Pav bhaji is one of my favorite Mumbai street foods, but the traditional version leans heavy on oil and butter. This Instant Pot version cuts back on both without losing an ounce of flavor, and moong dal, masoor dal, and peas make it protein-packed enough to actually keep you full. It’s the same buttery, spiced veggie mash you already love — just a little lighter, a little more filling, and just as tasty.
Why You’ll Love It
- A lighter, healthier take on the classic street food — less oil and butter than the traditional version, without sacrificing flavor
- Protein-packed, thanks to moong dal, masoor dal, and peas stirred right in
- Great for parties, weekend batch cooking, or meal prep — it freezes beautifully
- Versatile: keep the basic recipe the same and add or swap in whatever veggies are sitting in your fridge
- Naturally vegetarian; swap the butter for oil to make it fully vegan
Ingredient Notes
- Protein: comes from two places — the peas, and the two dals, moong and masoor.
- Moong dal & masoor dal: cook down fast and blend right into the mashed vegetables — you won’t taste them as separate lentils, you’ll just notice the bhaji feels more filling.
- Pav bhaji masala: the spice blend that gives this dish its signature flavor; look for it in the Indian grocery aisle or online.
- Groundnut oil: holds up well to the high sauté heat, though any neutral oil you have on hand will do the job.
- Vegetables: endlessly adaptable — keep the basic recipe the same, and add or swap in whatever veggies are sitting in your fridge. A handful of spinach is one of my favorite additions; it shifts the color slightly, but it tastes just as amazing.
- Color: comes from two ingredients working together — the beet, and the Kashmiri red chili powder, which also adds a touch of heat without overpowering the dish. Regular chili powder works in a pinch, but start with less since it’s spicier.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Build the Tadka
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode on high. Add the oil and butter, and once hot, add the minced ginger and garlic followed by the Kashmiri red chili powder. Add the onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring so nothing burns.
Step 2: Build the Base
Add the tomato puree along with the coriander powder, cumin powder, pav bhaji masala, turmeric, and salt. Sauté for 1 minute, just until the raw smell of the tomato cooks off.
Step 3: Add the Vegetables, Dal, and Water
Add the potato, cauliflower, beet, peas, and the rinsed moong dal and masoor dal (rinse the dal 2–3 times beforehand until the water runs mostly clear), along with the water. Give everything a good mix so the dal is fully submerged.
Step 4: Pressure Cook
Turn off Sauté mode, secure the lid, and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Once done, release the pressure manually after 5 minutes.
Step 5: Mash It Down
I mash mine with a potato masher, but a hand immersion blender works well too if you’d like a smoother finish — some like it chunky, some like it smooth.
Step 6: Finish and Serve
Stir in the finely chopped green bell pepper and mix well. Adding it at this stage gives the bhaji a nice fresh flavor, and the residual heat is enough to cook it through, so there’s no need to turn the stove back on. Serve hot with a squeeze of lime, chopped coriander, chopped red onion, and pav, finished with a cube of butter on top.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this straight from the pot with warm, buttered pav on the side — press the pav rolls on a hot griddle with a little butter until they’re golden on both sides. A squeeze of fresh lime, a spoonful of chopped onion, and a sprinkle of coriander finish it off perfectly. If you want to round out the meal, a simple cucumber-onion salad works well too. This recipe also scales up easily, which makes it a great choice for parties or weekend get-togethers — just double the ingredients and set up a simple pav bhaji bar with the toppings on the side.
Storage & Make-Ahead
This bhaji keeps well in the fridge for up to 4–5 days in an airtight container, and it also freezes nicely for up to 3 months. The green bell pepper can be stirred in before storing — it holds up just fine — or, if you’d rather keep it extra fresh, stir it in when you reheat instead. Either way works well. To reheat, warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if it’s thickened up. This is a great recipe to double and freeze in individual portions for busy weeknights.
Pav Bhaji FAQs
Yes. You can do the exact same thing in a stovetop pressure cooker — build the tadka right in the cooker, then pressure cook the vegetables and dal in the same pot for 3–4 whistles on medium heat. If you don’t have a pressure cooker either, simmer it in a regular pan, covered, for about 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables and dal are fully soft.
Definitely. The flavor actually gets better after a day in the fridge, and it reheats easily. Portion it into containers as soon as it cools — the green bell pepper can go in with everything else, or you can stir it in fresh at reheating time if you prefer a little more crunch.
The bhaji itself is gluten-free, since it’s built on vegetables, lentils, and spices. Pav (the bread rolls) are not gluten-free, so serve it with a gluten-free bread or over rice if you need to keep the whole meal gluten-free.
Yes. Swap the butter for oil in the tadka and skip the butter garnish at the end (or use a plant-based butter instead), and the bhaji itself is completely vegan. If you’re serving it with pav, check the label first, since many bakery versions use milk or butter.
Instant Pot Pav Bhaji with Moong & Masoor Dal
Equipment
- 1 Instant pot
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Knief
- 1 Bowl
- Measuring cups & spoons
Ingredients
For the Tadka
- 1 tbsp Groundnut oil
- 1/2 tbsp Salted butter
- 15 g Garlic minced or ground (about 3 large cloves)
- 5 g Ginger minced or ground
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 cups Onion finely chopped (about 250g)
For the Base
- 1 3/4 cups Tomato pureed (about 400g)
- 2 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 4 tsp Pav bhaji masala
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 3 tsp Salt
Vegetables, Dal & Water
- 500 g Potato 3 medium, diced
- 1 cup Cauliflower heaped, cut into florets
- 1/2 cup Beet diced (about 80g)
- 1 cup Peas
- 1/4 cup Moong dal rinsed 2-3 times
- 1/4 cup Masoor dal rinsed 2-3 times
- 1 1/2 cups Water
To Finish & Serve
- 1/2 cup Green bell pepper heaped, finely chopped
- Pav dinner rolls, to serve
- Lime wedges to serve
- Chopped coriander to serve
- Chopped red onion to serve
- Butter to serve
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode on high.
- Add the oil and butter. Once hot, add the minced ginger and garlic, followed by the Kashmiri red chili powder. Add the onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring so nothing burns.1 tbsp Groundnut oil, 1/2 tbsp Salted butter, 15 g Garlic, 5 g Ginger, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 2 cups Onion
- Add the tomato puree along with the coriander powder, cumin powder, pav bhaji masala, turmeric, and salt. Sauté for 1 minute.1 3/4 cups Tomato, 2 tsp Coriander powder, 1 tsp Cumin powder, 4 tsp Pav bhaji masala, 1/2 tsp Turmeric, 3 tsp Salt
- Add the potato, cauliflower, beet, peas, and the rinsed moong dal and masoor dal, along with the water. Give everything a good mix.500 g Potato, 1 cup Cauliflower, 1/2 cup Beet, 1 cup Peas, 1/4 cup Moong dal, 1/4 cup Masoor dal, 1 1/2 cups Water
- Turn off Sauté mode, secure the lid, and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Once done, release the pressure manually after 5 minutes.
- Mash everything with a potato masher — a hand immersion blender works too if you’d like it smoother.
- Stir in the finely chopped green bell pepper and mix well. Adding it at this stage gives the bhaji a nice fresh flavor, and the residual heat is enough to cook it through — no need to turn the stove back on.1/2 cup Green bell pepper
- Serve hot with a squeeze of lime, chopped coriander, chopped red onion, and pav, finished with a cube of butter on top.Pav, Lime wedges, Chopped coriander, Chopped red onion, Butter
Video
Notes
- Kashmiri red chili powder adds color without a lot of heat — swap in regular chili powder only if you like it spicier, and use less.
- Swap the butter for oil to make this fully vegan.
- Nutrition is an estimate based on standard ingredient databases and includes the full 3 tsp of added salt — reduce to taste if needed.
