Mumbai Pav Bhaji (Instant Pot & Stovetop)

Pav Bhaji is a popular Indian street food, made with potatoes and vegetables cooked in an onion-tomato base, and enjoyed with pav or dinner rolls. We will make it in both the Instant Pot and the Stovetop Pressure Cooker. Try this one-pot Pav Bhaji recipe, and you’ll never make it any other way again!

Pav Bhaji was a favorite when we would visit Juhu Beach, a popular suburb in Mumbai.   There were many food stalls at Juhu Beach, and two of them were must-haves – Pav Bhaji and Gola. Traditionally, Pav Bhaji is made on a Tawa.  See a video of pav bhaji being prepared by a vendor at Juhu Beach. In case you are wondering, Gola is flavored shaved ice on a stick.

In India, at home, we would make Pav Bhaji in a stovetop pressure cooker. I have adapted this recipe to be prepared in both an Instant Pot and a stovetop pressure cooker, making it a one-pot dish.  This makes cooking pav bhaji much easier and quicker, without compromising on taste.

Pav Bhaji is an excellent dish for entertaining, as it can be made in one dish for everyone. Even kids love pav bhaji.  Other popular Mumbai street foods are Vada Pav and Sev Puri. Also, try our Mumbai Misal Pav, a delicious and spicy sprouts curry.

What are Pav Bhaji Ingredients?

Pav Bhaji has two parts:

Pav – This is dinner rolls. In India, eggless rolls can be easily found at Indian grocery stores. However, you can choose to use any dinner rolls or burger buns for pav bhaji. We used to even enjoy it with sliced bread.

Bhaji – It is made from potatoes and vegetables cooked in a tomato base. The main vegetables used in pav bhaji are cauliflower, green peas, carrots, and bell peppers (also known as capsicums).

Traditionally, Bhaji is prepared as a two-step process. The vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, peas) are boiled until very soft in a pot or stovetop pressure cooker. Then, separately in a frying pan, a masala is prepared with onions and tomatoes, and the boiled, mashed vegetables are added to the masala. Here, I will share my easy one-pot method for making Bhaji in a pressure cooker.

Pav Bhaji Masala

One of the special ingredients used in this recipe is Pav Bhaji Masala. Pav bhaji is famous enough to have its own special spice blend.

As I always try to make my life easier with quick and easy cooking, I buy the ready pav bhaji masala from the store. My preferred brand of pav bhaji masala is Everest.

If you don’t have pav bhaji masala at home and are eager to make pav bhaji, you can easily make it at home.

Homemade Pav Bhaji Masala Recipe

For a quick homemade pav bhaji masala, combine the following:

1 tsp coriander powder + 1 tsp garam masala + 1 tsp dry mango powder (or lime juice) + 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

Another special ingredient I use in this recipe is Kashmiri red chili powder.  It helps to add a bright reddish color to the bhaji. You can buy it on Amazon using this link.

How to make Pav Bhaji?

I always want to get bright red colored bhaji. However, I don’t want to add any artificial colors.  There are 2 options:

1. My mom’s suggestion is to use Kashmiri red chili. Soak Kashmiri red chili in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes, then grind it to a smooth paste.  Set this aside and add it while cooking the bhaji.
2. Another option is to add a small amount of chopped beetroot. This adds a bright color to the bhaji.

Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

• Start the Instant Pot in sauté mode and heat the butter.  I suggest cooking bhaji in Amul butter to enjoy the authentic taste of Mumbai bhaji.
• Add onions, ginger, and garlic, and sauté for about 3 minutes.

• Then add tomatoes, pav bhaji masala, salt, and spices. Mix well and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.

• Then add the vegetables – potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, and green peas. Mix it all well.

• Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode for 8 minutes with the vent in the sealing position. When the instant pot beeps, release the pressure naturally. Then open and use an immersion blender to coarsely grind the ingredients. You can also use a potato masher to mash the bhaji to the desired consistency.
• Change the Instant Pot setting to sauté mode and let the bhaji boil for a minute. Mix in lime juice.
• Bhaji is ready to be served.  Garnish with cilantro and chopped onions.

Pav Bhaji in Stovetop Pressure Cooker

The primary difference between the above method and the Instant Pot method is the pressure cooking time on the stovetop. We will pressure cook on a high flame until two whistles, then reduce the flame to medium and cook for an additional 6 minutes. Everything else remains the same.

For pav or dinner rolls, heat a pan and melt some butter in it.  Cut the pav in two slices and place on the melted butter.  Lightly toast pav on both sides, and they are ready to be served with the bhaji.

How to Serve Pav Bhaji? 

Take 1-2 ladles of bhaji on a plate. Add a dollop of butter. Sprinkle some chopped onions and cilantro on the top. Sprinkle some lime or lemon juice on the top if you like a tangier taste. Serve with two buttered pav’s on the side.

Some Common Questions about Pav Bhaji

Does the cooking time change if I double the quantity?

The cooking time will remain the same even if you double the recipe. The instant pot will just take longer to come to pressure.

Which immersion blender can I use? Can I use a potato masher?

I use the Cuisinart immersion blender, but any other immersion blender will work just as well. If you like your veggies chunky, rather than all mashed, you can also use a potato masher.

Try this easy Mumbai Pav Bhaji recipe and let me know what you think.  Check out this incredible collection of 29 Best Instant Pot Indian Vegetarian Recipes.  

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