Healthy pav bhaji recipe: A lighter take on the classic street-food favourite
Pav bhaji is a beloved Indian street-food dish, but it can be heavy on butter and refined ingredients. This healthier version adds more vegetables, uses less butter and swaps regular pav for whole-wheat buns, making it a balanced and flavourful meal you can enjoy at home.
Few dishes bring the same comfort as a hot plate of Pav Bhaji. The buttery buns, spicy mashed vegetables and that unmistakable street-food aroma make it a favourite across India. Though it tastes great, it is also full of butter and other unhealthy ingredients.
The best part is that you can have a healthy version of pav bhaji by making a few changes. Pav bhaji can be a healthy meal if you add a few vegetables and healthy versions of bread.
Ingredients for healthy Pav Bhaji
- 2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 1 cup cauliflower, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- ½ cup green peas
- 1 small capsicum, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
- 1–2 teaspoons Pav Bhaji Masala
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon butter (optional, for flavour)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- Lemon wedges
For serving:
- Whole-wheat pav or multigrain buns
- Chopped onions
- Extra coriander
How to make healthy pav bhaji
1. Cook the vegetables
Heat some oil in a pan and sauté the onions in it. Cook them until they turn soft. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
2. Add the vegetables
Add tomatoes and sauté them until they turn soft and a thick paste is formed. Add cauliflower, carrot, capsicum, and peas. Cook them for a few minutes, just enough for them to turn slightly soft.
3. Add spices
Add turmeric, red chilli powder, and pav bhaji masala. Mix them well so that the vegetables are well coated with spices.
4. Mash and simmer
Add the cooked potatoes and mash them with a potato masher. Add a little water and mix it well so that it is thick and smooth. Now, simmer it for 10 minutes so that all the spices mix well.
5. Finish with flavour
Add a small knob of butter, coriander, and lemon juice.
6. Toast the pav
Toast the whole wheat pav in a pan with a tiny amount of butter or olive oil.
Serving suggestion
Serve the hot bhaji with toasted pav, chopped onions, fresh coriander and lemon wedges. The whole-wheat bread adds fibre while the extra vegetables make the dish more nutritious.
Healthy cooking doesn’t always mean giving up your favourite foods. Sometimes it just means small, thoughtful changes.
Also read: Easy French toast recipe: Crispy outside, soft inside breakfast ready in 10 minutes