Instant Pot Authentic Pav Bhaji

This homemade Instant Pot Pav Bhaji recipe is a classic Indian popular street food that is flavorful and filling.

The best way to enjoy a healthy version of street food is to prepare it yourself.

A plate of pav bhaji is on the table topped with vegan butter and sliced onions.

With cooked veggies and savory spices, it can double up as a snack or as a one-pot recipe for a busy weeknight.

It is also easy to customize the dish with your favorite veggies.

Quick Look: Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

✅ Recipe Name: Instant Pot pav bhaji
🕒 Ready In: 30 minutes
👪 Serves: 4
🍽 Calories: 200 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, peas, onion, tomatoes, pav bhaji masala
📖 Dietary Info: Vegan; gluten-free
👌 Difficulty: Easy - one pot, minimal prep, classic street-style flavors

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Quick Look: Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
Why this recipe works
What is Pav Bhaji?
Ingredients note
Variations
How to make Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
Toast the pav or dinner rolls
Pav Bhaji in Stovetop Pressure Cooker
Pairing Suggestions
Storage
Uma's tips
Instant Pot Pav Bhaji FAQ
More Street Food Recipes
📖 Recipe
Comments

Why this recipe works

This is a classic recipe made easy by the Instant pot. You can saute and pressure cook in the same pot within 30 minutes.

It's a great breakfast option paired with soft Indian bread (Pav) or bread rolls.

It has a full serving of vegetables packed with savory spices.

If you like to add more vegetables to your breakfast, this recipe lets you do that.

This Pav bhaji is just mildly spicy and topped with vegan butter. Served with Pav bread, it makes a complete, balanced meal.

Since my childhood days, I have always enjoyed the pav bhaji recipe. Because it's one dish, you can enjoy it any time of the day.

What is Pav Bhaji?

Pav bhaji is a popular Indian street food that originated in Mumbai.

It is popularly known as Mumbai pav bhaji. It's a thick gravy made with various vegetables mixed with spices and served with a buttery bread called pav.

The dish is usually served with a dollop of butter on top and sliced or chopped onions and a lemon wedge by the side.

Ingredients note

Pav bhaji masala: For the best-tasting pav bhaji, always use high-quality pav bhaji masala. A good blend makes all the difference in flavor and aroma. I recommend using my homemade pav bhaji masala, which is carefully handcrafted in small batches and made with special whole spices like green cardamom, cumin, coriander, and more balanced for rich flavor without overpowering heat.
Vegetables: Go with variety. I used potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and green peas. Other options are green bell pepper and chopped green beans.
Ginger and garlic: I used freshly grated ginger and minced garlic powder. If you do not have fresh ginger and garlic, it is ok to use a ginger-garlic paste.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste makes pav bhaji more flavorful. You can also use fresh tomatoes.
Vegan butter: I used homemade vegan butter. You can use any plant-based butter or ghee.
Pav bread: You can find this in Indian grocery stores. If you cannot find it, use any other type of bread, like burger buns.

See the recipe card for a list of ingredients and quantities, plus recipe instructions. You can find the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

Spicy: Make it spicy by adding red chili powder, green chilies, or cayenne pepper.
Creamy: For a creamier bhaji, add coconut milk or cashew cream.
Vegan and gluten-free: This Instant Pot Pav Bhaji recipe is already vegan and gluten-free. Use gluten-free dinner rolls or skip the bread altogether to make it gluten-free.
Instead of tomato paste, use 2 finely chopped tomatoes or ½ cup tomato purée for a fresher flavor and slightly lighter texture.
No onion and garlic: Skip the onion and garlic to make it a no-onion bhaji.

How to make Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

An instant pot is with butter, onions, and ginger garlic on the saute mode.

Start by heating the Instant Pot on sauté mode. Add vegan butter. As the butter melts, add chopped onions, ginger, and garlic.
Sauté until the onions turn translucent.

An instant pot is with spices, tomato paste for pav bhaji.

Add tomato paste and water and mix well.
Add pav bhaji masala and salt to taste. Mix well.

An instant pot is filled with vegetables and spices for pav bhjaji.

Add all the vegetables one by one and 1 ½ cups of water. Stir well.

Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally before opening the lid.

An instant pot is with pav bhaji curry and with masher.

Use a potato masher to mash the vegetables. The pav bhaji should have a thick consistency. Add chopped cilantro, mix well, and serve with pav bread.
Instant Pot Pav Bhaji is ready! Serve it hot paired with warm toasted pav bread!

Toast the pav or dinner rolls

Toast the pav for a few minutes on a tava or griddle over medium heat with vegan butter until golden brown. Serve with the bhaji.

Alternatively, toast the soft dinner rolls in a toaster oven until golden brown. Slice them open and serve with bhaji.

Pav Bhaji in Stovetop Pressure Cooker

Prep Veggies : Wash & chop potatoes, cauliflower, carrots/peas. Set aside.
Heat your pressure cooker on medium. Add vegan butter. Once melted, toss in onions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté until the onions turn translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
Add the tomato paste (or fresh tomatoes) and a splash of water to loosen. Stir 1-2 minutes until it breaks down.
Sprinkle in pav bhaji masala, turmeric, red chili powder (if using), and salt. Mix well.
Pressure Cook the Vegetables : Add all the chopped vegetables and 1-1½ cups water. Stir gently.
Seal the cooker and cook on medium-high until you hear 1 whistle (about 5-6 minutes). Then lower the heat and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Turn off heat and let the pressure release naturally.
Mash & Adjust : Open the lid carefully. Using a potato masher, mash the veggies right in the cooker until the bhaji is thick and creamy (adjust with a little simmered water if it's too thick).
Finish: Stir in chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a tablespoons butter for shine and richness. Taste and adjust salt/spice.
Toast pav buns with vegan butter on a tawa/griddle until golden.
Serve: Pour hot bhaji onto plates, dollop with extra vegan butter, and serve with toasted pav, lemon wedges, and chopped onion on the side.

Pairing Suggestions

Pav bhaji pairs beautifully with vegan masala chai for a cozy, street-style experience, or a cool vegan mango lassi to balance the spices. For a lighter option, serve it alongside refreshing salads like cucumber salad or a cucumber cantaloupe salad for a sweet, cooling contrast.

Storage

Pav bhaji stays fresh in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Reheat it in a pan on the stovetop or microwave it before serving.

You can also freeze pav bhaji for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.

Uma's tips

The best vegetables for pav bhaji are potatoes, cauliflower, and peas. You can add other vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, and bell peppers (capsicum).
Do not skip the mash step. This is what gives the bhaji its thick and creamy consistency.
You could use an immersion blender to mash the vegetables to get a creamy texture.
To get the authentic taste, be sure not to replace pav bhaji masala powder with any other kind, like garam masala.
If the dish turns out too spicy, mix in a teaspoon of lemon juice and a tablespoonful of coconut milk to temper it down.
You can also make this on the stovetop, but it will take longer since you'll have to cook the veggies separately.

Instant Pot Pav Bhaji FAQ

What is the secret to perfect pav bhaji?

The secret to perfect pav bhaji is well-cooked vegetables that are thoroughly mashed, combined with good-quality pav bhaji masala, plenty of butter (or vegan butter), and slow simmering after mashing. This allows the flavors to blend beautifully and gives pav bhaji its signature creamy, street-style texture.

Can I make pav bhaji without an Instant Pot?

Yes, you can prepare it on a stovetop too. Cook the veggies separately and then add them to the pot with all the other ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes.

How to get dark colors like restaurant-style pav bhaji?

Use tomato paste and Kashmiri red chili powder for the color. If not, add ¼ cup of grated beets (beetroots).

What if pav bhaji is too watery?

If your pav bhaji is too watery, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes to let excess moisture evaporate. Mashing the vegetables further also helps thicken the bhaji naturally without adding extra ingredients.

What if pav bhaji is too dry?

If the bhaji is too dry, stir in a little hot water or vegetable stock, a few tablespoons at a time, until it reaches a smooth, scoopable consistency. Finish with a small spoon of vegan butter for added richness.

What if the spices are too overpowering?

If the spices taste too strong, balance them by adding more mashed vegetables, a splash of water, or a little extra tomato. A squeeze of lime or a spoon of vegan butter, or add 1 -2 teaspoons of sugar, can also mellow sharp flavors and bring everything back into balance.