Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

Name: Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 Potatoes(medium size); 1 Sweet Potato(small); 1-2 Carrots; 1 Cup Cauliflower florets (or as required); ½ Cup Peas (fresh/frozen); 1 small Onion; ½ Green Capsicum; Small piece Beetroot (peeled and finely chopped); ½ Reed Bell Pepper (chopped); 3-4 Tomatoes; ¼ cup Store bought Tomato Puree or Sauce (optional); 3-4 Garlic Cloves; Ginger ( small piece); 1+1 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala (or as required); ¼ tsp Sugar; 2-3 tbsp Butter (or as required); 1 tsp Oil; Butter (as required); Chopped Onions (as required); Finely chopped fresh Coriander (as required); Lemon Wedges (as required)

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Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe | How to make Mumbai's Pav Bhaji in Pressure Cooker

Make delicious buttery Pav Bhaji in Instant Pot, a under 30 mins. recipe. One pot Pav Bhaji recipe that tastes just like served in Mumbai as street food at Pav Bhaji stalls and restaurants.

What is Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji one of the most loved street food from the streets of Mumbai. Pav is the Indian Dinner Rolls and Bhaji is a spicy buttery potato based curry of mixed vegetables spiced with special spice mix Pav Bhaji Masala and lots of butter.

Brief History of Pav Bhaji

What started as the quick and nutritious meal for Mumbai Textile Mills workers around 1850s (source Wikipedia and locals from Mumbai), got started served at the restaurants and local vendors, is now popular throughout India. The taste of Pav Bhaji that you get at Mumbai's local restaurants and cart vendors is something that you can't get elsewhere in India and the same for the Pav.

About the Recipe

Traditional and original way to make Pav Bhaji is to boil mixed vegetables (pressure cooker/pan) and then cook with spicy onion tomato masala. In Mumbai street vendors make it on big griddles (tawa). But, now you can make it a one pot dish in your Instant Pot or even Stove-top Pressure cooker.

Make it for your pot lucks, kids party or weekday/weekend meals. It is a crowd pleaser and everyone loves Pav Bhaji from kids to grown ups.

It is a good way to add different veggies in your kids' meals if they run away at the sight of mixed vegetable curries.

Spice level in bhaji can be adjusted as per your heat tolerance. And when making at home you can also control the amount of butter used in making bhaji.

Why I love making Pav Bhaji in Instant Pot

It is easy and one pot recipe.
Can be prepared in under 30 mins.
It's a crowd pleaser, everyone loves it from kids to grown ups.
Loaded with goodness of vegetables.
Can be made in big batch for get togethers and potlucks.
It is Gluten-free and can be made Vegan-friendly.

Ingredients to make Instant Pot Bhaji

Mixed Vegetables- Pav Bhaji is a good way to feed multiple vegetables in one bowl especially to your kids. Potatoes make the base for bhaji. Add any other vegetable of your choice. I prefer adding peas(fresh or frozen), carrots, cauliflower, green and red bell pepper, pumpkin or bottle gourd depending on the availability. Add a small piece (half) beetroot for a bright red color. I also add 1 sweet potato(whenever I have it ) along with potato. So, it depends on you what vegetables you want to add to it.

Pav Bhaji Masala- This is a special spice mix to add the typical Pav Bhaji flavour. It is a mixture of different spices that add color and taste to bhaji. Use store bought or homemade Pav Bhaji Masala(to be updated).

From store-bought brands I like MDH/Everest and Badshah. These days at many places Badshah masala is not easily available at the stores but, this is my preferred brand over the others.

Tomatoes- I like to use fresh red ripe juicy tomatoes. You can also add canned tomatoes.

Canned Puree/Sauce(optional)- Add 1/4 cup, its makes Bhaji more delicious.

Onion, Ginger and Garlic- make the base for the pav bhaji masala and more flavourful. Skip onion and garlic for no onion garlic Bhaji.

Butter- Another must ingredient that enhances the taste of bhaji is butter. Have you noticed how judiciously the street vendors add butter to bhaji. You can control the amount of butter when making bhaji at home. I like to cook masala in butter along with a tsp of oil. Try bhaji my way and you will surely want to make it again and again.

Ingredients to make Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

Pavs/Indian Dinner Rolls- to serve Bhaji

Bhaji is served with soft pillowy Pavs. We do not get Pav anywhere like the Mumbai/Maharashtra Pavs. Use the local Pav that you get in your area.

If you love baking and like to bake your own breads I have this Homemade Pav recipe which gives almost the same pav like the ones we get in Mumbai.

You can serve bhaji with any other breads like burger buns, dinner rolls or any soft bread can be served with bhaji instead of Pav.

How to make Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

Finely chop onion and capsicum.
Puree tomatoes with red bell pepper. It gives a nice bright color to puree.
Coarsely crush ginger and garlic. Or, use store bought ginger garlic paste.

Plug-in the Instant Pot and set SAUTE MODE On for 10 mins.
Add butter and oil when the display shows HOT.
Add cumin seeds. When seeds crackle, add finely chopped ginger garlic paste saute for 1 min. then add chopped onions.
Saute till onions turn light pink. Add finely chopped capsicum and then saute for another 1 min.
Now add tomato puree/canned puree/tomatoes. Cook till it starts leaving oil.

Heat oil and butter. Add cumin seeds. When seeds crackle, add ginger garlic paste

Now add 1 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala, red chilli powder and 1/4 tsp sugar. It enhances the color and also balances the acidity of tomatoes.

Cook the onion tomato masala till it starts to leave oil.
Add all the vegetables.
Add salt as per taste and water upto the level of vegetables.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes with beetroot

Cancel the SAUTE MODE and then set PRESSURE COOK MODE ON FOR 10 mins.
Once the timer is off, wait for 10 mins. then do QPR(if in rush) or you can let NPR(Natural Pressure Release). Open the lid when the pin drops.
Check the consistency of bhaji. Take potato masher and mash the cooked vegetables coarsely. It should not be pasty smooth.
Set again the SAUTE MODE ON for 2-3 mins. Let the bhaji simmer for sometime. Take care it should not burn at the base of inner pot.
Add more butter and 1 tsp pav bhaji masala.
Add some water about 1/4-1/2 cup to adjust the consistency, if bhaji is thick. Pav Bhaji should not be very watery. It also thickens when kept for sometime.

Mash with a potato masher or hand held blender

How to make Bhaji in Stove top Pressure Cooker(One Pot Recipe)

If you do not have an Instant Pot you can still make Bhaji as one pot recipe in your stove top pressure cooker.

Check the Recipe Card for details

How to Serve Pav Bhaji

Street vendors cook bhaji on big griddle and then toast the pavs on the same griddle with some leftover bhaji, butter and masala.

To toast Pav, cut Pav in half, you can add 1-2 tbsp bhaji or pav bhaji masala along with butter on griddle to toast pavs. Toast pavs till light brown and serve with buttery Bhaji. Top with finely chopped onions and lemon wedges. It's a spicy buttery filling meal on it's own.

Adjust the spice level in bhaji as per your preferences or when making for kids.

Melt butter on a griddle/tawa. add 1 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala

How to make Pav Bhaji without Instant Pot or traditional method

Check out the detailed post on how to Pav Bhaji with Traditional Method

Some of the Recipes from Mumbai Street food that you will love to try from my blog

Try these Bhaji Stuffed Pav if you love baking breads.

FAQ's

How to make Vegan friendly Pav Bhaji

For Vegan friendly Pav Bhaji skip butter to make bhaji and toast pavs. Use olive/rice bran any flavourless oil of your choice.

Can we Freeze Bhaji

You can freeze Bhaji in for about a month. If freezing for meal planning then freeze in small containers/zip locks and thaw and reheat in microwave or in a pan on stove top. Do not refreeze thawed bhaji again.

Can we make Bhaji ahead of party and get togethers

Yes you can make Bhaji 1 day before your get together/party. cool it completely and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Reheat, garnish with chopped coriander and add butter before serving.

Recipe Card for Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe

Swati

One Pot recipe for Mumbai's famous Pav Bhaji. How to make Pav Bhaji in Instant Pot.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Course Main

Cuisine Indian, Street Food

Servings

Equipment

Instant Pot
Stove Top Pressure Cooker for stove top Bhaji
Knife
Chopping Board
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ladle

Ingredients

2 Potatoes(medium size)
1 Sweet Potato(small)
1-2 Carrots
1 Cup Cauliflower florets or as required
½ Cup Peas fresh/frozen
1 small Onion
½ Green Capsicum
Small piece Beetroot peeled and finely chopped
½ Reed Bell Pepper chopped
3-4 Tomatoes
¼ cup Store bought Tomato Puree or Sauce optional
3-4 Garlic Cloves
Ginger small piece
1+1 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala or as required
¼ tsp Sugar
2-3 tbsp Butter or as required
1 tsp Oil

For Garnish

Butter as required
Chopped Onions as required
Finely chopped fresh Coriander as required
Lemon Wedges as required

Instructions

Prepare Vegetables

Peel and cube potatoes, sweet potato and carrot and finely chop beetroot.
2 Potatoes(medium size), 1-2 Carrots, Small piece Beetroot
Cut cauliflower in small florets. You can blanch florets and then use in the recipe.
1 Cup Cauliflower florets
Finely chop onion and (green) capsicum.
1 small Onion, ½ Green Capsicum
Make coarse paste of ginger garlic or use store bought.
3-4 Garlic Cloves, Ginger
Puree tomatoes with red bell pepper.
3-4 Tomatoes

Prepare Bhaji in Instant Pot

Plug-in the Instant Pot and set SAUTE MODE On for 10 mins.
Add 1 tbsp butter and oil when the display shows HOT.
1 tsp Oil, 2-3 tbsp Butter
Add finely chopped ginger garlic paste, saute for 1 min. then add chopped onions.
Saute till onions turn light pink. Add finely chopped capsicum and then saute for another 1 min.
Now add tomato puree and store bought tomato sauce. Cook till it starts leaving oil.
¼ cup Store bought Tomato Puree or Sauce
Now add 1 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala and ¼ tsp sugar. It enhances the color and also balances the acidity of tomatoes.
1+1 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala, ¼ tsp Sugar
Cook the onion tomato masala till it starts to leave oil.
Then add all the vegetables(potatoes,sweet potatoes, carrot, peas, cauliflower, beetroot).
2 Potatoes(medium size), 1-2 Carrots, 1 Cup Cauliflower florets, ½ Cup Peas, Small piece Beetroot
Add salt and about 1 cup water.
Cancel the SAUTE MODE and then set PRESSURE COOK MODE ON FOR 10 mins.
Once the timer is off, wait for 5-10 mins. then do QPR(if in rush) or you can let NPR(Natural Pressure Release). Open the lid when the pin drops.
Check the consistency of bhaji. Take potato masher and mash the cooked vegetables coarsely. It should not be pasty smooth.
Add some more butter and leftover (1 tsp) pav bhaji masala.
Set again the SAUTE MODE ON for 2-3 mins. Let the bhaji simmer for 2-3 mins. . Take care it should not burn at the base of inner pot.
Add some water about ¼-½ cup to adjust the consistency. Pav Bhaji should not be very watery. It also thickens when kept for sometime.
Add more butter and serve hot with toasted Pavs.

Toast Pavs to serve with Bhaji

Heat 1 tbsp of butter, add 1 tbsp bhaji or 1 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala on a gridle.
Keep the heat to medium and toast pavs from both sides on the griddle.

Prepare Bhaji in Stove top Pressure Cooker

Follow all the steps from making onion tomato masala to adding veggies in pressure cooker.
After adding water, close the lid and cook bhaji for about 10 mins on low to medium flame.
After 10 mins. switch off the gas and let the pressure release naturally.
Check bhaji and mash it coarsely using a potato masher. You can also use hand held blend blend it pasty smooth

Serve Pav Bhaji

Garnish Bhaji with chopped fresh coriander. Serve Pav Bhaji with chopped onions and lots of butter.
Butter, Chopped Onions, Finely chopped fresh Coriander
Squeeze lemon juice before serving, mix and eat with Pavs.
Lemon Wedges

Notes

I used 1 sweet potato also in the recipe, you can skip it and add 1 more potato.

Do not add full beetroot. Add only half.

I don't add lot of onion in bhaji, only one small. You may add more if you want.

For Vegan friendly Bhaji skip butter, but the taste and the texture will differ.

Keyword Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe

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Do try Pav bhaji in Instant Pot my way, you and your family will surely love it. Make it for parties, get togethers or meals.

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Instant Pot Pav Bhaji