Pav Bhaji is popular Indian street food where soft dinner rolls/buns are served with spicy mashed veggies topped with dollop of butter. The bhaji (aka the mashed vegetables) is prepared with potatoes, cauliflower, carrots etc. and flavored with a special blend of spices known as pav bhaji masala. I love eating mine with lots of chopped onions and a good squeeze of lemon juice on top.
What makes good pav bhaji
Indian street food is my favorite kind of food. I can survive on eating spicy vada pav or my favorite samosa chaat and not get bored of it. Ever since I can remember, I have been a huge pav bhaji fan (and I will always be)! You can find it pretty much everywhere in India but if you want to taste the best pav bhaji, go to Mumbai!
That’s where this dish originated from and the one at Juhu Beach is so good, trust me! I ate pav bhaji all my life but I can still not forget the one I had in Mumbai. The flavors still feel fresh in my mouth.
A key to a good pav bhaji lies in the spice mix aka pav bhaji masala that’s used to flavor this dish. I love the one I make at home (you can find the recipe below). There are few other things that I swear about that are crucial to a good pav bhaji!
- Using lots of butter is essential in this recipe, I never serve mine without a dollop of butter on top.
- A generous squeeze of lemon juice before serving adds that pop of freshness to the bhaji.
- If possible, use fresh ginger-garlic paste in the recipe. I have made/tested this recipe with store-bought ginger garlic paste as well, and though it works okay, the aroma and flavor fresh ginger and garlic impart to the bhaji is unmatched.
- And finally enjoy it with lots of chopped onions and cilantro on top!
What goes in pav bhaji
There are 2 parts to this recipe – the pav and the bhaji.
Ingredients for The Bhaji (other than basic staples like onion, tomato, ginger, garlic & green chili).
- Vegetables: bhaji is made with mixed vegetables and the most commonly used vegetables in pav bhaji are potatoes, cauliflower, green pepper, peas. Carrots, beets, beans are also commonly used.
- Pav bhaji masala: the main flavor in the bhaji comes from a special blend of spices known as pav bhaji masala. You can either get it from Indian grocery store (I like Everest) or make it at home (see recipe below).
The Pav: is basically eggless dinner rolls. You can find them at Indian grocery stores or you can also make them at home following the my recipe for homemade pav. If you can’t find pav and don’t want to make them at home either, here are your options:
- Regular burger buns
- Dinner rolls
- Hawaiian dinner rolls
How to make pav bhaji masala (homemade recipe)
You can get this masala easily at any Indian store. It’s a blend of spices like coriander, cumin seeds, fennel, cinnamon, amchur (dried mango powder) and more. I prefer Everest brand of pav bhaji masala, but you may use whatever you like!
To make pav bhaji masala, you would need:
- 4 tablespoons coriander seeds (20 grams)
- 2 tablespoon cumin seeds (18 grams)
- 5 dried red chilies (3-4 grams), adjust to taste
- 8 cloves
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (9 grams)
- 3 black cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick, around 2 inches
- 1.5 teaspoon turmeric powder (6 grams)
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper (6 grams)
- 1.5 tablespoon amchur (18 grams)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (1 gram)
- 2 teaspoon black salt (12 grams)
Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, cloves, fennel seeds, black cardamom and cinnamon stick in a pan on medium heat until fragrant, around 3 to 4 minutes.
Let it cool and then transfer spices to a spice grinder. Stir turmeric powder, ground black pepper, amchur, ground ginger and black salt.
Grind until powdered and well combined. Store pav bhaji masala in an airtight container at room temperature and use as required. This makes around 100 grams of pav bhaji masala.
Let’s Make Pav Bhaji
- Cook the vegetables and start working on the masala base
I like using potatoes, cauliflower, peppers and peas in my bhaji. You can also use carrots, beetroots, beans. For the masala base, sauté some cumin seeds along with onions first, I like using butter here for more flavor.
- Use freshly pounded aromatics
I like using fresh ginger and garlic in my pav bhaji for better flavor and aroma but store-bought paste also works. Cook the tomatoes with some tomato store-bought tomato puree for depth of flavor.
- Add the special blend of spices next!
The special blend of spices is called the pav bhaji masala which you can make at home (recipe above in the post or buy it from Indian grocery stores). I also add some Kashmiri red chili powder for color.
- The boiled vegetables go in next!
Once you have added the vegetables, mash them using a potato masher until they are well combined with the masala. The vegetables need to very soft so that they mash and mix in easily.
- Blending the vegetables is optional
At this point, I add some water and then use any immersion blender to blend everything to a paste like consistency. You can also leave the vegetables as such. Let the bhaji simmer for about 15 minutes at this stage. And then add butter for that extra flavor!
- Toast the pav (buns) for serving the dish
Use butter for toasting the buns. I also sprinkle some pav bhaji masala on top of the butter while toasting the buns. They are done once they are golden buttery and toasted.
And how do you serve it?
To serve the pav bhaji, place ladle full of bhaji on a plate. Top the bhaji with a dollop of Amul butter. Serve with 2 pavs and a side of chopped onions and a lemon wedge. I like to serve with lots of onions on the side.
Storage and Reheating
I do think pav bhaji tastes best when it’s freshly made however leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. I have never tried freezing the dish as I don’t have good experience with freezing anything with potatoes in it but some people do freeze it with success.
To reheat, use microwave or stovetop. If you think it has become super thick sitting in the fridge, you can add some warm water while reheating.
This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in 2014.
Pav Bhaji Recipe (Mumbai Style)
Ingredients
For the Bhaji
- 2 large potatoes, 385 grams , boiled
- ½ head cauliflower, 215 grams , boiled
- ½ of a large green pepper, 135 grams , boiled
- ½ cup frozen green peas, boiled
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted, divided
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 medium red onion, 230 grams , finely chopped
- 2 inch ginger, 24 grams , finely chopped
- 7 cloves garlic, 20 grams , finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, finely chopped, adjust to taste
- 3 large tomatoes, 425 grams , finely chopped
- ⅓ cup tomato puree, store bought
- 1&¼ teaspoon salt, divided
- 1&¼ cups water, divided
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder, not hot, used mainly for color
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons kasuri methi, also known as dried fenugreek leaves
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- juice of 1 large lemon
For the Pav
- 12-14 pav, eggless dinner rolls
- butter, to toast the pav
- pav bhaji masala, to sprinkle
Instructions
Make the Bhaji
- The first thing you need to do is cook your vegetables and keep them ready. I used 2 large potatoes (385 grams), ½ head of a small cauliflower (215 grams), ½ green pepper (135 grams), and ½ cup green peas (frozen). I used my pressure cooker to boil them until they were soft and tender, you can also steam the vegetables using a steamer.
- Now, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot on medium heat. Once the butter melts and oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add 2 medium red onions (chopped) and mix. I like to use my food processor to chop them fine. Cook the onions for around 4 minutes until golden they are golden brown in color.
- Then add 2-inch ginger (finely chopped), 7 large garlic cloves (finely chopped) and 2 green chilies (finely chopped). Again, I used my food processor to chop them fine. Cook the ginger-garlic-green chili for 1 minute.
- Now, add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) and mix well. Let the tomatoes cook for 2 minutes. Add ⅓ cup tomato puree (store bought), ¼ cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover the pan and let the tomatoes cook for 6 minutes until softened and completely cooked.
- Add 1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala, 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. You may also add ½ teaspoon of sugar here (optional).
- Mix well and then add in 2 teaspoons kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves).
- Stir in the boiled veggies and mix. Using a potato masher, mash the veggies until they are completely mixed with the masala. Add the remaining ¾ – 1 cup water and mix. I used an immersion blender to blend the veggies to a paste like consistency at this point but this is optional. You may keep them as such.
- Cover the pot and set heat to low. Let the bhaji simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Then open the pot and add in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons cilantro (chopped).
- Finally add in juice of 1 large lemon. Let the bhaji simmer for 2 more minutes and then remove pan from heat.
Toast the Pav
- To toast the pav, melt butter on a pan on medium heat (around 1 teaspoon butter for each pav). 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 brown from both sides.
Serve the Pav Bhaji
- To serve the pav bhaji, place ladle full of bhaji in a plate. Top the bhaji with a dollop of butter. Serve with 2 pavs and a side of chopped onions and a lemon wedge.
Video
Notes
- To make it vegan, replace butter with vegan butter.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe! I serve this filled into buttered and toasted bread rolls which saves on plates and cutlery – we sell them at our local craft food market and they are a massive hit. Incidentally, here in South Africa, in Kwa Zulu Natal in particular, a favourite meal is Bunny Chow which was introduced buy the indentured Indian sugar cane workers for much the same reason as Pav Bhaji: a quick meal on the go, and it adapts to your recipe very well. A bread loaf is cut into four quarters and each has most of its centre scooped out, replaced with any kind of curry (meat or vegetable), and then the scooped soft middle is jammed back on top to soak up the gravy. A great Indian export and now almost the national dish of SA! Worth experimenting with. Keep up the good food recipes!
Thanks for sharing this lovely feedback Rod, I have heard about bunny chow but never tried it, would love to try it one day!
Hello
In the pav bhaji masala recipe, you add black salt. I don’t have black salt so instead of that what can I use?
Thank you
Christina
himlayan pink salt can be used else skip
There is a major and obvious flaw in this recipe. Boiling green peppers can make them too soft and mushy, which isn’t desirable in pav bhaji where a slightly chunky texture is preferred. Sautéing green peppers in butter and oil helps them develop a slightly caramelized flavor, which enhances the taste of the bhaji. Most authentic pav bhaji recipes, especially those inspired by street food, involve sautéing the peppers rather than boiling them.
Thanks for your feedback
Thanks, Manali. My wife generally adds ghia (dudhi) in the vegetables, and I think the carrots make it a but mushy, so may be avoided (or added in a very small quantity). Another thing I realised is that the capsicum (peppers) and carrots should be finely diced otherwise they stay as large bits in the bhaji.
Thanks for sharing your feedback Anil!
Utterly delicious and your website is so easy to follow! I only had hot Kashmiri chilli powder to hand so it had a kick to it but so so good. Thank you!
Thanks for trying! glad you enjoyed it
Dear Manali
I have been doing this recipe out of your cookbook for years now, however my instant pot always says burn and I have to add more water, ending with a very liquidy version of the meal. So I decided to try the stovetop this time instead and wowwww DELICIOUS!!!! Even my husband was impressed. Thank you so much for all the work you put into your blog and these recipes cause I use them daily in my house.
Thanks Sofia, glad you enjoyed it! Sorry about the trouble with IP, some newer IP models are prone to the burn message unfortunately. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula to remove any browned bits before adding water to the IP.
Lovedd it❤️⭐
Thanks Natasha
Hi Manali.
Is crushed tomatoes same as puree tomatoes?
no store bought crushed tomatoes are not fine as the puree, they have little chunks of tomato in them. For pav bhaji use pureed tomatoes.
Tried n tasted , amazing recipe ,i hv ever tried
Hi Manali, please suggest which potato is good for pav bhaji
russet potatoes or yukon gold!
Hi Manali, I love all your recipes. I have tried several recipes and they are all fool proof. Hats off to your efforts in putting together recipes with lots of details .
Can you please recommend a good store bought tomato puree ? I tried a few brands but I always feel it has some sort of strong flavor ( may be additives??)
Thanks in advance
try muir glen
Pav bhaji is that for how many people ?
it says serves 5 in the recipe card
Absolutely adored it! Huge thanks, Manali. Your recipes truly ignite creativity and are incredibly effortless to whip up.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. Much appreciated!!! Everyone enjoyed!
so glad to hear Anu! Thanks for trying!
clear set of instructions made recipe sooo easy to cook. Thanks for sharing.
I revisit this recipe again and again–it’s the best!! Thank you for sharing.
glad to hear!
How long do you cook the veggies in the instant pot? Thank you so much!
around 7-8 minutes will work. I am Instant Pot Pav bhaji recipe in my cookbook
Loved it. Thank you Manali. Your recipes are so inspiring and easy to make.
Thanks Sunaya! glad you liked it
Thank you so much for this ❤️
Pav bhaji is love and I have never ever tried making this myself. Thank you so much for the steps and guide for us to try out this delicious recipe. I will try making it and I know my kids will surely love it.
Thank you for this great recipe! We really enjoyed this.
Hi Manali,
What pressure cooking time would you recommend for an Instant Pot to boil the veggies? Love all your recipes so far.
Thank you,
Gurpreet
8 minutes high pressure with natural release. I have a IP pav bhaji recipe in my cookbook
Thanks! This was great. My son just discovered Pav bhaji and wants it all the time.
I eye balled the amount of masala, veges etc- deseeded a jalapeño and added it to the veges.Otherwise pretty much followed the recipe procedure!!
Thank you for your pav bhaji recipe. I enjoyed it immensely. I prepared the meal without onions and garlic. I did not stick to the veggies in mentione in the recipe. Is pav bhaji unique in using only certain types of veggies?
Yes potatoes are the main vegetable used in pav bhaji, and cauliflower, peppers, beans, carrots are also often used. Some people also use beetroot for color.
I really want to make this but their is only one of me!! Is this freezable??
you can, don’t add the butter in that case. add later
Thanks! I do this in instant pot! use fenugreek powder and amchur powder! jaggery instead of sugar!
potato, tomato cauliflower, green chillies, ginger, garlic!
masala I use less res chillies- 5 will make my family fly!!
but great weekend one of recipe!
We live in UK but children love it!
Thank you so much MANALI
Pav bhaji is all time favorite for me and my family. but its a common problem that we can not maintain the same taste every time we cook it at home. but the way you have set an procedure step by step in your blog i hope i can achieve the consistency of same taste every time.
thanx again.
Awsome ……tried it many times and it comes out very tasty ….
Sorry forgot to rate
Thank you for your pav bhaji recipe.
I loved cooking it and family loved consuming it.
Please let me know where can I follow and find your recipes.
They were very easy to follow.
Look forward to your reply.
just keeping coming to my blog 🙂 I post 2-3 new recipes every week!
Very nice and easy method will try definitely thanks for putting your precious time and sharing take care and be safe
Very tasty pao bhaji
I made it, and oh my god so good! I tried chopping the onions in the food processor but it became an onion paste, but it still worked. Thanks for the recipe.
just pulse in bursts to chop the onions!
Delicious! The little details of the recipe are very useful. Had never got a pav bhaji masala this good before.
Awesome absolutely ?
Hey, Thank you for giving us this recipes. Me and my friend having a sleepover. That day we decided to cook pav bhaji. Thanks for your recipe we made most delicious pav bhaji. Had Blast! Thanks Keep Providing Us Such Wonderful recipes in future.
Delicious flavours! One of the best pav bhaji recipes out there up to me and my very indian husband. Haha I added 1 tsp amchur powder to give it a little more tanginess to our preferred taste the second time I made it and it turned out perfect to our liking. Thanks for this amazing recipe ! 🙂
One of my fav food it is..
After having looking to your recipe.. will try yours as well as it seems more tastier…
I absolutely loved your Pau bhaji! My husband said it tastes just like from the restaurant. If I am serving around 10 people, do I just double all the ingredients?
yes you may..be careful about doubling the pav bhaji masala. you can always add more later
Hi manali,
I always made pav bhaji according to your receipe. Everyone appreciate my pav bhaji.
Really thanks to you.Pl keep posting other street food receipe,it helps me lot.
Thanks
Luv u
You are welcome Rakhi! 🙂 Please let me know what kind of street food recipes you would like to see and I will try and post them!
I had pav Bhagwan in Mumbai this year for the first time. I have never before enjoyed anything so much. Thank you for this recipe I have yet to try it but I will very soon.
Hope you give this a try!
The receipe is awesome i’ll definetly gonna try this, thank you for sharing the receipe.. keep sharing like this…
Welcome Pooja!
Hi I tried so many recipe and it was ok.this time my husband really liked it.he wants to give you 6 stars.thanks for sharing.
haha I will take the 6 stars 🙂 Thank you Sejal!
Very nice. Came out awesome.
glad to hear that
Loved the receipe , made multiple times exact receipe and the receive always appreciation
Thank you!
Manali, Tried this today and was a big hit with my family. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Welcome Mala! 🙂 Glad you all enjoyed!
I’ve tried making pavbhagi so many times in so many different ways using different recipes…failing every time . For the first time in years, my family actually loved it and even took seconds! Thanks so much! Great recipe!!
you are welcome! so glad you all enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi Manali.. i prepared ur pavbhaji… awesome… My husband , me and 5yr old son had so many pav bz of ur tastiest bhaji recipe.. I loved it… Thank you so much…
You are welcome Nimi!! So happy you all enjoyed it!
Pav Bhaji is my all time favorite. I cannot wait to try it, thanks for sharing such an easy recipe.
Hey my bro, nice to talk to you and just want to the recipe was just mind blowing and the thing I liked the most was the was that you have showed everything step by step and just wanted to say this much.. bye, keep it up and remember that you have a bright future..??
Thanks but I am a girl 🙂
Manali I am from mumbai and after trying so many recipes and different brands of pav bhaji masala I was still looking for a good homemade masala recipe. I tried it today and your recipe turned out amazing. Thanks a lot for sharing this with us.
I would take that as a compliment coming from a Mumbaikar! 🙂 Welcome Shweta, I am so glad you enjoyed it!
this recipe is awesome. I like this pav bhaji recipe.
The first blog that catches my eye is the mouth melting Pav Bhaji. You have shared the methods very wisely with each and every detail on photos.