Lighter pav bhaji (spiced vegetable mash)
Nutrition per serving
An Indian street food dish: a spiced, soft vegetable mash served with bread. Comforting, inexpensive and packed with vegetables, it is a complete, fragrant plant-based meal.
Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 30 min | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Calculated per portion from Anses Ciqual 2025 values for each ingredient, based on the quantities in the list. Household measures (spoonfuls, pieces) use average weights. 236 kcal · 10 g protein · 38 g carbohydrate · 2 g fat
Ingredients
- 3 potatoes
- 1 cauliflower
- 150 g peas
- 2 peppers
- 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp pav bhaji spice mix (or garam masala)
- 1 lemon
Method
- Cook and mash the potatoes and cauliflower.
- Fry the peppers, tomatoes and spices.
- Combine with the mashed vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve with wholemeal bread and lemon.
Nutritional benefits
Pav bhaji is a concentrated dose of vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, peas, peppers), rich in fibre and vitamins, mashed and spiced. Made with little fat (instead of the generous traditional butter), it is a comforting, largely plant-based Indian street food dish. Naturally vegan and dairy-free.
Variations and substitutions
- Spicier: add chilli.
- With added spinach.
- Served with rice instead of bread.
- With butter (the traditional, richer version).
Storage and making ahead
Keeps for 3 days and can be frozen: the flavour improves when reheated. A good batch cooking dish.
💡 Good to know
Mash the vegetables roughly to keep some texture: pav bhaji is not a completely smooth purée.
Related reading
Discover more vegetarian recipes · vegan recipes · dairy-free recipes · healthy & balanced recipes.
The foods in this recipe: potatoes · cauliflower · peas · peppers · tomatoes.
You might also like these recipes: Vegetable miso soup · Stir-fried noodles with vegetables and sesame · Baked sweet potato fries.
