Go Back
–+ servings
Instant Pot Pav Bhaji Recipe | Warrior In The Kitchen

Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a vegetarian meal that consists of “bhaji” (a mixture of vegetables including potatoes, eggplant and/or zucchini, peas, onions, etc.) seasoned with flavorful Indian spices like red chili powder (laal marchu), turmeric (hardar) and paprika.
Print Pin
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: authentic indian, indian recipes, instant pot authentic indian recipe, instant pot recipes, pauv bhaji, pav bhaji, pav bhaji recipe
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 61kcal

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • KitchenAid Handheld Immersion Blender

Ingredients
 

Gravy

  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 whole dry chili peppers
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • ½ cinammon sticks, broken into big pieces
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • ½ - 1 tsp red chili powder (optional for spicy heat)
  • ½ tsp turmeric (hardar)
  • 2 tsp pav bhaji spice pack
  • ¼ tsp garam masala (optional for spicy heat)
  • 2 cups water (adjust to desired consistency)

Vegetables

  • 1 head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
  • 1 medium eggplant, coarsely chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes, coarsely cubed
  • 2 cups frozen vegetables

Instructions

  • Press "Saute" mode on Instant Pot
  • Heat avocado oil and whole spices.
  • Add onions and tomatoes and saute until onions are translucent.
  • Add garlic, ginger, crushed tomatoes, salt, paprika, red chili powder, turmeric, pav bhaji spice pack, garam masalo. Add 1 cup water. Mix well. Let gravy cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent gravy from burning.
  • Add all the vegetables and mix well with gravy.
  • Add the remaining water and mix well. Water level should be about 3/4 to the top of the veggies, so adjust as necessary.
  • Close lid of Instant Pot and press 'Cancel' and then press "Steam" and adjust time to 12 minutes. Set valve to 'Sealing' mode.
  • Once the Instant Pot completes the cycle, it will beep. Either switch the valve to 'Venting' position (be careful as steam will come out of the top of the IP), or allow the Instant ot to manually vent. Carefully open the lid once it is safe to do so.
  • Using a potato masher or handheld immersion blender, mash all the cooked veggies and mix well to incorporate with the gravy.
  • Serve with buttered and toasted bread. For a low carb option, you can serve on romaine or butter lettuce. Garnish with chopped cilantro, lemon and finely chopped onions.

Notes

  1. If using a pressure cooker, follow the exact directions above, only in a pressure cooker.  When sauteing, use low to med heat to prevent gravy from sticking to the bottom of the pressure cooker.
  2. Alternatively, if you do not have access to an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker, make the gravy in a large pot.  Pre-steam/pre-boil all the veggies.  Once the gravy is cooked and pre-boiled/pre-steamed veggies are added, mix well and mash up with a potato masher.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
Amount Per Serving (2 cups)
Calories 61 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 201mg9%
Potassium 295mg8%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 2g4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.
Nutrition Disclaimer: All nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on this site should be used as a general guideline.