Pav Bhaji Recipe | Indian Vegetarian Recipes

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If you haven't tried pav bhaji before, you're in for a real treat! I first tried this iconic street good sandwich at a local restaurant called Duke Bombay Cafe and loved it. I couldn't wait to give pav bhaji a try in Mumbai where it originated. That's exactly what I did and I now make these colourful and tasty sandwiches often! This recipe first featured in my 'The Curry Guy Easy' and then later in my best selling cookbook 'The Curry Guy Bible'.

Pav Bhaji served on a plate with lemons and chopped onion garnish.

A Brief History of Pav Bhaji

Like so many great Indian street food dishes, pav bhaji was born out of necessity.

In the 1850s, during the textile mill boom in Mumbai (then Bombay), workers needed a quick, hot meal they could eat during short breaks. Vendors started mashing up leftover vegetables and cooking them with butter, onions, and spices on large flat griddles. They paired this with pav, Portuguese-inspired bread rolls introduced to India during colonial times. They are really just hamburger buns.

The result was cheap, filling, and delicious. Over time, pav bhaji evolved into a street food favourite, spreading from mill workers to students, families, and tourists. Today, it’s found in every corner of India, from roadside stalls to upscale restaurants, but it remains at its best when eaten on the street, with butter dripping down your fingers.

Ingredients

You can make pav bhaji quickly and easily. This delicious street food is even easier to prepare when you get your ingredients together first. The exact measurements of ingredients I use are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Potatoes
Cauliflower florets
Carrot
Fresh or frozen peas
Chopped tomatoes
Salt, to taste
Unsalted butter
Red onion
Cumin seeds
Kashmiri chilli powder
Ground turmeric
Garlic
Ginger
Red (bell) pepper
Garam masala
Salt
TO SERVE
Soft buns
Butter
Coriander (cilantro)
Lemon wedges
Red onion

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Check out my step by step photos to see just how easily you make Pav Bhaji, one of India's most popular street foods at home!

The potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrots and chopped tomatoes in a pot.

Step 1: Put the potatoes, cauliflower, carrot, peas and tomatoes in a large pot and add just enough water to cover.

Covering the pot with the vegetables and water in it to simmer and cook.

Step 2: Bring to the boil and cover with a lid. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes and vegetables are soft.

Mashing the vegetables with a potato masher.

Step 3: Using a potato masher, mash it all up. It should be a bit wetter than mashed potato consistency, like creamy and slightly chunky potato soup.

Frying the onions with the cumin seeds in butter in another pan.

Step 4: In another pan, melt about 100g (7 tablespoons) of the butter over a medium–high heat. Toss in the onion and cumin seeds and fry until the onion is soft.

Adding bell pepper, garlic, ginger, turmeric and chilli powder to the fried onions

Step 5: Add the chilli powder, turmeric, garlic, ginger and red (bell) pepper and fry for a further minute or so.

Step 6: Stir it all together to combine. Then transfer to the pan with the boiled vegetables.

Mixing the vegetables together and adding butter.

Step 7: Stir it all together and add the butter.

Sprinkling the pav bhaji with salt and garam masala

Step 8: Once mixed, season with salt to taste and stir in the garam masala.

Step 9: Keep the bhaji warm while you toast the buns in butter.

Pav bhaji on a serving plate garnished with chopped red onion and coriander.

Step 10: Scoop the bhaji over the toasted pav and garnish with chopped red onion, coriander and squeeze lemon juice over th etop.

Variations

There are many different ways of making pav bhaji. The following examples are all self explanatory so give them a try if they sound good to you. I really love the butter-loaded version but tend not to make it too often because it's most definitely not the healthy option.

Cheese Pav Bhaji – Topped with a generous grating of cheese, this version is popular with college students in Mumbai.

Khada Pav Bhaji – Less mashed, with chunky pieces of vegetables.

Jain Pav Bhaji – Made without onions, garlic, or potatoes. Eating garlic, onions and potatoes isn't allow in the Jain religion. Plantains often replace potatoes.

Butter-loaded Pav Bhaji – Some stalls serve bhaji swimming in butter — indulgent, but delicious.

Equipment for making Pav Bhaji

The beauty of pav bhaji is that you don’t need fancy gadgets, but a few pieces of equipment will come in handy.

Heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai – Essential for cooking the bhaji (vegetable mash). A non-stick pan works too, but a heavy pan helps prevent sticking and allows the spices to bloom properly.

Potato masher – This is a must. The bhaji gets its signature texture from continuous mashing. You could use the back of a ladle, but a masher gives you that smooth-yet-chunky consistency.

Tawa (griddle) or frying pan – For toasting the pav rolls in butter. Vendors traditionally use a large tawa where both the bhaji and pav are cooked side by side.

Sharp knife and chopping board – Pav bhaji involves lots of vegetables, so good prep tools are handy.

Serving plates – Traditional pav bhaji is served in stainless steel compartment plates: bhaji in one section, pav in another, with chopped onions and lemon wedges on the side.

Storage

Pav bhaji is best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored easily:

Bhaji: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if it thickens too much. It also freezes well for up to a month.

Pav (hamburger buns): Store in a breadbox or airtight bag at room temperature for 1–2 days. Toast with butter just before serving. For longer storage, freeze pav rolls and reheat in the oven.

Onion and Lemon Garnish: Chop fresh each time; they don’t keep well once cut.

Top Tip

Prepare ahead of time: Like most curries, pav bhaji tastes better the next day. So feel free to make it a day before you serve it and then toast the buns just before serving.

FAQ

Can you use shop-bought pav bhaji mix?

Yes. I find it just as easy to mix the spices myself and it is of course cheaper to do so.

Why is my bhaji too watery?

You added too much water. Just cook it down with the lid off the pan until you are happy with the consistency. Add some more butter right at the end which will help emulsify the sauce.

Is Pav Bhaji healthy?

There are a lot of vegetables in this dish. There's also usually a lot of butter. You can reduce the amount of butter you add if concerned.

Which vegetables can you add to pav bhaji?

Potatoes, peas, carrots, cauliflower, and bell pepper are standard. You can add beans, beetroot, squash or zucchini.

Is pav bhaji spicy?

I've had a few spicy versions in India. It's really down to the vendor. It's also down to you when you make it at home. Add more or less chilli powder to taste.

Looking for more delicious vegetarian recipes? Give these a try!

Yield: 4

Pav Bhaji

One of the best sandwiches on the planet and it's vegetarian! You will love pav bhaji!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE VEGETABLES
2 large potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
250g (9oz) cauliflower florets
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
100g (3⁄4 cup) fresh or frozen peas
400g (14oz) tin (can) chopped tomatoes
Salt, to taste
FOR THE MASALA
200g (3⁄4 cup) unsalted butter
1 large red onion (about 250g/9oz),
finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp red chilli powder (more or less
to taste)
1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
4 fat garlic cloves, grated
2.5cm (1in) piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 red (bell) pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp garam masala
Salt, to taste
TO SERVE
Soft buns
Butter, for spreading
Coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped 4 lemon wedges
1 red onion, finely chopped

Instructions

Put the potatoes, cauliflower, carrot, peas and tomatoes in a large pot and add just enough water to cover.
Bring to the boil and cover with a lid. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes and vegetables are soft. Using a potato masher, mash it all up. It should be
a bit wetter than mashed potato consistency – like creamy and slightly chunky potato soup – so add a drop of water if needed. Season with salt and keep warm.
Melt about 100g (7 tablespoons) of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Toss in the onion and cumin seeds and fry until the onion is soft. Add the chilli powder, turmeric, garlic, ginger and red (bell) pepper and fry for a further minute or so. Stir in the garam masala and season with salt.
Whisk this mixture into the mashed vegetables. Top with the remaining butter and allow to melt.
To serve, cut the buns in half and butter them generously on both sides. Place them buttered-side down in a hot frying pan to brown. Place the toasted buns on warmed plates with a good helping of the bhaji. Sprinkle with coriander (cilantro) and serve with lemon wedges and red onion on the side.