Vada Pav (Indian Deep-Fried Potato Balls on Rolls)

Spiced, deep-fried potato balls layered on rolls with savory garlic and a bright cilantro and mint chutney.

By
Chetna Makan
Chetna Makan is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Chetna Makan
Born in India and now a resident of Canterbury, England, Chetna Makan is a former contestant on The Great British Bake Off who has published five books on Indian cooking.
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Updated March 14, 2024
Side view of vada pav

Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin

Why It Works

  • Coating the spiced potato mixture in a chickpea (“gram”) flour batter before frying creates a crisp exterior.
  • A cilantro and mint chutney brings a bright, refreshing flavor, while a pounded garlic chutney lends a savory kick.

I first encountered vada pav—a deep-fried ball of spiced potatoes between a fluffy dinner roll—after moving to Mumbai. Though I grew up eating vada (the fried potato that some call an alu bonda), it was not served inside a pav, a roll Portuguese colonizers introduced to India. There was something so incredibly pleasing about the contrast of the soft bread with the crispness of the potato. Two different chutneys—one garlic and the other cilantro—made the snack even more enticing. I fell in love with it straightaway. 

Side view of vada pav

Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma


Vada is a common name for things that are ball-shaped and fried, like dal vada (made with lentils), alu vada (made with potatoes), and other vegetable vadas. The vada pav is one of the most popular street foods from Mumbai, and since the snack’s inception in the 1960s, it has become increasingly popular around the world. According to BBC correspondent Charukesi Ramadurai, many believe that Ashok Vaidya, a vendor who sold the sandwiches across from Dadar train station in Mumbai, invented the vada pav in 1966. A cheap grab-and-go meal for the many workers of Mumbai, vada pav is eaten throughout the day, and many stalls offer them freshly-made all day long. The sandwich, Ramadurai writes, “is synonymous with the city of Mumbai, with almost every resident, from factory workers to Bollywood stars, unabashed in declaring their love for it.” 

Overhead view of vada pav

Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma


When I lived in Mumbai, all my local friends had a favorite vada pav stall. They each raved about the vendor they frequented and insisted it was the best place to go. To be honest, I don’t remember having a bad vada pav in all the years I lived in Mumbai. It really is something that’s difficult to get wrong. They’re especially good when they’re fresh out of the fryer and still hot. If you’re lucky, you might reach a stall just as they’re making a new batch.

How to Make Vada Pav at Home

The best potatoes to use for vada pav are starchy ones. Here in the U.K., I like to use maris piper potatoes as they’re light and fluffy when mashed. I recommend boiling the potatoes fresh, as it’s easier to incorporate the spices into the warm potatoes. The batter should have a consistency similar to that of pancake batter. Too thick, and you’ll end up with an overly doughy exterior that won’t crisp up properly. Too thin, and there won’t be enough batter to cover the vadas. You want something in-between that’s just liquidy enough to evenly coat the vadas so you can taste the batter without it getting soggy. 

Overhead view of frying potatoes

Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma


The chutneys add magic to the vada pav. The one made with coriander and mint is refreshing, light, and vibrant, and brings necessary sharpness to counter the heaviness of the potatoes, while the garlic chutney brings a rich, savory note. Together with the vada and fried green chile, the flavors and textures are truly sensational. It’s no surprise that the vada pav is loved by all and that it is increasingly becoming more popular around the world.

Recipe Details

Vada Pav (Indian Deep-Fried Potato Balls on Rolls)

Prep 10 mins
Cook 50 mins
Cooling Time 15 mins
Total 75 mins
Makes 10 vada pav

Ingredients

  • For the Cilantro Chutney:
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 1 1/2 ounces; 40g) 
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves (3/4 ounce; 20g) 
  • 2 small green chiles, such as serrano or bird’s eye, stemmed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts (1 ounce; 30g)
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice from 1 medium lemon
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) water
  • For the Vada:
  • 3 russet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds; 680g), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) neutral oil, such as vegetable or sunflower oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • Pinch of asafoetida
  • 10 fresh curry leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground red chile powder, such as Kashmiri
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 
  • For the Batter:
  • 1 1/2 cup (about 6 3/4 ounces; 190g) chickpea ("gram") flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground red chile powder, such as Kashmiri
  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • For the Garlic Chutney:
  • 4 medium cloves (20g) garlic 
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground red chile powder, such as Kashmiri
  • To Cook and Assemble:
  • 2 quarts (1.9L) neutral oil, such as vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep frying4 to 5 green Thai chiles, slit lengthwise
  • 10 dinner rolls, split

Directions

  1. For the Cilantro Chutney: In a food processor, blend cilantro, mint, green chiles, peanuts, salt, sugar, lemon juice, and water until smooth, using a rubber spatula to scrape down as needed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

    Overhead view of chutney in food processor bowl

    Serious Eats /Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  2. For the Vadas: Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until tender and a knife meets little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk, about 15 minutes. Using a colander, drain potatoes and let rest for 10 minutes to dry and cool slightly.

    Overhead view of potatoes cooking

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  3. Transfer cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl and using a potato masher, mash until no big chunks remain. Set aside.

    Overhead view of mashing potatoes

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  4. In a large skillet, sauté pan, or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and asafoetida, and cook until they start to pop. Add curry leaves, then reduce the heat to low and stir in salt, chile powder, and turmeric. (Please note, the curry leaves sputter and pop when added to the hot oil, so be prepared with a lid or splatter guard to contain it.) Add potatoes, stirring to incorporate, then remove from heat. Set aside to cool, about 15 minutes. Divide spiced potato mixture into 10 even portions, each about 1.5 inches in diameter, and shape each into a tightly packed ball. 

    Four image collage of making potato balls and spice

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  5. In a medium bowl, whisk chickpea flour, salt, turmeric, and chile powder together. Whisk in water until completely smooth.

    Overhead view of whisking water into bowl

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  6. In a 6-quart Dutch oven or wok, heat oil over medium heat until it reaches 350ºF (177ºC). Meanwhile, set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or line the baking sheet with paper towels.

    Overhead view of lining tray with paper towel

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  7. Using a tablespoon, carefully drizzle 4 to 6 tablespoonfuls of batter into the oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried batter to prepared baking sheet.

    Two image collage of frying batter and removing it from pan

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  8. Return oil to 350ºF (177ºC). Working in batches to prevent overcrowding the oil, dip vadas in the batter, allowing excess to drain off, then carefully lower into the oil. Fry until crisp and golden brown all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried potato balls to prepared baking sheet and season with salt. Return oil to 350ºF (177ºC) and repeat with remaining potato balls. When all the patties have been fried, add green chiles and fry until blistered, about 1 1/2 minutes.

    Frying potato balls in a pot of oil.

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  9. For the Garlic Chutney: Using a mortar and pestle, pound garlic cloves with salt to paste. Add fried batter and chile powder and continue to crush with pestle, smashing and grinding until you get a fine breadcrumb texture.

    Pounding garlic and breadcrumbs with a mortar and pestle.

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

  10. To Assemble: Using an offset spatula, spread 1 tablespoon cilantro chutney onto bottom of each roll. Top with vadas and 1 teaspoon garlic chutney, along with 1 fried chile. Sandwich and serve immediately.

    Assembling vada pav on a wooden cutting board.

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

Special Equipment

Food processor, large skillet, sauté pan, or wok, 6-quart Dutch oven, wire rack, rimmed baking sheet, mortar and pestle, offset spatula

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