Pav Bhaji recipe is a popular dish from Mumbai made up of spiced mashed vegetable curry (bhaji), served piping hot with a soft bread roll (pav) with butter, finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, and a squeeze of lime made in an instant pot pressure cooker or stovetop. Healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and so flavorful.
Dont have an Instant Pot? Dont worry I have shared the recipe for the stovetop pressure cooker below.
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What is Pav Bhaji?
Pav Bhaji is a Maharashtrian-style classic Indian dish. Bhaji, a curry composed of various vegetables, onions, chilies, potatoes, and pav used to soak up the flavorful curry, makes up its two key components. Add some butter on the top, and you're ready to go.
Which is the Best Pav Bhaji Masala?
The flavor of the pav bhaji mainly depends on this special masala powder called Pav Bhaji Masala. This powder is always available in my pantry, and I never had to prepare this masala powder from scratch. There are many brands selling pav bhaji masala, but I highly recommend using Everest Pav Bhaji Masala brand, and is easily available in Indian grocery stores or on amazon.
How to Make Pav Bhaji in Instant Pot
Firstly, press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Add in the ginger-garlic paste, onions, and chopped capsicum/bell pepper. Saute until onions turn light brown.
Next, add the finely chopped tomatoes. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes till the tomatoes are soft.
Then add potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas, salt, and water. Mix well.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
Open and mash the Bhaji with a potato masher or use an immersion blender and coarsely grind the ingredients.
Turn on the SAUTE again and add the red chili powder, pav bhaji masala, Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), lemon juice, salt, and butter (optional but recommended). Let the bhaji boil for 2 minutes.
Serve Bhaji with pav or bread rolls ( Apply some butter and toast bread before serving). Garnish pressure cooker Pav bhaji with butter, chopped onions and cilantro.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- Firstly, heat the butter in a stovetop pressure cooker. Add in the ginger-garlic paste, onions, and chopped capsicum/bell pepper. Saute until onions turn light brown.
- Next, add the finely chopped tomatoes. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes till the tomatoes are soft.
- Then add potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas, salt, and water. Mix well.
- Cover the cooker with a lid and cook for two whistles or about 12-15 minutes on medium heat.
- Once the pressure has released naturally, open and mash the Bhaji with a potato masher or use an immersion blender and coarsely grind the ingredients.
- Again turn on the heat and add the red chili powder, pav bhaji masala, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), lemon juice, salt, and butter (optional but recommended). Let the bhaji boil for 2 minutes.
- Serve Bhaji with pav or bread rolls (Apply some butter and toast bread before serving). Garnish stovetop pav bhaji with butter, chopped onions, and cilantro.
Variations of Mumbai Pav Bhaji
There are a lot of variations to make this pav bhaji.
- Jain Pav Bhaji – No Onion, Garlic, or underground vegetables like potatoes are used for making this dish.
- Cheese Pav Bhaji – A lot of Mozzarella or processed cheese is added just before serving the Pav Bhaji.
- Keto Pav Bhaji – Is made with the core ingredient cauliflower along with bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic, butter, and pav bhaji masala. Will be sharing the recipe soon.
- Vegan Pav Bhaji – Use Vegan butter or oil to make Vegan Pav Bhaji.
Tips to make the best Pav Bhaji
- Add a generous amount of butter while making this dish, this is one of the secrets to making delicious pav bhaji. Use Amul Butter to get authentic Mumbai pav bhaji flavor.
- A lot of street vendors use artificial colors to make pav bhaji red. Use Kashmiri red chili powder to get that rich red color. Also, you can use red bell pepper instead of green bell pepper. Another tip is to use red vine tomatoes for this recipe.
- Toast the Pav/dinner rolls with butter before serving.
What can you do with Leftover Pav Bhaji?
I usually prepare a larger quantity and use the leftovers to make either
Pav bhaji Paratha
Tawa Pulao
Masala Pav
Recipe FAQs
Leftovers can also be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and up to 3 months in the freezer in freezer-safe containers. Just thaw the bhaji overnight in the refrigerator and serve with the pav or dinner rolls.
More Indian Curry Recipes
- Lauki (Bottle gourd) Sabzi
- Black Eye Pea Curry (Lobia curry)
- Zucchini Stir Fry
- Lauki Chana Dal
- Rajma Masala
- Chana Masala
Instant Pot Mumbai Pav Bhaji
Equipment
Ingredients
Measurements Used - 1 cup = 250 ml
- 2+2 tablespoon butter or oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 medium green OR red bell pepper chopped
- 4 medium tomatoes finely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 medium potatoes peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 8 cauliflower florets (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup green peas I used frozen peas
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon pav bhaji masala available in Indian grocery store
- 1 tablespoon kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) (optional)
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For Pav:
- 12 pav or dinner rolls
- ¼ cup butter
For Garnish
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- 2-3 tablespoon cilantro (coriander leaves) to garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Firstly, press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Add in the ginger-garlic paste, onions, and chopped capsicum/bell pepper. Saute until onions turn light brown.
- Next, add in the finely chopped tomatoes. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes till the tomatoes are soft.
- Then add potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas, salt and water. Mix well.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
- Open and mash the Bhaji with a potato masher or use an immersion blender and coarsely grind the ingredients.
- urn on the SAUTE again and add the red chili powder, pav bhaji masala, Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), lemon juice, salt, and butter (optional but recommended). Let the bhaji boil for 2 minutes.
- Serve Bhaji with pav or bread rolls ( Apply some butter and toast bread before serving). Garnish Pressure cooker Pav bhaji with butter, chopped onions and cilantro.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Firstly, heat the butter in a stovetop pressure cooker. Add in the ginger-garlic paste, onions, and chopped capsicum/bell pepper. Saute until onions turn light brown.
- Next, add in the finely chopped tomatoes. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes till the tomatoes are soft.
- Then add potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas, salt, and water. Mix well.
- Cover the cooker with a lid and cook for two whistles or about 12-15 minutes on medium heat.
- Once the pressure has released naturally, open and mash the Bhaji with a potato masher or use an immersion blender and coarsely grind the ingredients.
- Again turn on the heat and add the red chili powder, pav bhaji masala, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), lemon juice, salt, and butter (optional but recommended). Let the bhaji boil for 2 minutes.
- Serve Bhaji with pav or bread rolls (Apply some butter and toast bread before serving). Garnish stovetop pav bhaji with butter, chopped onions, and cilantro.
Notes
Variations
There are a lot of variations to make this pav bhaji.- Jain Pav Bhaji – No Onion, Garlic, or underground vegetables like potatoes are used for making this dish.
- Cheese Pav Bhaji – A lot of Mozzarella or processed Cheese is added just before serving the Pav Bhaji.
- Keto Pav Bhaji – Is made with the core ingredient cauliflower along with bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic, butter, and pav bhaji masala. Will be sharing the recipe soon.
- Vegan Pav Bhaji – Use Vegan Butter or Oil to make Vegan Pav Bhaji.
Tips
- Add a generous amount of butter while making this dish, this is one of the secrets to making delicious pav bhaji. Use Amul Butter to get authentic Mumbai pav bhaji flavor.
- A lot of street vendors use artificial colors to make pav bhaji red. Use Kashmiri red chili powder to get that rich red color. Also, you can use red bell pepper instead of green bell pepper. Another tip is to use vine red tomatoes for this recipe.
- Toast the Pav/dinner rolls with butter before serving.
Kavya says
Super easy way to make instant pot pav bhaji! Loved the recipe!
Bhavana Patil says
Hi Kavya, Thank you so much for sharing your feedback, means a lot. Happy Cooking!
Anita Sharma says
Thank you for sharing this receipt! excellent!!! Everyone loved it!
Bhavana Patil says
Thank you, Anita. I am glad to hear that you folks loved it 😊 Have a nice day 😊