If you are looking for a healthy Indian vegetarian Main dish for your weeknight meal or party, then look no further than this Hariyali Pav Bhaji aka Green Pav Bhaji Recipe!
This Green Pav Bhaji is a hearty, delightsome, flavorful meal of mashed green vegetables with fluffy soft buttery pav (Dinner rolls) served with a side of crunchy onions, lemon, and cilantro.
You will love this new version of the pav bhaji recipe for its flavors and wholesomeness. I am sharing Stove-top as well as the Instant Pot method in this post with step-by-step photos and video.
Jump to:
I have been a huge pav bhaji fan since childhood.
You can find it pretty much everywhere in India and in many countries. But if you want to taste the best pav bhaji, go to Mumbai!
This is one dish I can spend my entire life on without getting bored. Hahaha….
Pav Bhaji
Pav Bhaji is popular Indian street food originating from Mumbai.
It has Indian spiced mashed vegetables served with dinner rolls.
- Pav means bread (dinner rolls) and
- Bhaji means vegetables.
Pav Bhaji gets its distinctive flavors from a special spice blend, called Pav Bhaji Masala, which is finished with lots of butter, cilantro, and onion!
I have already shared the Mumbai Pav bhaji recipe on the blog.
Today, I am sharing the Green Pav Bhaji recipe which is very famous in Surat, a state of Gujarat, India.
This is a variation of a traditional pav bhaji with a green twist, which is made using lots of vegetables and spinach. It is very easy to make and it’s very nutritious too.
This recipe is perfect in winter (I would say all year round!) and one of the healthiest ways of eating Indian street food.
Why do I love this recipe so much?
- It’s an immensely gratifying meal.
- It has tons of flavors and nutritional vegetables.
- It can be made ahead of time
- If you are shortlisting mains for hosting a party and looking for an Indian main dish, this is perfect.
- It s not only a sure-shot party pleaser but also a wholesome satisfying weeknight dinner.
- This is one of the best ways to get your kids to eat their veggies and greens.
Ingredients required
- Vegetables – I used Zucchini, cauliflower, potato, bell pepper, and green peas in this recipe. If you don’t have zucchini, you can substitute it with a Bottle guard (Dudhi/lauki).
- Green and herbs – I have used loads and loads of spinach and cilantro.
- Green tomatoes – I have used Tomatillos here. You can use any green tomatoes available in the market.
- Onions – You will need 2 types of onion, green onion, and regular onion, to make this recipe.
- Garlic – You will need a good amount of fresh garlic to make pav bhaji. Don’t use garlic powder or bottled minced garlic. I have used regular garlic in this recipe. If you have green garlic, use that instead.
- Green chili paste – We are not using red chili powder in this recipe, so for the spice; you will need green chili paste. I have used thai green chili paste. Use according to your spice level.
- Butter and oil – I have used both. You can use either butter or oil too.
- Pav bhaji masala – The main flavor in the bhaji comes from a special blend of spices – pav bhaji masala. You can easily get it from the Indian grocery store or make it at home (shared the recipe here). My personal favorite is Everest Pav Bhaji Masala.
- Other spices – You will also need turmeric powder and salt.
- Other than the above ingredients, you will need lime wedges, cilantro, Dinner rolls (pav), and finely diced onions.
Step by step process
Boil vegetables
- Take a peeled and diced potato, cauliflower florets, and diced zucchini in a bowl. Add ¾ cup of water, cover the bowl.
- Now take a pressure cooker add 2 cups of water, place the bowl of vegetables, cover it, close the pressure cooker and take 4 whistles.
- Once pressure is down, open the pressure cooker and take out the vegetable bowl.
Spinach Puree
- Take 4 cups of water in the pot and let it boil on a stovetop.
- Once water is boiled, add spinach and let it cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame.
- Place the palak (spinach) in a bowl full of ice and water.
- Take spinach out from the ice water after 1 min.
- Into a blender jar take blanched spinach and cilantro. Puree them well. Keep it aside.
Let’s make Surti Green Pav Bhaji
- Heat butter and oil a heavy bottom pan. Once it’s hot, add garlic and green chili paste. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Now add green onion, regular onion, tomatillos, and bell pepper. Saute for a minute. Now add salt, mix, cover the pot and let everything cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in between and make sure nothing is sticking at the bottom.
- Open the lid, stir the mixture, add green peas, mix and cook it for a minute. Now add Pav bhaji masala and turmeric powder. Mix everything really well and continue to cook until oil/butter separates, for about 2 minutes.
- Now add 1 cup of water and mash everything with a potato masher.
- Lower the heat, add boiled vegetables, and mash everything well.
- Mix and Let it simmer for about 5 minutes on low to medium heat. Add water if required.
- Now add spinach-cilantro puree, mix everything really well. Cook for a minute and switch off the flame.
- Tip – Don’t cook more than a minute after adding the spinach-cilantro puree for that fresh and green color.
Toast the Pav
- To toast the pav, melt butter on a pan on medium heat. Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala and some cilantro on top of the butter halve the bun (pav) from the middle and then place the buns on the pan.
- Press to toast the pav until crisp and golden brown from both sides.
Serve the Pav Bhaji
- To serve the Hariyali pav bhaji, place a ladle full of hot bhaji on a plate. Sprinkle onion, cilantro and add a dollop of butter. Serve with toasted pavs and a side of a lemon wedge. Enjoy.
Notes, pro-tips, and quick FAQs
- To make this recipe, proportion is everything. The ratio of tomatoes, onion to other vegetables is very important.
- Adjust the spice level according to your taste.
- If you are making for small kids, avoid green chili paste and reduce the amount of pav-bhaji masala.
- If you want the green pav bhaji to taste best then do not compromise on the amount of butter used.
- Don’t forget lots of cilantro and chopped onions while serving the pav bhaji!
- Toast the pav in an ample amount of butter and serve immediately.
This Green Bhaji Pao stays good for up to 4 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Not at all! In fact, no one will tell the spinach is added to make this bhaji.
Absolutely! Substitute butter with oil and your vegan bhaji is ready.
If you have leftover bhaji, you can make masala pav, make pulao, or spread it on dosa to make Pav bhaji dosa.
Definitely! It tastes the best the next day. The flavors mingle and deepen the next day. You can also do some prep work like boiling vegetables and making the spinach puree a day in advance and making the bhaji the next day.
This green Pav bhaji is better than regular Mumbai style Pavbhaji as we are using spinach and other vegetables! To make it healthier, substitute potato with raw banana and reduce the amount of butter. Also, swap Pav for rotis, dosas, parathas, or khakras.
I love Everest pav bhaji masala. There are several others like MDH, Badshah, etc. You can use the one you like! Or you can make masala at home too.
Heat butter and oil in an inner pot of instant pot on sauté mode.
Once butter oil is hot, add garlic and green chili paste, sauté for a few seconds.
Now add tomatillos, green bell pepper, onion, and green onions. Saute for a minute.
Now add potato, cauliflower, zucchini, green peas, 1 ½ cups of water, salt, and pav bhaji masala.
Mix everything well.
Now cover the instant pot with its locking lid, turn off the sauté button, press the manual/pressure button, and set the time for 12 minutes under high pressure.
Once cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally.
Open the instant pot, turn on the sauté button, and mash everything with the potato masher well. Add a little bit of water if required. Let the bhaji cook for 5 minutes in sauté mode.
Now add spinach-cilantro puree, mix and cook it for a minute on sauté mode.
Turn off the instant pot. It’s ready.
Don’t forget to check out some of our recent favorite recipes
Have you tried this Recipe? Please feed us with your feedback, ★ star ratings, and comments below.
You can also FOLLOW me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST for more fabulous recipes and updates.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes.
Green Pav Bhaji (Surat’s famous street-food)
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 ½ cup Potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 1 cup zucchini (peeled and diced) You can use Lauki (Dudhi) too
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- ½ cup green peas matar (I have used frozen)
- 1 cup bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 cup green tomatoes, Finely chopped (I have used Tomatillos)
- 1 cup green onions, finely chopped (spring onions),
- ½ cup regular onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoon grated garlic
- 3 cups spinach Leaves
Spices
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 teaspoon pav bhaji masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Other ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¼ cup cilantro + for garnishing
For serving
- Cilantro
- 4 to 6 Pav / Dinner rolls
- Lime wedge
- Finely chopped onion
- butter
Instructions
Boil vegetables
- Take a peeled and diced potato, cauliflower florets, and diced zucchini in a bowl. Add ¾ cup of water, cover the bowl.
- Now take a pressure cooker add 2 cups of water, place the bowl of vegetables, cover it, close the pressure cooker and take 4 whistles.
- Once pressure is down, open the pressure cooker and take out the vegetable bowl. Keep it aside.Note – The vegetables have to be cooked completely.
Spinach Puree
- Take 4 cups of water in the pot and let it boil on a stovetop.
- Once water is boiled, add spinach and let it cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame.
- Place the palak (spinach) in a bowl full of ice and water.
- Take spinach out from the ice water after 1 min.
- Into a blender jar take blanched spinach and cilantro. Puree them well. Keep it aside.
Let’s make Surti Green Pav Bhaji
- Heat butter and oil a heavy bottom pan. Once it’s hot, add garlic and green chili paste. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Now add green onion, regular onion, tomatillos, and bell pepper. Saute for a minute. Now add salt, mix, cover the pot and let everything cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in between and make sure nothing is sticking at the bottom.
- Open the lid, stir the mixture, add green peas, mix and cook it for a minute. Now add Pav bhaji masala and turmeric powder. Mix everything really well and continue to cook until oil/butter separates, for about 2 minutes.
- Now add 1 cup of water and mash everything with a potato masher.
- Lower the heat, add boiled vegetables, and mash it very well.
- Mix and let it simmer for about 5 minutes on low to medium heat. Add water if required.
- Now add spinach-cilantro puree, mix everything really well. Cook for a minute and switch off the flame.
- Tip – Don’t cook more than a minute after adding the spinach-cilantro puree for that fresh and green color.
Bhaji in Instant Pot
- Heat butter and oil in an inner pot of instant pot on sauté mode.
- Once butter oil is hot, add garlic and green chili paste, sauté for a few seconds.
- Now add tomatillos, green bell pepper, onion, and green onions. Saute for a minute.
- Now add potato, cauliflower, zucchini, green peas, 1 ½ cups of water, salt, and pav bhaji masala.
- Mix everything well.
- Now cover the instant pot with its locking lid, turn off the sauté button, press the manual/pressure button, and set the time for 12 minutes under high pressure.
- Once cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the instant pot, turn on the sauté button, and mash everything with the potato masher well. Add a little bit of water if required. Let the bhaji cook for 5 minutes in sauté mode.
- Now add spinach-cilantro puree, mix and cook it for a minute on sauté mode.
- Turn off the instant pot. It’s ready.
Toast the Pav
- To toast the pav, melt butter on a pan on medium heat. Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala and some cilantro on top of the butter halve the bun (pav) from the middle and then place the buns on the pan.
- Press to toast the pav until crisp and golden brown from both sides.
Serve the Pav Bhaji
- To serve the Hariyali pav bhaji, place a ladle full of hot bhaji on a plate. Sprinkle onion, cilantro and add a dollop of butter. Serve with toasted pavs and a side of a lemon wedge. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- To make this recipe, proportion is everything. The ratio of tomatoes, onion to other vegetables is very important.
- Adjust the spice level according to your taste.
- If you are making for small kids, avoid green chili paste and reduce the amount of pav-bhaji masala.
- If you want the green pav bhaji to taste best then do not compromise on the amount of butter used.
- Don’t forget lots of cilantro and chopped onions while serving the pav bhaji!
- Toast the pav in an ample amount of butter and serve immediately.
- This Green Bhaji Pao stays good for up to 4 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
- If you have leftover bhaji, you can make masala pav, make pulao, or spread it on dosa to make Pav bhaji dosa.
- The nutritional info doesn’t include Pav/dinner roll.
Nutrition
Warm regards,
Dhwani.
Leave a Reply