Pav bhaji masala substitutes
Pav bhaji masala substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Garam masala plus amchur and Kashmiri chilli powder
Per 1 tbsp pav bhaji masala
2 tsp garam masala + 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder + ½ tsp amchur (dried mango powder) + ¼ tsp ground fennel + ¼ tsp ground black pepper
The thing to understand is that pav bhaji masala is sour as well as warm, and that is what separates it from garam masala. It does four jobs: aroma, mild heat, red colour and a real tang from amchur (dried mango powder) plus a savoury sulphurous note from black salt. Substitute the aroma and forget the tang and the bhaji tastes rounded but oddly dull. The best swap, per 1 tablespoon of pav bhaji masala: 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder, ½ teaspoon amchur, ¼ teaspoon ground fennel and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. If you have chaat masala, an even simpler answer is half garam masala and half chaat masala, because chaat masala already contains the amchur and black salt; just hold back the recipe's salt, since chaat masala is salty. Garam masala on its own at one for one works, but add a good squeeze of lemon and an extra ½ teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli at the end to replace the missing tang and colour.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- pav bhaji
Updated 19 Aug 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of pav bhaji masala | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garam masala plus amchur and Kashmiri chilli powderpav bhaji | Per 1 tbsp pav bhaji masala: 2 tsp garam masala + 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder + ½ tsp amchur (dried mango powder) + ¼ tsp ground fennel + ¼ tsp ground black pepperWorks | Works |
| 2 | Garam masala and chaat masala, half and halfthe fastest genuinely good substitute | Per 1 tbsp pav bhaji masala: 1 ½ tsp garam masala + 1 ½ tsp chaat masala; reduce the recipe's salt by about ½ tspWorks | Works |
| 3 | Homemade pav bhaji masala from whole spicesmaking pav bhaji regularly | Same amount2 tbsp coriander seeds + 1 tbsp cumin seeds + 1 tsp fennel seeds + 6 dried Kashmiri chillies + 1 tsp black peppercorns + 1-inch cinnamon + 4 cloves + 3 green cardamom + 1 tsp amchur + ½ tsp black salt + ½ tsp turmeric; dry-roast, grindWorks | Works |
| 4 | Garam masala on its own, with lemon added at the endweeknight pav bhaji | Same amountPlus ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder per tablespoon and a good squeeze of lemon juice stirred in at the endTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Kitchen king masala or all-purpose sabzi masalapav bhaji at short notice | Same amountPlus ½ tsp amchur or a squeeze of lemon per tablespoonWorks | Works |
| 6 | Curry powder plus lemoncooking abroad with limited spices | ¾ of the amount called for, plus ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and a good squeeze of lemon per tablespoonTweak it | Tweak it |
Garam masala plus amchur and Kashmiri chilli powder
similar taste and texture
The blend rebuilt from what most Indian kitchens already have, including the sour element that defines it.
- Best for
- pav bhaji, masala pav and tawa pulao, vegetable frankies and rolls, spicing up mashed potato or mixed vegetable curries
As close as a home substitute gets, and the amchur is what makes it work. Amchur is quietly sour rather than sharply acidic, which is why bhaji made with it tastes bright without tasting of lemon. The Kashmiri chilli is doing colour work more than heat work; it is what gives street-cart bhaji its glowing red-orange, and ordinary hot chilli powder at the same quantity will be too fiery. The fennel adds the faintly sweet lift that separates this blend from a plain curry masala.
Garam masala and chaat masala, half and half
similar taste and texture
Two common jars that between them cover almost everything pav bhaji masala contains.
- Best for
- the fastest genuinely good substitute, pav bhaji and masala pav, vegetable sandwiches and toasties, cooks who already keep both jars
This is the swap most people ask about and the answer is yes, it works well. Chaat masala brings the amchur, black salt and cumin, and garam masala brings the warm cinnamon-clove-cardamom base, which is essentially the whole blend. The two cautions are salt and sulphur: chaat masala is heavily salted and its black salt has a distinctly eggy smell, so cut the recipe's salt and add the chaat masala near the end of cooking rather than at the start, where prolonged boiling makes that note more obvious.
Homemade pav bhaji masala from whole spices
enhanced taste, similar texture
The blend made properly, which takes about ten minutes and keeps for months.
- Best for
- making pav bhaji regularly, controlling the heat and salt yourself, the strongest, freshest aroma, tawa pulao, masala pav and vada pav chutney
Better than any packet, and the difference is obvious in the first mouthful, because commercial blends are padded with salt and stale ground coriander. Dry-roast the whole spices and chillies separately over low heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes, cool completely, then grind with the amchur, black salt and turmeric stirred in afterwards so they do not scorch. Kashmiri chillies are essential for the colour; using hot chillies instead gives a duller red and much more heat. Keeps about three months in a sealed jar.
Garam masala on its own, with lemon added at the end
different taste, similar texture
The single-jar answer, which covers the warm spices but none of the tang.
- Best for
- weeknight pav bhaji, when garam masala is the only Indian blend you own, vegetable curries and mashed potato dishes, cooking for people who dislike sour flavours
Edible and quite good, but you will taste the gap if you know the dish. Garam masala has no amchur and no black salt, so the bhaji comes out rounder, warmer and slightly sweet, missing the mouth-watering tang that makes street pav bhaji so addictive. The lemon at the end is not optional in this version; it is the entire correction. Garam masala also has no chilli, so without the added Kashmiri chilli the bhaji looks brown rather than red.
Kitchen king masala or all-purpose sabzi masala
similar taste and texture
Indian all-purpose vegetable-curry blends that share most of pav bhaji masala's spices.
- Best for
- pav bhaji at short notice, mixed vegetable curries, cooks with an Indian grocery cupboard, tawa pulao
Genuinely close, since these blends already combine coriander, cumin, chilli, fennel, cinnamon and clove for exactly this kind of dish. Most contain some amchur too, though usually less than pav bhaji masala, hence the top-up. The likeliest difference is that all-purpose blends are milder and sometimes include dried fenugreek leaf, which adds a pleasant slightly bitter note that is not traditional here but is far from unwelcome. Taste and add Kashmiri chilli if the colour looks pale.
Curry powder plus lemon
different taste, similar texture
The least-bad option outside an Indian pantry, with real limitations.
- Best for
- cooking abroad with limited spices, when nothing else is available, mild versions for children, vegetable mashes generally
This makes a tasty spiced vegetable mash, but it is not pav bhaji. Curry powder is turmeric- and fenugreek-led, so the bhaji comes out mustard yellow instead of red and tastes earthy and slightly bitter rather than warm and tangy. Using three quarters of the amount stops the turmeric dominating. If you can add even ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves along with the chilli and lemon, it moves noticeably closer.
Questions
5 questionsCan I just leave pav bhaji masala out?
You would end up with buttery mashed mixed vegetables, which is fine but is not pav bhaji, since the blend is the dish's entire flavour. Nothing structural depends on it. If you have nothing at all, the absolute minimum is ground coriander, ground cumin, Kashmiri chilli powder and a squeeze of lemon, roughly 2:1:1 teaspoons plus the juice of half a lemon for a pan serving four.
Can I use garam masala instead of pav bhaji masala?
Yes, at one for one, and it is the most common substitution. Be aware of what changes: garam masala has no amchur, no black salt and no chilli, so the bhaji tastes warmer and sweeter, lacks the characteristic tang and looks brown rather than red. Add ½ teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder per tablespoon and a squeeze of lemon at the end and it comes surprisingly close.
What is the difference between pav bhaji masala and chaat masala?
Chaat masala is a cold-use souring and salting blend built on amchur, black salt, cumin and asafoetida, sprinkled on fruit, chaat and drinks. Pav bhaji masala is a cooking blend with all the warm spices too, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel and chilli, plus a smaller amount of amchur. Half chaat masala and half garam masala is a very good stand-in for pav bhaji masala; chaat masala alone is not, and would be far too salty.
Is pav bhaji masala very spicy?
Most commercial blends are medium at most, because the chilli in them is mainly Kashmiri chilli chosen for colour rather than heat. Street versions taste hot because vendors add extra chilli powder and green chilli separately, not because the blend itself is fiery. If you are building a substitute, keep the heat in a separate jar so you can dial it up for adults and down for children without changing the flavour.
How much pav bhaji masala should I use?
Around 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons for a pan of bhaji made with about 2 pounds of mixed vegetables, serving four. Add two thirds with the tomatoes and stir the last third in during the final two minutes with extra butter. All the substitutes above go in at the same quantity except curry powder, which should be cut to three quarters.
Tips for substituting pav bhaji masala
5 tips- The red-orange colour of street pav bhaji is Kashmiri chilli powder plus a generous amount of butter, not tomato. Any substitute without a red chilli component will look brown no matter how long you cook it, so add ½ to 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder per tablespoon of blend replaced.
- Add the blend to the pan with the onions, tomatoes and butter and let it fry for a minute before the mashed vegetables go in. Powder stirred into an already-wet bhaji tastes raw and gritty and needs another ten minutes of simmering to catch up.
- Amchur is the ingredient people leave out and then wonder why it tastes wrong. If you cannot get dried mango powder, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice per ½ teaspoon of amchur added off the heat does the same job, though it tastes brighter and less fruity.
- Hold back some of the blend and a knob of butter to add in the last two minutes. Street vendors season in stages and finish with fresh masala and butter on the hot tawa, which is why cart bhaji smells stronger than the version made in one go at home.
- If you use chaat masala as part of your substitute, add it late. Its black salt carries a sulphurous note that is pleasant in small doses but becomes more pronounced the longer it boils.