If you’ve ever stood in front of a pav bhaji cart in Mumbai or even your childhood home, you know the sound before you know the smell, that scrape of the griddle, the mashing away at a mountain of vegetables with a slick of butter melting into the middle of it. It’s so simple and so so comforting!
This is my mother in law’s at home version, and it’s genuinely one of the easiest Indian dishes to make. At the end of the day, pav bhaji is just vegetables cooked and mashed into a spiced up tomato-onion base, and served with buttery toasted bread. This weeknight version has the Instant Pot handling all the vegetables while you build the masala on the stove, so you’re looking at one pot of hands-off cooking and about fifteen minutes of actual work.
Tips to get it right
Don’t rush the onions. I know I said it in the recipe but I’ll say it again… this is the single step that separates good bhaji from flat bhaji. You want them fully cooked down and sweet, not just softened. Give it the full eight to ten minutes.
Cook the tomatoes until they’re jammy and darker. If the mixture still looks bright red and loose, it’s not done. You’re waiting for it to get jammy and the whole thing to deepen in color.
Don’t drain the vegetable water. It goes into the pan with everything else. That starchy potato water is what gives bhaji its body and without it you’ll end up with something dry and grainy.
Mash more than you think you need to. Bhaji should be almost smooth with just a little texture left. A potato masher works great… a hand blender is too much and turns it into baby food. If it tightens up while mashing, splash in a little hot water.
When in doubt add less salt to start. Pav bhaji masala varies a lot between brands — some are salt-heavy, some are mild. Your salt and chili powder amounts could always be adjusted after everything comes together.
Serve it with raw red onion and a wedge of lemon. Non-negotiable in my house. The sharpness cuts through all that butter and resets your palate between bites.
It gets better overnight. Bhaji thickens considerably in the fridge so reheat with a splash of hot water and a fresh knob of butter and it tastes like you made it twice as carefully.
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Homestyle Pav Bhaji
- Total Time: 30
Description
Meet my mother in law’s honestly pav bhaji recipe that’s so so easy so tastes just like home every single time.
Ingredients
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 cups peas
- 1 large carrot, chopped (or 2 small)
- 1 cups cauliflower, chopped
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for finishing
- 0.5 teaspoons cumin powder
- 1 large white onion, finely chopped
- 4 green chilies, minced (use 3 for mild, 5 for spicy)
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- 1 large tomato, finely chopped (or 2 medium)
- 0.5 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 tablespoons red chili powder
- 2 tablespoons pav bhaji masala
- 1 tablespoons salt, to start
- 1 tablespoons Prakash thecha, optional (find it at any Indian grocery store)
- 0.5 cups cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 12 pav buns or hamburger buns (about 2 packs)
- A stick of butter, for toasting
Instructions
- Pressure cook the vegetables: Add 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed, 1 cups peas, 1 large carrot, chopped (or 2 small), 1 cups cauliflower, chopped and 2 cups water to an Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. A stovetop pressure cooker works for the same amount of time, and if you don’t have either, just simmer everything in a big pot until the vegetables are really soft.Start the onion base: While the vegetables cook, heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil and 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for finishing in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Add 0.5 teaspoons cumin powder, 1 large white onion, finely chopped, 4 green chilies, minced (use 3 for mild, 5 for spicy) and 2 teaspoons ginger, minced. Sauté until the onions turn translucent and really cook down — don’t rush this step, it builds the whole base.
- Cook down the tomato and masala: Add 1 large tomato, finely chopped (or 2 medium) and sauté for 1 to 7 minutes. Stir in 0.5 teaspoons turmeric, 1 tablespoons red chili powder, 2 tablespoons pav bhaji masala, 1 tablespoons salt, to start and 1 tablespoons Prakash thecha, optional (find it at any Indian grocery store) if using. Mix really well and cook on medium heat for a good 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatoes fully break down and everything turns jammy and a shade darker.
- Mash it all together: Your vegetables should be ready by now. Add them straight into the saucepan along with their cooking water and mash everything really, really well. Taste and adjust salt and spice to your preference, then keep it on low while you toast the bread.
- Toast the pav: Generously spread 4 tablespoons butter, for toasting on 12 pav rolls or hamburger buns (about 2 packs) and toast until golden. You want a really nice buttery bread to complement the bhaji.
- Serve: Garnish the bhaji with 0.5 cups cilantro, chopped, for garnish and an extra pat of butter if you want. Serve hot with the toasted pav alongside.
Notes
Adjust the green chilies and red chili powder to your heat preference! Same with salt… I always start low, you can always add more at the end.
Leftover bhaji thickens in the fridge so when you reheat it and want to loosen it with a splash of hot water when reheating.