Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns
If you are looking for warm, fluffy, and perfectly-proofed Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns, then this is THE recipe for you!
These eggless ladi pavs are surprisingly simple to make and tastes so much better than the store-bought ones. These golden pavs make a perfect meal when paired with bhaji.
Now let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a moist homemade bread? When it comes to baking, there's nothing quite like the smell and taste of freshly-baked bread out of your oven.
It's one of the easiest things to make and looks so elegant and tastes amazingly delicious!
What is Ladi pav?
Pav is, (as you may have already guessed, thanks to the pictures) a type of bread and ladi means a line or block of dough stuck together. Combined, it signifies a chunk of bread dough joined together.
Ladi Pav is a very popular recipe from Mumbai, which, over time, has become a real staple bread in the Maharashtrian cuisine.
This bread is also known as the Mumbai ladi pavs - which are soft, spongy, and fluffy with a good flavor and hearty texture.
The recipe that I am sharing with you today is that homemade ladi pavs have the same taste and smell as store-baked pavs.
So consider yourself warned; these Mumbai Ladi Pav and Buns are hard to resist!!
Ingredients required to make Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns!
» All-Purpose flour - the base for this recipe.
» Salt - let's flavor the pavs.
» Butter + oil - for extra richness
» Yeast - Use active dry yeast for this recipe. Please make sure the yeast is not expired.
» Sugar - adding sugar will speed up the yeast activation process. Yeast will bloom faster if it has sugar.
» Milk or Water - the most important ingredient. Make sure your liquid is lukewarm and not hot. If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
» Baking Powder - makes a huge difference. Homemade Ladi pavs are baked with some baking powder to achieve a soft, amazing texture.
WHY ADD BAKING POWDER to Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns?
Some of you may wonder why add baking powder when there is yeast already present in the recipe?
The answer is simple; baking powder makes the pavs feather-light and remarkably soft.
I have been using baking powder in my pavs for quite a while now, and what I found is that with yeast alone, I couldn't get that lighter consistency, but the addition of a little baking powder: changes the whole game.
Yeast makes the ladi pav dough to rise, whereas baking powder gives the pavs light and fluffy texture!
However, I don't recommend using the combo of yeast+baking powder in all situations because some bread recipes are better off without baking powder.
But if you prefer, a beautiful light, softer white textured pavs, then a teaspoon of baking powder will make a huge difference.
How to make the Mumbai Famous Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns at home?
1. Activate the yeast!
Begin the recipe by activating the yeast. Combine yeast with milk +water + sugar and let it stand for 5-10 minutes until it becomes thick, foamy, and bubbly.
This proofing procedure shows that yeast is alive and active. Yeast needs to foam up (become frothy and bubbly). If it doesn’t then discard and start all over again.
DO NOT proceed with the recipe, as the flat yeast will result in dense and sticky pav.
2. Prepare the dough
Combine yeast with butter, oil, flour, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Knead a soft, pliable dough. Once the dough is blended, cover and set it aside in a warm place to rise.
Let the dough rise undisturbed for an hour.
In the given time, the dough will double in size.
Water ratio in the recipe
This recipe uses 3 cups of flour vs. 1.56 cups of liquid (water + milk + oil + butter), and that balances this recipe pretty well.
The extra 3 tablespoons of water are ONLY TO BE ADDED if the dough doesn't bind.
Do not add all the water at once. Add water as needed, you might not need all the water.
3. Knead the dough!
Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and knead it for another 5- 10 minutes.
This step is essential for lighter pavs.
4.Time for the second rise!
Divide the pav dough into equal parts and shape them. Arrange the pavs in a greased tray.
Leave some space between each dough ball and provide them some room to spread as they rise.
Cover the pavs with a wet towel and set it in a warm place. Let the buns rise for 30 minutes.
After the rise period, the buns will expand and fill up all the empty save. They are now ready for baking.
5. Bake the Pav
Brush the top of the pavs with milk.
If you like a brown crust just like the store-bought ones, then you can brush the top with an egg wash. Bake Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns in a preheated oven until they are evenly brown from top.
If you prefer a darker shade, place them closer to the heating element for a few seconds until the top gets darker.
But keep a watchful eye as they will get burned quickly.
The same recipe can be used to make homemade burger buns!
Instead of using a square pan, place the shaped pav balls on a baking sheet. The only difference, these rolls will not be placed firmly like the pavs; they will be freely arranged on the baking tray.
Bake the dough for 18 - 20 minutes. This way, these buns will bake into crispier rolls with an even all around crust.
Brush these homemade buns with butter and sprinkled some sesame seeds - soft and tender homemade buns are ready to enjoy!
Tips to consider while making Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns -
What could possibly go wrong at each step -
Please follow the exact ladi pav recipe, and you can't go wrong with this one. This recipe has been tested and tried many times in my kitchen, and every time it's a winner.
Step 1- Activating yeast - Yeast is the backbone in bread baking. Many things can go wrong at this step. Let's look at them in detail.
- Yeast SHOULD activate before you progress with the recipe. This is a step where most people rush through, and the whole recipe falls apart.
- Be patient. Let the yeast rest undisturbed. Let it do its work.
- Make sure your yeast has not expired. Always use fresh yeast every time. Old yeast will fail to rise, resulting in dense pavs.
- Use lukewarm water. A water temperature between 105° F and 110° F. Too hot of water will kill the yeast, and it will fail to rise.
- Sugar is an essential ingredient. Trust me; your pavs will not turn sweet. Yeast feeds on sugar, and sugar helps the yeast to become bubbly and frothy.
Step 2- Proofing the dough -Equally important step in bread making.
- After the dough is kneaded, ladi pav dough will be just like any other dough - flat and smooth. It needs proper proofing/rise time.
- Now, it's our duty to give the dough a warm, humid environment. Trust me; yeast loves that.
- And what could that be - it could be the top of your refrigerator, your Instant Pot, or your oven.
- Warm the oven to 200 degrees F. Once it reaches that mark, turn the oven off. Place the Ladi pav dough in the warm oven.
- Let it rest. Please do not open the oven to check how it is doing.
- Remember, temperature plays a crucial role in bread rise.
How can you proof the dough in the Instant Pot?
Instant Pot is an excellent option if you need the bread dough quickly. It provides an excellent, consistent warm place for your dough to proof, which yeast loves.
1. Grease the Instant Pot insert. Transfer the dough to the Instant Pot.
2. Cover it with a glass lid.
3. Turn the Instant pot on by pressing the ‘Yogurt’ button. Adjust the pressure to ‘Less.’ Set the timer to 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, the dough will expand and double in size.
NOTE – If your Instant Pot doesn’t have a ‘yogurt setting,’ you must ferment it naturally in a warm oven.
Step 3- Knead the dough. Often overlooked, but this is an essential step in bread making.
Punch down and knead the proofed dough.
But why knead the dough? Dough elasticity and gluten formation are enhanced by kneading. Kneading the dough for a good 4-5 minutes will help release additional air bubbles.
Kneading-
- It helps produce a beautiful texture of the ladi pav.
- It redistributes the yeast and moisture evenly in the dough, which helps the dough to rise well during the second proofing.
Step 4- Select the right baking pan for the pav. I have received many emails regarding Ladi pavs not retaining their shape.
If your yeast was well activated and you had an excellent first and second rise, then your Ladi pav recipe can't go wrong. Now, why didn't they retain their shape?
It's because of the pan.
Your pavs did what they could do - they expanded during baking. But instead of rising upward, they spread in the pan because there was too much distance between each pav.
So, if you prefer your pavs to be squared and uniformly shaped pull-apart rolls, just like the store-bought ones?
Then bake them in the right pan. The best pans to bake are -
This way, you will end up with perfect pull-apart pavs.
Step 5- Baking Ladi pavs - By this stage, everything is set. If your pavs had an excellent second rise then nothing can go wrong at this point.
Just bake as directed. When the baked Ladi pavs will come out of they will be hard on top. Don't worry.
Just brush with butter and your pavs will turn soft.
For softer pavs – Preheat oven for 15- 20 minutes before placing pavs. Bake them for 10-12 minutes. If pavs are not brown in the given time frame, put them closer to the heating element or BROIL for FEW SECONDS until the top browns up and remove them immediately.
Remember, overcooking will result in hard pavs.
Now for some Faq's related to Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns
» What kind of yeast to use?
I have used active dry yeast for this recipe. If using Instant yeast – that needs to be added to the recipe directly. No proofing is required. If using Instant yeast - use 1¾ teaspoons of instant dry yeast.
If using Instant yeast, you may have to adjust the liquid content in the recipe.
Role of Sugar in bread baking!
If using Instant yeast or Active dry yeast, or fresh yeast, do not skip on sugar!
- Sugar is added to the dough for taste. The sugar balances the bitterness produced by the leavening agents or whole wheat flour and lends a sweet taste to the finished product.
- Sugar helps make bread soft and tender by absorbing some of the liquid. Without sugar, the moisture will evaporate from the dough during baking, resulting in a dense loaf.
- By absorbing the dough's moisture, sugar prevents gluten formation, which gives your bread a delicate crumb texture.
- Sugar aids in the browning and caramelizing of the crust.
- Sugar acts as a preservative and helps to keep the bread fresh for a long.
- The addition of sugar gives a boost to the yeast, and the yeast expands and multiplies, producing more carbon dioxide.
- The carbon dioxide forms little gas pockets in the dough, making it rise. During baking, this gas expands, and that causes the bread to rise.
» On which rack should you bake these Ladi pavs?
The tray should be kept at the middle rack for brown pavs.
» What can you use to bake homemade Ladi pavs?
Any oven resistant dish or baking tray is suitable for baking pavs. You can even use glass baking trays and foil trays.
» Why is my Pavs moist at the base?
Once pav bread is out of the oven, remove the pav from the baking tray and allow them to cool down on a wire rack. If allowed to sit too long in the baking dish, pavs will turn moist and remain wet at the base due to heat condensation.
My family has enjoyed homemade pavs for years now, and I hope it becomes your family favorite too. Follow the step by step guide below to your very own homemade light and soft pavs.
These pavs will melt in your mouth, and trust me, they won't last long around the dinner table - my family devours these pavs in minutes with homemade bhaji.
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe. Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries, and I would be happy to answer them.
CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY MY OTHER FLAVOR-PACKED bread –
Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns
INGREDIENTS
YEAST PREPARATION
- 1 packet Active dry yeast (2-¼ teaspoon)
- 2½ tablespoons Sugar
- 3 tablespoons Water
- 3 teaspoons Milk
PAV DOUGH - THIS RECIPE YIELDS 12 PAVS
- 3 cups All purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons Salt
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 cup Water or Milk
- 1 tablespoon Butter (for basting)
BRUSH UNCOOKED PAVS WITH
- 2-3 tablespoons Milk
INSTRUCTIONS
YEAST PREPARATION
- Assemble: all the ingredients. For few seconds warm up milk, water, and sugar. Milk and water should be LUKEWARM and not warm. Take it off the flame and mix in the yeast.
- Whisk it well.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes it will look like a thick creamy paste. This proofing procedure shows that yeast is alive and active.
- If the yeast doesn't foam or bubble as shown in the pic, please discard the yeast and start over Do not continue with flat yeast as it will result in dense and sticky pav.
KNEAD THE DOUGH
- In a bowl combine flour with salt and baking powder. Mix it well. Slowly and gradually add water/milk. PROTIP - Do not add all the water at once. Add water as needed, you might not need all the water. If the dough doesn't bind, add an extra tablespoon of water.
- Time to add yeast.
- Add yeast and mix until combined.
- Add butter and oil to the flour. Mix until fully incoprporated.
- Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes.
- The dough should be smooth. Not sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl. Cover the dough with a wet towel.
- And set it in a warm place for at least 1- 2 hours. The dough will double in size. The dough should be all airy and puffed up.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, dust it with some flour and start kneading the dough. This step is necessary – if the dough is not kneaded well, pav will turn out dense. Dough elasticity and gluten formation are enhanced by kneading.
ASSEMBLE PAV
- Divide the dough into equal parts. Form the dough into smooth circular shape. Arrange the pavs in a greased tray.Leave some space between each dough ball and provide them some room to spread as they rise.
- Cover them with a wet towel and set it in a warm place for at least 30 minutes. Lift the wet towel to see them doubled in size.
- The pav will double in size. If they are not doubled in the desired time- let the pav rise for another 30 minutes. Preheat oven at 400 degrees F.
- Brush pavs with milk and... Bake them in a preheated oven (400 degrees F) for 10 -15 minutes or until light brown from the top. It took me 12 minutes to lightly brown the pavs and a minute on BROIL 9which was closely monitored).
- Apply butter to the freshly baked pavs and it will soften the top.
- Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen up the pavs. Run the knife a couple of times and make sure no sides are attached to the baking pan. This way, the pav will toss right out of the baking pan when inverted.
- If the pavs are allowed to sit for long in the baking tray they will turn moist at the base due to heat condensation.
- When pressed, the pavs will spring right back into it's shape.
- Once you start making this recipe at home you will stop buying market buns - easiest and tastiest bun recipe ever!!
- Using the same recipe you can make homemade buns - baking time will vary 18-20 minutes. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds.
PAV WITHOUT OVEN
- Add 1½ cups of sand at the bottom of a pan or pressure cooker. Place a strainer over the sand.
- Grease a steel container. Arrange pavs in the greased container. Place pavs over the strainer...
- Cover it with the lid. Maintain the heat - it should be medium. If using a pressure cooker, then remove the rubber gasket from the lid and close the cooker.
- After 30 minutes of total cooking - well-cooked pavs. Carefully remove them from the pan.
- Let it cool down completely and then run a knife across the pan to loosen the pavs. Flip it over. Brush with melted butter. Enjoy!! Beautifully crusted at the bottom and soft and velvety at the top.
VIDEO
RECIPE NOTES
Pavs made in 2016-
Pavs made in 2017 -
Pavs made in 2018-
Pavs made in 2019-
Pavs made in 2020 -
Hey Ruchi!
This is the best recipe I found for pavs! Thank you so much for writing it.
If I need pavs on Tuesday dinner, can I make the dough on Sunday? What should I do differently?
Best,
Purnima
Thanks Purnima. 🙂
Yes you can make the dough in advance. Freeze the dough. Follow the steps below -
1. Let the dough rise through it’s first step. (as stated in the recipe).
2. After the first rise, knead, punch and shape the dough like pavs.
3. Place the shaped dough into a greased baking tray, seal it with plastic wrap (prevent sticking) and freeze.
4. Such elaborate step is done to make sure the dough retains its shape during freezing.
5. When ready to bake,thaw the dough in the refrigerator over night and then give the dough sufficient time to fully rise again (it’s second rise).
6. Bake and enjoy!!
Hi ruchi ji,
I tried this recipe today, and to my surprise it came out well, can't believe, I'm very excited and very thankful to you. I have tried many recipes before but never get such amazing result. It's such a simple and great recipe and an absolute keeper. Thanks a lot. May god bless you each day.
Thank you so much Samina for your lovely words of appreciation ! Means a lot! I am glad you tried my recipe and it worked well for you. 🙂
Hi, I have tried your racipe 3 times. . I used half wheat flour and half maida. Upto baking stage everything goes well. Pav looks perfect as per your photos. But they didn't rise after baking. Turns little hard and dense. What would be the reason?
Deepa, sorry to hear that this recipe didn't work for you. First of all combining the flours is not a good idea, both the flours have different properties. Wheat flour makes the pavs much denser and a lot heavier than those made with all-purpose flour. I have a wheat pav recipe on the blog, please follow that. https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/recipe/wheat-ladi-pav-recipe/
Reason for dense and hard pavs-
1. Overcooking will result in hard pavs. Do not bake them for more than 10 – 15 minutes. Also, keeping them too close to the heating element will result in hard top, as high temperatures lead to crusty pavs.
2. If the yeast was not proofed well (frothy and bubbly), pavs will turn dense in texture.
Hope this answers your query!
Thanks. Will try again.
Awesome, Deepa. Keep me posted. 🙂
Hi,
If I'm using Instant yeast, should the quantity be same?
Yes, the quantity remains the same. Compared to active dry yeast, instant yeast doesn’t have to be proofed; it can be added straight to the dry ingredients. Result will be the same.
Hi Ruchi, Thanks for this wonderful and very detailed recipe 🙂 I made it yesterday and these were the problems i faced.
1) The dough was very sticky throughout the process. (did i put too much milk while kneading).
2) The Pav turned out little salty. I used exact measurement of salt u suggested. I used salted butter though.
3) The Pav turned out to be little dense and crumbly.
If u could tell me my mistakes... it would be great!!! Thank you 🙂
Sorry to hear that this recipe didn't work for you. Since this is one of my most promising recipes, let's see what went wrong here.
1) The dough was very sticky throughout the process. (did i put too much milk while kneading).
Adding too much milk or water will result in a sticky dough. Solution - Add extra dough (1 teaspoon at a time) and that will take care of this issue.
2) The Pav turned out little salty. I used exact measurement of salt u suggested. I used salted butter though.
Since you have substituted unsalted butter with salted one, salt quantity should have been 1 teaspoon.
3) The Pav turned out to be little dense and crumbly.
If the yeast was not proofed well (frothy and bubbly), pavs will turn dense in texture.
Hope this answers your query. Once again, thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your experience with me. 🙂
Hi Ruchi, I have made this recipe twice in three days! It's a great recipe and definitely one that I will keep coming back to when I need pav for pav bhaji or dabeli. Thank you!!
Radhika, the pleasure is all mine. Thanks for sharing your experience with me. 🙂
Thanks for the receipe, tried it out today. It worked out great!
Glad to hear that Diana. Thanks for trying the recipe. 🙂
wow so awesome recipe, i will be trying it.. for me most of the time it never turn out as i wanted. let me try this. thank you so much for the step by step .. it helps actually. Blessed Day!
Thanks a bunch for your lovely feedback, Fenella! Glad you found the blog helpful!
They look gorgeous!
Very detailed recipe.. Explained it so well:)
Thanks dear. Glad you liked. 🙂
Hi ruchi...this recipe is sooooo awesome..u have explained everything in so much detail...I have baked perfect pavs in first go.. .thank u soo much...I have one question..if I take whole wheat flour instead of maida...will there b any change in recipe? And will it b soft and fluffy?
Thanks for trying the recipe Swati. Glad it turned out perfect for you. I have a wheat pav recipe on the blog, please follow that. https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/recipe/wheat-ladi-pav-recipe/
Thanks ruchi for this amazing recipe. Your step by step detailed information helped me enormously. My pav came out exactly like you. There are other websites that don't give you such detailed information. This small measurements and tips helps us to make our recipe work.
Pleasure is all mine, Smita. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time out to share your experience with me! Glad you liked the pav recipe. If you happened to click some pics then share with me at https://www.facebook.com/ruchiskitchen/
Kya bina yeast k pav bana sakte he?
Kavita, this recipe cannot be made without yeast.
I am simply awed at the wonderful recipes you try and present through your pictures. This one is killer one. So many pics to make a layemen get through easily. Always look forward to your posts they are refreshing and absolutely lovely. Thank you so much and love all your shares and recipes...
I made your pav recipe yesterday and again making it tonight. Everyone loved it.
Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your wonderful feedback with me. I’m so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe. Keep checking back for more. 🙂
thankkkkk u sooo much fr this perfect recepi.....after one failure.., u r recepi helped me....n I baked perfect buns....
So happy to hear that! Glad you liked. Thanks for trying it. 🙂
Hi, My dough turned out just the way you described. But still my Pav was slightly dense & dry. What could be the reason? I used 1 packet of Active dry yeast, which measured 2 1/4 tsp, but the packet said 7 gms & not 11 gms. Please advice.
Thanks for trying the recipe Shakuntala and sharing your feedback with me. There are couple of reasons for dense pav –
1. Dough didn’t get sufficient time to rise.
2. If the yeast was not proofed well (frothy and bubbly), pavs will turn dense in texture.
3. The dough was not well-kneaded. As shown in step 11, the dough should be well kneaded.
Hope this answers your query. Do give it a try again and make sure you use fresh yeast and it is proofed well.
The pav that I made turned out amazing. They do not look as professional like the ones you made. However, they look mouth watering and are so soft that literally melts in mouth. Thank you so much. This was my first time making pav (of any kind). This success is very motivating, thanks to you.
Thanks Zil for sharing your experience and wonderful feedback with me. It makes it all the more worthwhile and special. Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Hi RK, Great website,very well explained. I just made the pav. Somehow its to soft, if i press it between my 2 fingers it almost turns into dough. Did i mabey use too much yeast? Also how wud I get round buns for hamburgers? Thnx
Thanks for trying the recipe Anja! Glad you liked it. I think the pavs were not baked fully and were pulled out of the oven earlier and this is the reason why they feel like dough. Please follow this recipe on how to shape buns - https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/recipe/honeycomb-buns-or-beehive-buns/
Hello Ruchi, my question is in case if I have to make only 6 pavs then I should take half the measurements of all ingredients and so does the dough rising time varies or I should wait for time as u have mentioned?
Dimple, change the serving size to 6 and it will adjust the recipe accordingly. Rest nothing changes in the recipe. Everything remains the same.
Hey,
Thanks for recipe and explanation.
I tried pav using your recipe, it turned out awesome..Wanted to share pic with you.
Hello Neetu,
Thanks for the trying the recipe! Glad you liked it. Your lovely feedback makes my work all the more worthwhile and special. 🙂
You can share your pics with me at [email protected]
i tried the whole receipe everything was performed exactly as you showed in pictures but when i heated in my microwave(not convectional) it turned hard please comment on this because as it has turned very hard i have to throw it
Archana, the reason your pav turned out hard is because they were not baked. It is clearly mentioned in the recipe to bake the pav in an oven or in a microwave- in convection mode. You cannot bake a dough in a microwave, it will turn the dough into a brick. Microwave heats up all the water content (molecules) of the dough, and the end result is rock solid dough.
I would suggest, please bake it in a microwave or cook it over a cooktop. Method is shown in the recipe itself (towards the end).
Hello Ruchi... you have an amazing blog!!! I have gotten back to baking after a very long time.. there is a Pav Bhaji party this weekend and I'd like to surprise my friends by making the pav myself.... your recipe is very detailed and very helpful... appreciate the effort... I have a convection microwave and want to use it for baking ... I need to make about 25 pav portions... so the baking will have to be done in about 2 -3 batches... can i prepare the dough all at once... or should i also repeat the process for each baking batch? TIA
Thanks for your kind words Shreya! I would suggest prepare the dough in advance and let it have its first rise. Knead and divide the dough. Shape pavs for the first batch, let it rest for second rise and then bake. While the first batch is baking, knead the dough for the second batch and let it rise and bake and so on....
If you chose to make the dough all at once, while the first batch is baking the other batches will rise beautifully and triple in size resulting in extra fluffy pavs. 🙂 Hope that helps! Have fun and enjoy!! If possible share some pics at [email protected]