Pav Bhaji
Potato, cauliflower and green peas come together in this Indian dish — 65 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for pan and large pot. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: not verified. We could not confirm pav bhaji masala from the ingredient list, so we make no dietary claim for this recipe.
Contains: Gluten Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Boil the diced potato, cauliflower florets and peas until very soft, about 12 to 15 minutes, then drain and mash coarsely and set aside.
- Melt half the butter in a wide pan and saute the finely chopped onion with the minced garlic and ginger until soft and translucent.
- Add the chopped bell pepper and tomatoes and cook down for 8 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes collapse into a thick pulpy masala.
- Stir in the pav bhaji masala, chilli powder and salt, then add the mashed vegetables with a splash of water and mash everything together in the pan.
- Simmer the bhaji for 10 minutes, mashing and stirring until thick and well combined, adjusting water for a spoonable consistency, then finish with a knob of butter and chopped coriander.
- Slice the rolls almost through, toast them cut-side down in the remaining butter until golden, and serve hot with the bhaji, lemon wedges and raw chopped onion.
You'll use: Pan · Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
What to serve with Pav Bhaji
- Dal fry Vegetarian
- Chicken Handi Chicken
- Lamb Biryani Lamb
- Tandoori chicken Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Pav Bhaji take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Pav Bhaji suitable for my diet?
We make no dietary claim for this recipe: at least one ingredient could not be resolved to a definite plant or animal source, so labelling it either way would be a guess. The full ingredient list is above.
Related recipes
Original recipe — developed in-house by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Pav Bhaji is an original Indian recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Nothing like some good Indian street food! - Pav Bhaji !.jpg by Tanveer Ahmed, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.