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Vada pav is one of the most liked street food recipes that originally belongs to Mumbai. It is often known as "Mumbai vada pav". It is very easy to make and serve. I think the Mumbai street food story is incomplete without classic vada pav.
Mumbai Vada pav
Vada Pav is one of Mumbai's most iconic street foods and has long been a favorite quick meal for people on the go. It was originally created as an affordable and filling snack for workers who needed something satisfying, budget-friendly, and easy to eat during busy days. Over time, this humble snack became a beloved part of Mumbai's food culture and is now enjoyed across India.
A traditional Mumbai-style Vada Pav consists of a crispy and flavorful batata vada (spiced potato fritter) tucked inside soft ladi pav and layered with spicy Maharashtrian garlic chutney. Some versions also include sweet tamarind chutney and green chutney for extra flavor and texture. Every street vendor has their own variation, which makes each Vada Pav experience unique.
The word pav refers to a soft bread roll that is commonly available in bakeries and grocery stores across Maharashtra. Fresh ladi pav works best because of its soft and fluffy texture.
Vada Pav can be enjoyed at any time of the day - as breakfast, an evening snack, or a quick meal. It pairs wonderfully with hot Indian chai and is traditionally served with fried green chilies and extra chutney on the side.
For this recipe, I used authentic Maharashtrian-style garlic chutney to create that classic street-style flavor.
To make homemade Vada Pav, you need these three essentials:
✔ Fresh ladi pav
✔ Crispy batata vada
✔ Spicy garlic chutney
You can also add green chutney and tamarind chutney for additional flavor.
Watch us making 📽
Why you'll love this recipe
✔ Authentic Mumbai street-style flavor
✔ Crispy outside and soft inside
✔ Made with pantry ingredients
✔ Perfect tea-time snack
✔ Easy to customize with chutneys
✔ Vegetarian and family-friendly
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FAQs
Authentic Mumbai Vada Pav gets its flavor from spicy garlic chutney, soft ladi pav, and a crispy batata vada with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies.
Yes. You can skip garlic chutney and use green chutney or tamarind chutney, but garlic chutney gives traditional Mumbai street-style flavor.
Batata vadas usually absorb oil when the batter becomes too thin or the oil temperature is too low. Use a medium-thick batter and fry in hot oil.
You can prepare the potato mixture and garlic chutney one day ahead. Fry and assemble just before serving for the best texture.
Yes. Brush the potato balls lightly with oil and air fry until golden. The texture will be slightly less crispy than deep-fried vadas.
Recipe
vada pav recipe, how to make mumbai vada pav
Ingredients
for besan batter
- 1 cup Gram flour
- ½ cup Water
- a pinch Salt
- a pinch of Turmeric powder
for potato vadas,
- 4 to 5 medium Potatoes, boiled
- a pinch of Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Oil, any nutral cooking oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger chili paste
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 4 to 5 curry leaves
other,
- Oil, to fry vada,any neutral cooking oil
- Dry garlic chutney, vadapav chutney
Instructions
Preparing besan batter,
- Take a mixing bowl. Add besan to it.
- Add water and mix.
- Add turmeric powder.
- Add a pinch of salt and mix.
- Add remaining water and prepare a lump-free better.
- Keep aside.
Preparing potato masala,
- Take a mixing bowl. Add boiled potatoes and mash it well.
- Now, heat oil.
- add mustard seeds.
- When they crackle add curry leaves.
- Add ginger chili paste.
- Add a pinch of turmeric powder.
- Mix it and transfer it to potato masala.
- Add salt to taste.
- Mix it well.
- prepare medium size balls and keep aside.
Final preparation,
- heat oil.
- Now, dip potato balls in gram flour batter.
- Gently place the dipped balls into hot oil.
- Fry them until golden brown.
- Keep aside.
Final assembling
- Slice the pav without breaking it into two parts and keep aside..
- Sprinkle the dry garlic chutney. This is optional and if you don't have you can skip it.
- Place the hot batata vada sandwiched in the bread slices.
- Serve vada pav immediately or else the pav becomes soggy. you can also serve some fried green chillies and green chutney along with it.
Really tasty