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One-pot Pav bhaji made in instant pot in a plate
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4.92 from 185 votes

Mumbai Pav Bhaji (30 Minute One-pot Recipe)

An easy one-pot recipe for the most popular Indian street food, Pav Bhaji, made in the Instant Pot and on the stovetop. It is a spiced mashed vegetable curry, topped with chopped onions, cilantro, lime, and enjoyed with dinner rolls. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: easy pav bhaji recipe, Mumbai Street food, pav bhaji instant pot
Diet: Gluten-free, Vegetarian
Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
Servings: 6
Author: Meeta Arora

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon Butter or Oil I prefer Amul butter
  • 1 1/4 cups Red Onions diced
  • 3 cups Tomato chopped, about 4-5 large
  • 1" inch Ginger finely diced
  • 6 cloves Garlic finely diced
  • 3/4 cup Bell pepper chopped
  • 4 Potato medium, peeled and chopped. I used russet potatoes. about 3 1/2 cups
  • 1 Carrot cut in small pieces, 1/2 cup
  • 1 cup Cauliflower (Gobi) cut in small pieces
  • 1/4 cup Beetroot cut in small pieces, optional, mainly for the color
  • 1/2 cup Green peas
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 tablespoon Pav Bhaji Masala
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder) optional
  • 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi) crushed
  • 2 teaspoon Lime or Lemon juice adjust to taste

For Pav

To garnish

  • 1/2 Red Onion diced
  • 1/4 cup Cilantro to garnish
  • Butter optional, I prefer Amul butter
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Start the pressure cooker in sauté mode (high flame for stovetop pressure cooker) and heat 2 tablespoons of butter or oil in it. Add onions, ginger, garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes.
    Saute onions to make pav bhaji in instant pot
  • Add tomatoes, pav bhaji masala, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Saute for 3-4 minutes. If anything is stuck to the bottom of the pot, scrape it with a spatula.
    Saute onions and tomatoes to make pav bhaji in instant pot
  • Add cauliflower, bell pepper, potatoes, carrots, beets, and green peas. Add the water. Mix it all well.
    Add veggies to make pav bhaji in instant pot

Instant Pot Method

  • Press cancel and close the lid with the vent in the sealing position. Change the setting to manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 8 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, release the pressure naturally.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

  • Close the lid, turn the heat to high, and pressure cook it until you hear two whistles. Now reduce the flame to medium and pressure cook it for an additional 6 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the pressure release naturally.

Mash and Garnish Bhaji

  • Open the pressure cooker 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 to sauté mode and let the bhaji boil for a minute. Crush the kasoori methi between your palms and add it to the bhaji. Sprinkle in the lime juice. Add more butter if you like. Mix it all, and the bhaji is ready to be served. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
    Pav bhaji in instant pot topped with butter and cilantro

Preparing Pav

  • Slice each pav or dinner roll in two halves lengthwise.
  • Heat butter in a pan and place the sliced pav on it. Lightly toast one side, then turn to toast on the other side. 
  • Pav is ready to be served with bhaji.

Serving 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 juice on the top if you like a tangier taste. Serve with two buttered pav on the side. 
    Pav Bhaji in a white bowl

Video

Notes

Add that Butter: The real Mumbai pav bhaji is always made with butter. I like to use Indian Amul butter when making pav bhaji. However, if you are vegan, you can prepare it with your choice of neutral plant-based oil.
Pav Bhaji Masala: My preferred pav bhaji masala brand is Everest. If you want to make a quick homemade pav bhaji masala powder, here is the recipe: 1 tsp coriander powder + 1 tsp garam masala + 1 tsp dry mango powder (or lime juice) + 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
Get More Red Color: Soak Kashmiri red chili in 1/2 cup water for 15 minutes. Grind the chili with minimal water, as needed, to form a paste. Add this before pressure cooking the bhaji. 
Burn Issue or 8qt Instant Pot (Important): In newer versions of Instant Pot, many readers are facing a Burn message. If you have ever seen a Burn in your Instant Pot or are using an 8-qt Instant Pot, add an additional 1/4 cup of water before pressure cooking, and make sure to deglaze the pot well.
Vegan Variation: Use vegan butter or oil to make the bhaji and toast the pav. 

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 870mg | Potassium: 1128mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3477IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 5mg