An easy-peasy, yet delightful Bombay Sandwich recipe that you can make and enjoy, whenever you have those sudden bread or sandwich cravings! Also famous as the Mumbai Sandwich, this is a sweet, salty, spicy and savory recipe filled with a flavor that will leave you wanting for more! It includes veggies like beetroot, potato, tomato, onion and cucumber paired with the regular Indian sandwich spreads like butter, coriander chutney and is a popular street food in Mumbai. Serve it as a filling and tasty breakfast or a snack.
About Bombay Sandwich
This Veggie Sandwich, also classically known as the Bombay Sandwich can be made in numerous ways. I mean, if you are in Mumbai city, you will find a different sandwich recipe at every street side stall or even eateries that serve it.
However, the popular and tasty recipe of Mumbai Sandwich that I have shared here on my post, was one of my favorites during my college days.
Whenever I forgot my lunch box, me and my friends would go to a sandwich stall opposite our college and order our customized Veg Bombay Sandwich.
Table of Contents
You really don’t have to do much to make this Mumbai Sandwich, as the procedure is just like making any other sandwich.
But remember that the rest of the ingredients along with the bread and veggies, is what truly adds to the essence of this sandwich. The fresh cilantro chutney is one of those elements.
My sister is also fond of the toasted version of this Bombay Sandwich and always orders them when we go to restaurants and cafes in Mumbai. So, this post is dedicated to her.
I always end up making this sandwich with two bread slices and the vegetable fillings in between them. But there are variations where you could use three layers of bread with the fillings between each one of them.
In addition to this yummy sandwich variation, you can also check out other common Sandwich Recipes on the blog, like Club Sandwich, Paneer Sandwich, Potato Sandwich and Grilled Sandwich.
Ingredient Essentials
Like I said, there are certain ingredients and elements that are a must to make the best Bombay Sandwich (in addition to the veggies mentioned above). This guide will help you to do so.
- Bread: Soft, fluffy White Bread is the unanimous choice of bread to make this sandwich. You can also use your preferred bread. To make the sandwiches more nutritious, use whole wheat bread, multigrain bread or soft rye bread.
- Coriander Chutney (Cilantro Chutney): The chutney can be prepped a day ahead and refrigerated. It is also multi-purpose and can be added to wraps, pakoras or chaat.
- Butter: Dairy butter, typically salted butter, is used in this Bombay Sandwich. But you can swap it with vegan butter instead. You can also toast or grill these sandwiches, if you want more crunch. These sandwiches are so good that I often make them for brunch or a light lunch or dinner. They also make for a filling, comforting and scrumptious evening snack.
- Spices and seasonings: Black salt and chaat masala powder add plenty of flavor to this sandwich recipe. You can also add roasted cumin powder, as well as freshly powdered black pepper for more flavor.
- Chaat masala: The chaat masala powder or sandwich masala is one of the key ingredients here. Chaat masala is a tangy flavorful spice mix that is often sprinkled on Indian snacks. You can easily find it online or any Indian grocery store, if you live outside India.
- Cheese: A variation of this sandwich recipe also includes cheese. Use grated processed cheese or cheddar cheese. In India, we use the popular brand of Amul processed cheese.
Veggies You Need
The assorted vegetables that make up the bulk of these sandwiches are cucumber, tomatoes, onions, potatoes and beets. A few variations also add green bell pepper or capsicum.
While you must have not heard of beetroots being included in a sandwich, this earthy root veggie makes these sandwiches from being ordinary to top notch.
The beetroot is boiled and sliced prior being layered in the sandwich. It adds a lovely sweetness, tying all of the savory and spicy flavors together. I highly recommend adding beetroot for a truly authentic Bombay Sandwich recipe that tastes simply awesome.
You do have the option to add or skip any of the vegetables you do not like or prefer. But for a well-rounded Mumbai street food experience, I suggest to add all the vegetables as listed in the recipe.
How to make Bombay Sandwich
Make Coriander Chutney
1. Rinse 1 cup tightly packed coriander leaves (cilantro) and 1 to 2 green chilies in fresh water for a few times. Drain all the water.
Then, in a small blender or a chutney grinder jar, add the coriander leaves, ½ teaspoon chaat masala powder and chopped green chilies.
You can roughly chop the coriander leaves and green chilies. if you prefer. Finally, season everything with a few pinches of salt as chaat masala already has salt in it.
Tip 1: I usually add 2 to 3 green chilies, as we prefer a spicy chutney.
Tip 2: You can also add half a portion each of coriander leaves and mint leaves instead of 1 cup coriander leaves. The mint leaves add a nice minty aroma to the chutney.
2. Blend or grind the chutney ingredients until smooth.
Add 1 or 2 teaspoon water, if it is not blending. I did not add water as there was enough moisture from the rinsed coriander leaves which helped the chutney to blend smoothly.
Don’t make this chutney runny or water by adding too much of water.
3. Transfer the coriander chutney to a bowl, taste and add more salt, if required. Cover and keep aside, if you are making sandwiches immediately or refrigerate.
Prepare Vegetables and Bread
4. Steam or boil 1 medium beetroot and 2 small to medium potatoes in a steamer, 2 to 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker or Instant Pot adding water as needed.
If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, then cook them on medium heat for 2 to 3 whistles in water that is almost covering the beet and potatoes.
Let the pressure fall naturally in the cooker and then only remove the lid. Remove the cooked veggies with the help of a slotted spoon and set aside to cool on a plate.
Alternatively boil or steam the beetroot and potato in a pan or pot adding water as required.
5. Thinly slice 1 medium tomato, 1 small or medium onion and 1 medium cucumber.
Tip: Some times you may get bitter cucumbers. To remove the bitterness from the cucumber I follow this method.
First slice the top part. Then, add a few slits to the cucumber on top with a knife. Rub the top sliced part with the rest of the cucumber. You will see a froth-like substance on the cucumber.
Doing this gets rid of the bitterness in the cucumber. Slice the frothy part of the cucumber. Rinse, peel it and then thinly slice.
6. Here are all the thinly sliced vegetables on a plate. In clockwise order, there are sliced tomatoes, cucumber, onions, peeled and boiled potatoes and beetroot.
7. Use good quality fresh and soft bread. If you have a loaf, then slice it equally. I used homemade white bread. Slice the edges off, if you want. I did not because my homemade bread was soft.
You can also use whole wheat bread, brown bread, multigrain bread, ragi bread (finger millet bread) or rye bread.
Assemble & Make Bombay Sandwich
8. Spread a generous quantity of salted butter on 8 to 10 slices. If you don’t add enough butter, then the chutney will cause the bread slices to become soggy.
Note: You can use both salted or unsalted butter. The butter should be softened and at room temperature.
The butter that is generally used by the vendors in Mumbai is the brand of Amul salted butter.
9. Spread a thin layer of the prepared coriander chutney now.
10. Place 2 to 3 boiled beetroot slices on 4 to 5 slices of bread.
11. Sprinkle a pinch or two of black salt or regular salt, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala or sandwich masala on the slices.
12. Place 2 to 3 tomato slices on the bread.
13. Then, place 3 to 4 cucumber slices on top of the tomato slices. Sprinkle a pinch or two of black salt or regular salt, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala on the cucumber slices again.
14. Place 2 to 3 thinly sliced onion slices.
15. Sprinkle a pinch or two of black salt or regular salt, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala again.
16. Now, add a layer of 2 to 3 boiled potato slices.
17. Sprinkle a pinch or two of black salt or regular salt, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala again.
18. Cover with the bread slices with the butter and chutney.
19. Slice the sandwich into 4 pieces of rectangles or triangles. If you have larger slices of bread, then slice the sandwich into 6 pieces.
20. Serve Bombay Sandwich immediately with extra chutney and tomato ketchup. You can also sprinkle fine sev (thin fried gram flour vermicelli) on top, while serving.
In Mumbai, these sandwiches are served with tomato ketchup or pumpkin ketchup and green coriander chutney. You can also enjoy them as it is without any side condiments.
Expert Tips
- Bread: I used fresh homemade bread to make these sandwiches, but feel free to use any soft bread of your choice. Some great alternatives include brown bread, rye bread, multigrain bread, ragi bread or whole wheat bread.
- Vegetables: This sandwich includes beetroots, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes and onions. I add equal amounts of each veggie. But you can add more or less of your favorite ones or leave out any veggies that you don’t like. For an authentic Bombay Sandwich, I suggest including beetroot.
- Chutney: Green chutney adds a delicious spicy flavor to this sandwich. When making green chutney from scratch, you can add less or more of certain ingredients. For example, add fewer green chilies, if you prefer a milder chutney and add more, if you want more heat. You can also add fresh mint leaves to the chutney for a refreshing flavor.
- Additions: If you want even more flavor, then you can add cheese or paneer to this Mumbai Sandwich. Add mozzarella or cheddar cheese.
- Vegan option: To make a vegan version of the sandwich, replace butter with vegan butter. Also, add vegan cheese instead of dairy cheese.
FAQs
Yes, you can add garlic to the cilantro chutney. I add garlic sometimes. Feel free to skip the mint and use coriander instead.
I don’t recommend this sandwich recipe to be packed for road trips, as it becomes soggy. But for other sandwiches, where watery ingredients are not used, wrap the sandwich in foil then place it in a tiffin box. The sandwich is now ready to travel with you!
Of course, you can! Add cheese such as mozzarella or simple cheddar cheese. You can also add grated paneer.
More Sandwich Recipes To Try!
World Recipes
Bread Snacks
Bread Snacks
Bread Snacks
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Bombay Sandwich Recipe (Street Style)
Ingredients
For sandwiches
- 10 slices white bread or whole wheat, brown bread or any soft bread
- 2 potatoes – small to medium-sized, boiled and sliced into rounds
- 1 beetroot – medium sized, boiled and thinly sliced
- 1 cucumber – thinly sliced
- 1 onion – thinly sliced, small to medium-sized
- 1 tomato – thinly sliced, small to medium-sized
- Butter softened and at room temperature, salted or unsalted, add as required
- Chaat Masala as required
- black salt as required
- Roasted Cumin Powder as required – optional
- freshly crushed black pepper or ground black pepper powder – optional
- tomato ketchup to be served with the sandwiches
For coriander chutney
- 1 cup coriander leaves (cilantro) tightly-packed Or ½ cup coriander leaves and ½ cup mint leaves
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Chaat Masala Powder or add as required
- 1 to 2 green chilies you can also add 2 to 3 green chilies
- salt or black salt as per taste
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water for blending or grinding chutney ingredients, optional
Instructions
Making chutney
- In a mixer or blender, take rinsed coriander leaves, green chilies and chaat masala powder.
- Just add a pinch or two of salt as chaat masala already has salt in it.
- Grind the chutney ingredients till smooth and fine. No need to add water. But if you cannot grind, then add 1 or 2 teaspoons of water.
- Collect the coriander chutney in a bowl.
- Check the taste and add more salt if needed.
- Cover and keep the chutney aside if you are making these sandwiches immediately or else refrigerate.
Preparing Vegetables
- Boil or steam the beetroot and potatoes till they are tender. You can steam both the veggies in a pan, stove-top pressure cooker or in the instant pot adding water as required.
- When cooled, peel both the vegetables. Then thinly slice the beetroot and slice the potatoes as well.
- Peel and thinly slice onion and cucumber.
- Thinly slice the tomatoes as well. Peel and rinse the onions. Thinly slice the onions.
Making bombay sandwich
- Trim the edges of the bread slices if you prefer.
- Butter the bread slices evenly and very well.
- Now apply the coriander chutney to the slices.
- Place all the veggie slices one by one.
- Sprinkle the black salt and chaat masala on each one of them or alternately.
- Cover the sandwich with the bread slices with the butter and chutney on them.
- Slice into triangles or rectangles.
- Serve Bombay Sandwich immediately with tomato ketchup and the coriander chutney. Do not let them rest as they become soggy.
Video
Notes
- You can cook the potato in the microwave. Wash the potato well. Prick the potatoes with a fork and microwave in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
- When the beetroot and potatoes are getting cooked, you can slice the other vegetables and make the green chutney.
- You can use whole wheat bread or brown bread or multigrain bread or white bread. But the best taste in this sandwich comes with white bread and this is how it is made by the street food vendors in Mumbai.
- Dairy butter is used in these sandwiches. But you could easily use vegan butter.
- You can also toast or grill these sandwiches if you prefer.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Bombay Sandwich recipe from the blog archives was first published on April 2012. It has been updated on December 2024.
Super tasty sandwich. The beet makes it so flavourful and earthy. The green chutney brings in a lot of freshness. I skipped onions though. I made for a small party and my guests loved it.
Thank you so much. I am so happy to hear the sandwich was a hit at your party. The beet and chutney combination really does make it special.
Super snack!!
All your receipies are very easy and very tasty and liked by everyone. I just love to make everything seeing your receipe. You are a great help to me.
Thanks a lot.
Yummy, I Love Your Recipes.. Nice Work
Hi.. we need some more receipe like this. Thank you 🙂
Welcome Kavi
tried this recipe. Absolutely yummy… Although I made toasted sandwich. Also applied tomato sauce on one of the slices and green chutney on the other… no butter inside.. loved the recipe overall… good and nutritious..
thanks Snehal. toast sandwiches can be easily made and tomato sauce can also be used. in fact butter can be given a skip and some olive oil can also be used.
Hi Dassana
It was awesome and vegrecipesofindia is an everyday companion for me and I would like to cook ya everyone does but like to cook differently. In that way I love your recipes and served this to my Son today and he enjoyed.
pleased to now this thank you so much sriram for your positive and encouraging words 🙂
Is there a way I can avoid the potatoes and use something else instead?The taste was just not right without the potatoes.
in bombay veg sandwiches potatoes are a must. without potatoes, something will be felt missing in the taste. i would not suggest to substitute anything else with potatoes. a tuber that does come close to potatoes when boiled is tapioca. so you can give a try with tapioca slices.
Wud like to get more recipe
sure santosh let us know which recipes you are looking for?
Superb thing i just love it!!!!!
thankyou 🙂