use freshly cut veggies rather than the frozen veggies for a more authentic taste. If you don’t have all the veggies use what you have but potatoes are an essential.
- Tomatoes : Use ripe red juicy tomatoes. When I am crunched on time, I have also used tomato paste or a plain marinara sauce and trust me nobody will even know they were used.
- Onions : Red and yellow, either are fine.
- Ginger & Garlic : I recommend using fresh ginger garlic rather than the store bought simply because it will not be as potent in flavor.
- Pav Bhaji Masala : My top two picks are MDH or Everest.
- Beetroot: This is the secret ingredient the street vendors use for that rich color. This when used in the right proportion will give you that perfect color that is served on Mumbai streets.
- Butter: If you have access to Amul Butter, that would be my first preference atleast for this recipe, or else any butter is fine.
- Pav: Making Pav at home is super easy, check out our Ladi Pav recipe .
How to make Pav Bhaji in Instant Pot
- Preparation : Soak Red Chillies for atleast 20-30 mins. While these soak chop the vegetables. Bigger chunks or finely diced, doesn’t matter as it will all be mashed in the end. Garlic Paste: Blend some garlic cloves with water to make a paste.
- Turn on Saute mode. Add some oil and allow it to heat.
- One hot, add butter and allow it to melt. Then add the cumin seeds, and allow them to splutter.
- Next add the onions and saute until golden brown.
- Then add the garlic paste and chilli paste and stir util aromatic.
- Add some red kashmiri chili powder, it will help give a nice color, followed by ginger paste. stir until aromatic.
- Next add the tomatoes followed by salt and cook until they soften.
- Add the pav bhaji masala, followed by potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, peas and beet. Stir them all into the onion tomato mixture.
- Add water and close the lid and pressure on normal for 10 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.
- Once done, using a masher mash the bhaji into a consistency you like.
- Prepare the tempering by heating some oil and butter. Add the garlic paste and cook until aromatic. Lastly add the kashmiri red chilli powder, stir and pour the tempering on the bhaji. Garnish with cilantro.
- Serve hot with a dollop of butter & butter toasted Pav.
How to make Pav Bhaji on Stove Top
For those of you who don’t have an Instant Pot, it’s very easy to make this on your stove top.
- Everything remains the same except, step no 8 where you will add water to your wok, cover and cook the until soft. This will take about 20 minutes. Once done, follow steps 9 and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes followed by step 10.
Anvita’s Top Tip
- I always make sure to cook the masala well. Half-cooked masala makes bhaji taste raw.
- I don’t mash too much. You want the bhaji smooth but not gluey.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | What Happens | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Veggies not soft | Bhaji will be lumpy | Boil properly or pressure cook |
| Didn’t use butter | You will miss the street side flavor | Add at least a spoon of butter |
| Too much water | Thin, watery curry | Simmer longer till thick |
| Raw tomatoes | Sour taste | Cook them till soft & oily |
| Over-mashing | Sticky bhaji | Mash gently, leave some pieces |
More street foods of India
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Easy Vada Pav Sliders: The Ultimate Party Snack!
- Authentic Bombay Sandwich Recipe
- Air Fryer Punjabi Samosa Recipe
- Aloo Tikki
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 3-4 juicy tomatoes, chopped
- 1 capsicum, chopped
- 10 cauliflower florets
- 1 carrot chopped
- ¼ beetroot, chopped
- ¾ cup peas
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 5 garlic cloves
- 3 whole red chillies
- 2 teaspoon kashimiri red chili powder
- 2 tablespoon pav bhaji masala
- 1.5 cups water
- salt to taste
- cilantro to garnish
- lemon wedge
- For Tadka
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon kashmiri red chili powder
Instructions
- Preparation: Soak Red Chillies for atleast 20-30 mins. While these soak chop the vegetables. Bigger chunks or finely diced, doesn’t matter as it will all be mashed in the end. Garlic Paste: Blend some garlic cloves with a tablespoon water to make a paste. Red Chilli Paste : Blend the soaked rec chillies with a couple tablespoon of water.
- Turn on Saute mode. Add some oil and allow it to heat.
- One hot, add butter and allow it to melt. Then add the cumin seeds, and allow them to splutter.
- Next add the onions and saute until golden brown.
- Then add the garlic paste and chilli paste and stir util aromatic.
- Add some red kashmiri chili powder, it will help give a nice color, followed by ginger paste. stir until aromatic.
- Next add the tomatoes followed by salt and cook until they soften.
- Add the pav bhaji masala, followed by potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, peas and beet. Stir them all into the onion tomato mixture.
- Add water and close the lid and pressure on normal for 10 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.
- Once done, using a masher mash the bhaji into a consistency you like.
- Prepare the tempering by heating some oil and butter. Add the garlic paste and cook until aromatic.
- Lastly add the kashmiri red chilli powder, stir and pour the tempering on the bhaji. Garnish with cilantro.
- Serve hot with a dollop of butter & butter toasted Pav.
Video
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 3-4 juicy tomatoes, chopped
- 1 capsicum, chopped
- 10 cauliflower florets
- 1 carrot chopped
- ¼ beetroot, chopped
- ¾ cup peas
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 5 garlic cloves
- 3 whole red chillies
- 2 teaspoon kashimiri red chili powder
- 2 tablespoon pav bhaji masala
- 1.5 cups water
- salt to taste
- cilantro to garnish
- lemon wedge
- For Tadka
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon kashmiri red chili powder
Instructions
- Preparation: Soak Red Chillies for atleast 20-30 mins. While these soak chop the vegetables. Bigger chunks or finely diced, doesn’t matter as it will all be mashed in the end. Garlic Paste: Blend some garlic cloves with a tablespoon water to make a paste. Red Chilli Paste : Blend the soaked rec chillies with a couple tablespoon of water.
- Turn on Saute mode. Add some oil and allow it to heat.
- One hot, add butter and allow it to melt. Then add the cumin seeds, and allow them to splutter.
- Next add the onions and saute until golden brown.
- Then add the garlic paste and chilli paste and stir util aromatic.
- Add some red kashmiri chili powder, it will help give a nice color, followed by ginger paste. stir until aromatic.
- Next add the tomatoes followed by salt and cook until they soften.
- Add the pav bhaji masala, followed by potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, peas and beet. Stir them all into the onion tomato mixture.
- Add water and close the lid and pressure on normal for 10 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.
- Once done, using a masher mash the bhaji into a consistency you like.
- Prepare the tempering by heating some oil and butter. Add the garlic paste and cook until aromatic.
- Lastly add the kashmiri red chilli powder, stir and pour the tempering on the bhaji. Garnish with cilantro.
- Serve hot with a dollop of butter & butter toasted Pav.
