Pav Bhaji — Ad-Free Recipe, Ingredients First

The dish is defined by two things: the mash, where you cook the vegetables soft and break them down right in the pan with the back of a masher so it turns thick and rough, not pureed smooth, and the butter, which goes in with an unreasonable hand both into the bhaji and onto the griddled pav.

The Ingredients — and where to get them

Cook for 4 servings

Potatoes

The starchy base of the mash; boiled soft, then broken down in the pan. A floury potato mashes creamiest.

3 large

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Mixed vegetables

Cauliflower, peas, carrot, and bell pepper, cooked soft and mashed in. Fresh or frozen.

3 cups

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Butter

The soul of the dish; in the bhaji and on the pav. Use it generously.

6 tbsp

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Pav bhaji masala

The specific spice blend that names the dish; nothing else stands in for it.

2 tbsp

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Soft rolls

Fluffy dinner rolls split and griddled in butter. A pillowy pav soaks up the butter.

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The Rundown

Greedometer ●●●●● Barely a splurge

A light hand — your arteries say thanks.

EffortSome doing

Cook it with

Instant PotSlow cookerOne-pot

The Method

Boil the vegetablesBoil the potatoes and vegetables until very soft, then drain.
Build the baseCook onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato in butter until jammy, then stir in the pav bhaji masala.
Mash it inAdd all the vegetables and mash them into the base with a masher until thick and rough. Simmer with more butter.
Griddle the pavSplit the rolls, toast them cut-side down in butter until golden, and serve with the bhaji, chopped onion, and lime.

The Toolkit

Wide pan · Potato masher · Griddle

Straight Answers

Can you make Pav Bhaji in an air fryer? — Yes, with an insert

Not on its own — an air fryer can’t hold a pool of liquid. You can simmer it in an oven-safe dish or a silicone insert made to fit the basket, but the broth won’t reduce or brown the way it does on the stove, and that insert comes out scorching, so use oven mitts. For real depth, a pot on the stove wins.

Can you freeze Pav Bhaji? — Yes

Yes — it freezes well. Cool it fully, portion into airtight containers, and it keeps a few months; thaw in the fridge and reheat gently.

Can you make Pav Bhaji ahead of time? — Yes

Yes — it holds well and often tastes better the next day. Make it ahead and reheat gently before serving.

Is Pav Bhaji gluten-free? — Not as written

Not as written — it contains gluten. Make it gluten-free: swap in gluten-free versions of the wheat items (check the other labels too).

Is Pav Bhaji vegan? — Vegetarian, not vegan

It’s vegetarian but not vegan as written — it has dairy. Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy.

Community Notes

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Pav Bhaji, and where to source it