Mumbai-Style Pav Bhaji with Buttery Toasted Pav

🍞🌶️ Buttery pav, spicy bhaji, chopped onions and a squeeze of lemon—this is Mumbai Street food at its most comforting! ❤️

There are some foods that instantly transport you somewhere. For many of us, pav bhaji brings back memories of busy streets, sizzling tawas and that irresistible buttery aroma wafting through the air. 😋

The best part? You don't need a Mumbai street corner to enjoy it. With a few everyday vegetables and generous seasoning, you can recreate that street-style magic right in your kitchen.

🕒 Prep Time: 15 mins

🔥 Cook Time: 30–35 mins

👨👩👧👦 Serves: 3–4

⭐ Difficulty: Easy

🛒 Ingredients

For the Bhaji

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• ½ cup mixed vegetables — potato, cauliflower, carrot, peas & capsicum
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1–2 tsp pav bhaji masala
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves
• Juice of ½ lemon

For the Pav 🧈

• 8 pav
• 2–3 tbsp butter
• A pinch of pav bhaji masala, optional

👨🍳 Let's Make It!

1. Cook the Vegetables 🥔

Boil or pressure-cook the vegetables with a little salt until completely soft. Drain excess water and mash them roughly.

Don't worry about making them perfectly smooth—those little bits add character!

2. Build the Base 🧅

Heat butter and oil in a wide pan. Add cumin, followed by onions.

Cook until soft and lightly golden. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies.

3. Bring in the Tomatoes 🍅

Add tomatoes and cook until soft and mushy. Add turmeric, pav bhaji masala, chilli powder and salt.

Cook for a few minutes until the masala becomes fragrant and the butter starts showing around the edges.

4. Mash It All Together 🔥

Add the cooked vegetables and mash everything together with a potato masher.

Add a little water if needed and simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You want the bhaji to be thick, buttery and spoonable—not watery.

5. Finish With Butter ❤️

Add lemon juice and fresh coriander. Give everything a final mix and top with a generous knob of butter.

Because let's be honest—this is not the recipe to be shy with butter! 😂

🧈 6. Toast That Pav

Slice the pav without separating the halves.

Heat a tawa, add butter and sprinkle a little pav bhaji masala. Place the pav cut-side down and toast until golden, crisp at the edges and beautifully buttery.

🍽️ Serve It Mumbai-Style!

Pile the hot bhaji onto a plate, surround it with buttery pav and finish with chopped onions, lemon wedges, coriander and another little pat of butter. 😋

💡 Chef's Secret

Mash the bhaji well, but don't turn it completely into a paste.

And don't skimp on the final butter—it helps recreate that unmistakable street-style flavour and aroma.

👨🍳 Spicy. Buttery. Messy. Perfect.

Some meals are meant to be eaten with a spoon in one hand, pav in the other and zero concern about how much butter you're using. ❤️