Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe

Instant pot pav bhaji recipe with step by step photos – Mumbai pav bhaji is the popular street food in India. This does not need any introduction.

For those who are not familiar, pav means the soft, buns. Instead of ladi pav, you can use burger buns. While bhaji is delicious, buttery, mashed vegetable mixture. This bhaji is topped with finely chopped onions and drizzled with little lemon juice. Then served with butter toasted pav.

To get the best taste, butter is very essential here. Yes, it should be loaded with butter (when we talk about the authentic taste). But if you are health conscious then you can reduce the amount or substitute with oil.

The second essential thing is addition of pav bhaji masala. I recommend using MDH brand pav bhaji masala. Second best is Badshah brand. Or if you have time you can make it at home by following this pav bhaji masala powder recipe.

This Instant pot pav bhaji is very quick to make. Just saute onion, tomatoes one by one. Then add vegetables and let the IP do its work. It will be ready in just 30 minutes (from prep to served).

When we make pav bhaji in Instant Pot, always add masala powder after vegetables are pressure cooked. If added along with vegetables and then cooked on high pressure, the masala loses the flavor. So I highly suggest that add later and turn the saute mode for few minutes to get the best flavor.

Check out other IP recipes
Instant pot chana masala
Instant pot Black eyed peas curry
Instant pot aloo matar
More coming soon..

How to make Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe (Step by Step Photos):

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1) Take roughly chopped onion, bell pepper and garlic in a food processor. NOTE: I was out of green bell pepper, so I have used red one. For best results please use green pepper.

2) Pulse it to make it finely chopped. Remove it to a bowl.

3) In the same, now add chopped tomatoes.

4) And make chunky puree. It does not required smooth puree. Keep it aside.

5) Turn on the saute mode in Instant pot. Once hot add 1 tablespoon of butter in it and let it melt.

6) Add cumin seeds and let the sizzle a bit.

7) Then add onion, pepper mixture.

8) Mix and cook for 3-4 minutes or till the raw smell of onion and garlic goes away, also onion becomes soft.

9) Now add tomato puree.

10) Mix and cook for 3-4 minutes only.

11) Now add all the vegetables (potatoes, peas, cauliflower, carrot).

12) Also add salt and red chili powder.

13) Add water and mix well.

14) Cover the IP with lid. Cancel the saute mode by pressing the cancel. And turn on the Manual mode and set it for 6 minutes high pressure. Keep the valve in sealing position.

Once done, let NPR (naturally pressure release) for 5 minutes then change the position of valve and let the pressure release completely. Once the pin drops, open the lid.

15) Add pav bhaji masala and turn on the saute mode.

16) Using potato masher, mash the vegetables.

17) Keep them little chunky. Do not mash it completely that it becomes pasty.

18) Now add remaining butter and let it melt. Stir well.

19) Lastly add chopped cilantro and turn off the staute mode.

20) Mix well and instant pot pav bhaji is ready.

21) Now cut the pav horizontally and apply butter on both sides. Heat the pan on medium heat and place the pav on hot pat.

22) Once lightly toasted on bottom flip them toast the other side similarly. Repeat the same for rest of the pav.

Serving suggestion: Remove the bhaji to a bowl, garnish with chopped onion. Drizzle little lemon juice on it. And serve with side of toasted pav.

NOTES:

• You can use your choice of vegetables. The taste depends on what vegetables you are using.
• But potato is the base, so do not skip or reduce the amount of potatoes. Play with rest of the vegetables.
• Few options are zucchini, cabbage, eggplant, green beans, broccoli.

5 from 2 votes

Print

Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe

US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)

Course Snack

Cuisine Indian, Mumbai street food

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Calories 265 kcal

Author Kanan

Ingredients (1 cup = 240 ml)

• 1 + 3 tablespoons Butter
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 medium Onion roughly chopped
• ½ of medium Capsicum (Green bell pepper) chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 4 medium Tomato chopped
• 2 medium or 2 cups Potatoes peeled and cubed
• ½ cup Cauliflower (gobi) cut into florets
• 1 cup Green peas
• ¾ cup Carrot chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon Red chili powder
• ¾ cup Water
• 1 ½ tablespoons Pav bhaji masala
• 3 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves finely chopped
• Lemon juice if required

For serving:

• 10 Ladi pav (or you can substitute with burger buns)
• Butter as needed to toast the pav
• ½ cup Onion finely chopped
• 1 Lemon cut into wedges

Instructions

Making Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe:

1. Take onion, garlic and bell pepper into the food processor bowl and pulse them to make it finely chopped.
2. Remove it to a bowl and then puree the tomatoes in it. Keep it aside.
3. Turn on the saute mode in IP and add 1 tablespoons of butter.
4. Once melted and hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
5. Now add onion pepper mixture and saute till onions becomes soft.
6. Then mix in tomato puree and cook for 3-4 minutes.
7. Now mix in all the vegetables, salt, red chili powder and water.

8. Cover the lid, cancel the saute mode and cook on manual high pressure for 6 minutes. Do the NPR for 5 minutes then do QPR.

9. Once pin drops open the lid, add pav bhaji masala and turn back the saute mode again.
10. Mash with potato masher till it is little chunky.
11. Add butter and let it melt, mix.
12. Lastly add chopped cilantro and lemon juice, mix well and turn off the IP.

Serving The Pav Bhaji:

1. Apply butter on pav and toast both sides in hot pan till they are very lightly golden brown and toasted.
2. Serve bhaji (topped with chopped onion and drizzled lemon juice) with toasted pav.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving of bhaji only.
*Nutritional information for pav and side servings of onions, lemon wedges are not included.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 265 Calories from Fat 113

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 12.5g 19%

Saturated Fat 7.5g 38%

Cholesterol 31mg 10%

Sodium 438mg 18%

Potassium 1020mg 29%

Total Carbohydrates 34.9g 12%

Dietary Fiber 8.2g 33%

Sugars 9.2g

Protein 6.3g 13%

Calcium 5%

Iron 13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.