Pav Bhaji is comfort food at its best. This Mumbai street food favorite brings together buttery bread rolls (pav) and a rich, spicy vegetable curry (bhaji). Growing up, this was always my go-to meal on rainy evenings. The smell of the spices and vegetables cooking together still takes me right back to those cozy family dinners.
About the Recipe
This homemade version of Pav Bhaji is just as good as what you’d get from a street vendor. The vegetables are cooked until tender and mashed together with aromatic spices. The bread rolls are toasted in butter until golden brown. It’s filling enough to be a complete meal but also works great as party food.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe is super flexible – you can add or skip vegetables based on what you have. It’s perfect for using up leftover vegetables. The spice level is customizable, and the dish reheats beautifully. Kids love the soft, buttery bread, while adults appreciate the complex flavors. Plus, it’s a one-pot meal that’s ready in under an hour.
Cooking Tips
– Mash the vegetables really well for the authentic texture
– Toast the spices before adding vegetables for better flavor
– Use plenty of butter when toasting the buns
– Keep stirring the bhaji to prevent it from sticking
– Add water gradually to get the right consistency
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Serves 4-6 people. Total prep and cooking time: 45 minutes. Serve hot with extra butter, chopped onions, and lemon wedges. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat with a splash of water and fresh butter.
Similar Recipes
- Mumbai Vada Pav
- Misal Pav
- Butter Masala Pav
Nutrient Benefits
This dish packs lots of vegetables into one tasty meal. The potatoes provide energy, while other vegetables add fiber and vitamins. The spices like turmeric and cumin have anti-inflammatory properties. It’s a balanced meal when served with a side salad.
Pav Bhaji
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 Pav Buns
- 1 cup Onion finely chopped
- 1 cup Tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 cup Potatoes boiled, peeled, mashed
- 1/4 cup Green Peas boiled
- 1/2 cup Cabbage shredded (optional)
- 1/2 tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala Powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1/2 tbsp Cumin Powder
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 cup Coriander Leaves chopped
- 2 to 3 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Capsicum chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp Ginger grated
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Paste
- 1 Green Chilli finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Water adjust as required
- Salt as per taste
- Oil as required
Instructions
- Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan.
- Saute the onions until pink.
- Add garlic paste and fry for 45 to 60 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, coriander powder, red chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, cumin powder and salt.
- Cook for a minute.
- Add the other vegetables and cook.
- Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and mash the vegetables well.
- Add water and capsicum.
- After a minute, mash again till capsicum is well blended.
- Add lemon juice and coriander leaves.
- Slit the pav buns and spread butter on the insides.
- Place them on a hot tawa and cook till the insides are golden brown.
- Garnish with onions and coriander leaves.
- Serve hot.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Pav Bhaji ahead of time?
Yes. The bhaji actually tastes better the next day. Store it in the fridge and reheat gently, adding a bit of water and fresh butter.
What can I use instead of Pav Bhaji Masala?
Mix equal parts garam masala, coriander powder, and red chili powder. Though not exactly the same, it works in a pinch.
Is Pav Bhaji very spicy?
The spice level is up to you. Start with less chili powder and adjust to taste. You can always add more heat later.
88 comments
Very nice quick good and yammy recipe
I love the pav bhaji most. Thanks
please tell me how to make pav bhaji masala powder. what is the ingredients adding and how much ratio. thanks
Please check the recipe for Pav Bhaji Masala Powder here https://www.awesomecuisine.com/recipes/1928/pav-bhaji-masala-powder.html
goooooooood
I love PaV Bhaji with a twist !!
it tastes good
really awesum
to to to good
Pav Bhaji is a Maharashtrian fast food dish that originated in Mumbai cuisine. Pav bhaji consists of bhaji (a thick potato-based curry) garnished with coriander, chopped onion, and a dash of lemon and lightly toasted pav. The pav is usually buttered on all sides.
It tastes yummyyyy, just in love with it… 🙂
i think instead of cabbage it shoud be cauliflower……..
very super
nakule yechi uuruthu
i learn much more gud recipes from this site
LOVED IT
NICE
I LOVED IT
While the pav bhaji is being cooked in the stove, you can take about half portion, beat it in the mixie and readd it to the mixture in the stove. It will add gravy touch with some crunchy vegetable
seven
i tried it as soon as possible,it is really very helpfull for me.
Excellent tasty recipe
very good taste prefect
it is nice and i also try it
too gud 🙂
I like this pav bhaji May god bless u
good
good
Damn Good! Yummy too!
awsome recipe, will try this
this is very good and clear.finally i know how to make it.
thanks a loy
Very nice and clear and simply explained without any confusion. I will try it , I think it will be good experience.
Thanks a lot.
I was asking so many for the pav bhaji recipe and finally got a genuine one. Thanks a ton
i like test fist
nice one… love it…
Very nice,easy to prepare
very nice
I think it’s a gentlest way to prepare Pavb-haji.
I like it.
its really really nice n i loved it
nice
AWSOME
i LIKE pAV BHAJI THE BEST.
It is very easy to cook.
Very good.Like it
ws guuuuuuuud
homely made , delicious and time saver…
its quite difficult.make it easy please,if can.thanks
The proportions of the ingredients looks perfect & should turn out “Very Nice”( To be said as in Docomo advt). Will try the recipe this weekend & add more comments if any . — Niranjan Badakere.
I am north indian. Married and came here in kerela. Everybody here are unaware of north indian dishes. I read your recipe and made paav bhaji. Everyone liked it. It was delicous.
Niece
i like this site verrrrrrrrrry much
actually my method is different. yesterday i tried ur method n its good. in my home everybody likes it very much.thanks………
Excellent work it provied me complete info…shiould have photo of recepie
Good and Easy to Prepare..
easy n w’ful
Nice
Excellent taste and i must say it is the easiest way of making pav bhaji. My husband like it a lot. Thanks
really tasty
superb
it was excellent.
The moment its reading finding that pav bhaji will be awesome
good
Excellent !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really nice.
pav bhaji is good
super pav bhaji
It just G8..
It’s delicious .
very nice
very testy
Hi frndz
i tried the same & it was awesome…gudone…
hey what do u mean by cup and tablespoon measurements. Can u just show a picture of it
It was wonderful,It was amouth watering recipe.
Pav Bhaji is Pav Bhaji, is ka to ko jawab nahin. commenting anything is like suraj ko candle dikhana. By the way, the recipe dished out was perfect.
only the butter adds to the tire, but hey if you are worried of your tires then Pav bhaji is not for you. what is pav if not done well in butter? also the dice of butter on the bhaji? yummmmmmmm….
it was excellent pav bhaji.especialy myschool friends like it because of this in my school competion i got second position
it’s pavbhaji so very very good.and very nice in taste…..
it was so bad in taste yikes . go down and see . so sorry i just said simply it was yummmmmmm………
Hey dam awesome.. turned out great 🙂
do send in more and more recipes like these
gud
its nice but can i ask what masala is mean
Masala is a term used in South Asian cuisines (including Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani cuisines) to describe a mixture of spices. A masala can either be a combination of dried (and usually dry-roasted) spices, or a paste made from a mixture of spices and other ingredients–often garlic, ginger and onions. It is known for its smell, and is used extensively in Indian cooking to add spice and flavor.
i like it so much
very nice but in the line add vegetables _______where are the peas carrots gone?
kidding, real nice recipe
i tried it yesterday its good but due to badshah masala its teste is little less but its good specially husband like it v much.so thanks so much.
quite a gud one…. real nice…
well i m trying for first time……………
n it was grt…………yummmmmmmmmm!!!!!
so nice n it was really helpful
very good & excellent. .pls send more & more info like these ..regrds
its awesome
Everything is perfect except somehow the line – Add the coarsely mashed vegetables in the Method is missing….guess its a oops moment.
nice