My vada pav puff pastry braid wraps the spiced potato filling from Mumbai’s vada pav in store-bought puff pastry, with green chutney and a dry peanut garlic chutney baked inside. It goes into the oven at 400°F as one braided loaf and comes out golden and flaky, ready to slice at the table.
The vada pav filling and both chutneys, baked into one braid
Vada pav is a Mumbai street snack. It’s a spiced potato fritter in a soft bun with green chutney and a dry garlic chutney. I kept the potato filling and both chutneys, and swapped the batter and the bun for one sheet of puff pastry braided over the top.
My dry chutney skips the coconut. Most versions use dried coconut with the garlic. I like it with roasted peanuts and toasted sesame instead, and it stays dry enough to sprinkle inside the braid without soaking the pastry. I made mine with garlic powder, which gives a milder chutney than fried fresh garlic.
One braid slices into 8 pieces for a party, and the leftover chutneys go on the side for dipping.
What goes into a vada pav braid
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Yukon Gold potatoes, coarsely mashed, keep some texture the way a vada filling should. Drain them well and let them steam dry before mashing.
- Black mustard seeds and fresh curry leaves in hot oil give the filling its vada pav flavor. Look for curry leaves at Indian grocery stores and freeze the rest of the bunch.
- Hing (asafoetida) adds a savory, garlicky depth with just a pinch. Many brands are cut with wheat flour.
- Roasted peanuts and sesame seeds make the dry chutney crunchy without coconut. Kashmiri chili powder gives it a deep red color without much heat.
- Cilantro with the stems makes a green chutney with more body. Blend it with as little water as possible so it spreads like pesto.
Shruthi’s Top Tips
Tips for a vada pav braid that bakes up flaky
Cold filling and thick chutney do most of the work.
- Cool the potato filling until it’s cold to the touch. If it’s still warm when you assemble, give it 15 minutes in the fridge, because warm filling melts the pastry layers.
- Keep the green chutney thick. A runny chutney soaks through and leaves the bottom soggy.
- Pulse the peanut chutney, don’t blend it. Peanuts turn into peanut butter fast, so stop while it still looks like crumbs.
- Lift the parchment and check the bottom before you pull the braid. It should be browned, not pale.
- Rest it for 10 minutes before slicing so the filling holds together.
How to make a vada pav puff pastry braid
Cook and mash the potatoes with the spiced mustard seed tempering, then cool. Blend the green chutney until thick and pulse the peanut garlic chutney into coarse crumbs.
- Spread the green chutney down the middle of the puff pastry, then sprinkle the peanut garlic chutney over it.
- Pile the cooled potato filling on top and shape it into a neat log.
- Cut diagonal strips along both sides of the pastry and fold them over the filling, alternating sides.
- Brush the braid with beaten egg.
- Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and flaky.
How to serve a vada pav puff pastry braid
Slice it across and serve it warm with the leftover green chutney and peanut garlic chutney on the side. For a party spread, put it next to my puff pastry samosa flowers, baked samosas or cabbage pakoda, with Indian chili paneer for something saucy. More holiday party food is in my Christmas recipes.
Variations
For a spicier braid, leave the seeds in the chutney’s green chili. If you want the potato and pea filling in a crisp shell instead, make my air fryer samosas.
Vada Pav Puff Pastry Braid with Peanut Garlic Chutney
Equipment
- sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Blender or small food processor
Ingredients
For the potato filling
- 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, about 1 pound
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 8 fresh curry leaves
- pinch hing, asafoetida
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
For the green chutney
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, packed, stems included, 1 cup
- 1 green chili, seeded
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoons water
For the peanut garlic chutney
- ½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the braid
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but cold
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
For the potato filling
- Boil the potatoes, unpeeled, in salted water until a fork slides through easily, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, let them steam dry for 5 minutes, then peel and mash coarsely.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait until they pop, then add the curry leaves, hing and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the turmeric, potatoes and salt until evenly yellow. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and cilantro, and cool completely.
For the green chutney
- Blend the cilantro, chili, ginger, lemon juice and salt with just enough water to make a thick paste.
For the peanut garlic chutney
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden, then cool.
- Pulse the peanuts, sesame, garlic powder, chili powder and salt into coarse crumbs.
For the braid
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Lay the pastry on the parchment. Spread 3 tablespoons of green chutney down the middle third and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of peanut garlic chutney over it.
- Pile the cold potato filling on top and shape it into a neat log.
- Cut 1-inch diagonal strips down both sides, from the edge in to the filling. Fold the strips over the filling, alternating left and right, and tuck the ends under.
- Brush with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden and browned underneath.
- Rest for 10 minutes, then slice across and serve with the remaining chutneys.
Notes
- Contains peanuts. Label it if it’s going to a party.
- Leave the seeds in the chutney’s green chili for more heat.
- Make the filling and both chutneys a day ahead and keep them in the fridge.
- Fried fresh garlic in place of garlic powder gives a sharper chutney.
- Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days. Re-crisp at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
