Authentic Mumbai - Style Pav Bhaji Recipe

28, Jan 2026

If you love bold flavours, buttery toast and rich Indian street food classics, you are in for a treat! Pav Bhaji is India’s most iconic street food- a flavourful mashed vegetable curry served with butter-toasted soft bread rolls (pav) that’s impossible to resist. 

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

For the Bhaji

3-4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 cup cauliflower florets
½ cup green peas ( fresh or frozen)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 capsicum (bell pepper), finely chopped
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, pureed or finely chopped
2-3 tbsp butter
1-2 tbsp oil
1tsp ginger-garlic paste
Salt to taste

Narpa Spices for bhaji

1-2 tbsp Narpa pav bhaji masala
1 tsp Narpa kashmiri mirch
½ tsp Narpa coriander powder
½ tsp Narpa turmeric powder
A pinch of Narpa garam masala

How to Make Pav Bhaji?

Boil the Vegetables

Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, peas and carrot in a pressure cooker or pot until soft. Once done, mash them roughly with a potato masher. The texture should be coarse, not completely smooth- this gives that classic pav bhaji feel. 

Prepare the Base

Heat oil and 1tbsp butter in a large tawa or skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and saute until they turn translucent and golden. Stir and cook the ginger-garlic paste for a minute until fragrant. 

Add tomatoes and Spices

Add the tomato puree and cook until the raw smell disappears and oil starts separating. Now add narpa pav bhaji masala, narpa coriander powder, narpa turmeric powder and narpa kashmiri mirch. Stir well and let the spices roast lightly for a minute, releasing their fragrance. 

Combine Veggies with Masala

Add the mashed vegetables into the spice mixture. Blend everything perfectly so the spices get a uniform coating over the veggies. Add around ½ cup of water, cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 minutes, occasionally stirring. The bhaji will be thick and creamy.

Finish with Butter and Narpa Garam Masala

To the remaining butter, add a little narpa garam masala for that last touch of fragrance and heat. Mix and also check salt and spice levels and adjust them according to your liking.

Make the Pav

Cut the pav into two slices, spread butter on both sides where it was cut, and place it in a heated skillet to cook until its colour changes to golden and texture becomes crunchy. This rich pav with butter on it goes along very well with the bhaji.

Serving Suggestions

The hot pav bhaji can be served with:

Finely chopped onions
Wedges of lemon
Extra butter 
Coriander

That is the best of classic Mumbai street food, creamy, spicy and totally satisfying.

Tips for Perfect Pav Bhaji

Include beetroot to achieve a deeper red hue 
Put a lot of butter to get a rich, decadent flavor 
Regulate red chili and pav bhaji masala to get desired heat

Accentuated with radiant narpa spices and the straightforward approach, your homemade pav bhaji will have the same rich, spicy, and unforgettable taste as that of a Mumbai street food stall.