I’ll be honest with you: I have never been to Mumbai (formerly Bombay), so I can’t personally vouch for the authenticity of these Bombay Sandwiches. But I can vouch for the fact that these veggie sandwiches slathered with a spicy-herby chutney are addictive. My former co-author/co-blogger Juliana and I first shared a version of this Bombay sandwich recipe in our book The Lazy Gourmet and it has been on our minds ever since. Like, for real.
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What Are Bombay Sandwiches?
Food stalls on the streets of the Indian city of Mumbai sell these delicious vegetarian sandwiches. The recipe varies from vendor to vendor. Some Bombay sandwiches are grilled, some have cheese in them, but all include buttered bread filled with a combination of cooked and raw vegetables and are seasoned with a spicy herb chutney and a chaat masala spice mixture.
Cooked potato is a mainstay ingredient in a Bombay sandwich, with other vegetables including bell peppers, sliced red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and more. Most include a green chutney made of fresh herbs and chilies and an aromatic spice mixture (masala). Our Cilantro Yogurt Chutney combines the chutney and spice mixture into a creamy yogurt sauce.
How Are Bombay Sandwiches Made?
Our version of the Bombay sandwich is super easy to make. We mix up a sauce of minced garlic, ginger, herbs, chilies, and other spices (we use garam masala) in a yogurt base.
Can You Add Other Things to a Bombay Sandwich?
Yes! You can get as creative as you want here. Add steamed or roasted beets, pickled onions, sliced radishes, or other veggies. You can also add slices of cheese—I like a sharp white Cheddar, creamy Fontina, or mild Paneer, but you can use any good melting cheese. You can also grill the sandwiches, which is especially recommended for the cheesy version.
More vegetarian recipes you’ll love
- Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodles
- Sweet and Sour Tofu
- TikTok’s Crazy Good Baked Feta Pasta
- Crispy Tofu
- Burmese Garlic Noodles
- Palak Paneer
- Instant Pot Mulligatawny
- Instant Pot Falafel
- Instant Pot Hummus
- Bombay Sandwiches
- Instant Pot Turmeric Congee
Bombay Sandwiches
This recipe is adapted from our cookbook The Lazy Gourmet. We got the idea from our friend and home chef Aneela Brister who remembers getting these from street vendors in her hometown of Bombay (now Mumbai). You can use any white bread, but for the best results we recommend country style buttermilk bread (make it at home or buy it at any supermarket), which is slightly sweet.
Ingredients
- 1 large red potato (about 12 ounces)
- 8 slices soft white bread, such as country style buttermilk, crusts removed
- ½ cup Cilantro Yogurt Chutney
- 1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Place potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high until cooked through, anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes and the power of your microwave. (Cook for intervals of 1 or 2 minutes, checking to see if they’re cooked through by poking with a fork, which should penetrate easily.) When potatoes are cooked, slice them into thin discs.
- Spread a quarter of the Cilantro Yogurt Chutney (about 2 tablespoons per sandwich) on each of 4 bread slices. Layer the sliced potatoes, tomatoes, and cucumber on top, dividing equally and salting each layer lightly. Grind pepper over the top layer. Spread butter on the remaining 4 slices of bread, dividing equally, and place atop the sandwiches, butter side down, pressing firmly. Cut each sandwich along both diagonals to create 4 small triangles.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 595Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 26gCholesterol 19mgSodium 760mgCarbohydrates 58gFiber 4gSugar 14gProtein 12g
Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
Thanks for highlighting this one, Juliana/Robin. The street food vendors in Mumbai also offer a strange concoction that they call “ketchup” but is actually made out of squash. To be more descriptive, you would call it “kaddu ketchup”. It goes very well slathered on on slice while the other is slathered with cilantro chutney.
Someday I plan to try that out at home; if I do, I’ll let you know!
You might like to check out my other recipes here: https://theoddpantry.com.