Pav / Ladi Pav (Eggless Dinner Rolls)

This recipe makes light, fluffy, super soft, and delicious Pav, also known as Ladi Pav or Dinner Rolls. They are perfect for serving with dinner or for many Indian dishes!

Making these Eggless Dinner Rolls at home is easy with very few ingredients. Homemade Pav is amazingly fresh compared to store-bought and absolutely delicious!

Jump to:

• Soft, Fluffy, and Light Eggless Pav or Ladi Pav
• Why You Will Love Homemade Pav
• Ingredients and Notes
• How To Make Pav or Ladi Pav
• Serving Suggestions
• Storing Suggestions
• Baking Tips For Ladi Pav
• More Eggless Bread Recipes
• Recipe Card

Soft, Fluffy, and Light Eggless Pav or Ladi Pav

Pav is believed to have been introduced to India by the Portuguese. Thus, this word is derived from the Portuguese word ‘pão’, which means bread.

In India, Pav or Ladi Pav is used in various recipes, including Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav, Misal Pav, Masala Pav, and many more.

The recipe is easy to follow and requires only a few ingredients. Since I bake various breads at home regularly, I always keep bread flour on hand in my pantry. I have used bread flour to make these dinner rolls, but you can definitely make them using all-purpose flour.

With this recipe, you will get pillowy soft Pav, which will stay fresh at room temperature for 3-4 days.

The crucial part of the recipe is yeast. Yeast should be activated in the first step of yeast proofing. If it doesn’t happen, you should start over.

Ingredients and Notes

• Flour: I generally keep bread flour in my pantry as I use it often. The primary difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour is the amount of protein they contain. Bread flour contains more protein, resulting in a chewier bread texture. However, using all-purpose flour in breadmaking will not make a significant difference. So, you can use bread or all-purpose flour to make the Pav.
• Butter: Butter provides a delicious flavor, so I highly recommend using butter. However, we can also add any neutral-flavored oil instead of butter.
• Sugar: Sugar is essential to activate the yeast; alternatively, honey can also be used.
• Yeast: I have used active dry yeast to make these dinner rolls, but you can also use instant yeast. With instant yeast, the rising time of the dough may be shorter compared to that of active dry yeast.
• Salt: Do not add salt to the yeast mixture; add it only with flour. 
• Milk: I prefer using milk in this recipe, as it makes the Pav extra soft, rich, and flavorful. However, you can use warm water instead of milk, or use a mixture of half milk and half water to make the dough.

How To Make Pav or Ladi Pav

Making The Dough For Pav

• Add warm milk, melted butter, sugar, and yeast to a stand mixer bowl.
• Whisk lightly and loosely cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel.

• Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes or until it is foamy and frothy.

• Add 2 cups of flour and salt, and mix on low speed with a dough hook attachment until everything comes together.

• Then add the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• If the dough seems too wet and does not come together, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it is workable.
• However, the dough should be soft and smooth, so avoid adding too much flour.
• Keep the dough in the stand mixer and continue kneading the dough for 4-5 minutes.
• Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 4-5 minutes.
• After kneading, the dough should still be soft, and when you poke it with a finger, it should slowly bounce back.

First Rise

• Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or non-stick spray (I used the same stand mixer bowl I used to make the dough). 
• Place the dough in the bowl and turn it around to coat all the sides with oil.
• Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. 

• Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, for about 1-1.5 hours.
• In winter, the dough may rise in 80-90 minutes, while in the summer, it may double in 45-60 minutes. 
• If you use instant yeast, the dough will rise more quickly than with active dry yeast.

Shaping And Proofing

• Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or a baking sheet.
• Once the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air and divide it into 12 equal portions.
• However, dividing the dough into smaller or larger pieces may result in more or fewer dough balls.

• Hold each dough piece in your hand to shape the rolls and gather all the seams together.
• Pinch the seams at the bottom and place the ball on a clean surface while still holding it in your hand.
• Loosen the grip on the dough ball and roll it in a circular motion into a tight circle against the work surface.
• Once the dough ball becomes tight and smooth, it is ready; do not overwork it.
• Place the rolls into the prepared pan, seam side down.

• Cover the pan loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough balls rise for about an hour or until they are doubled in size.

Baking The Pav

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Gently brush the top of the dinner roll with milk.

• Bake the Pav for 18-22 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

• Remove from the oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter.

• Remove the dinner rolls from the pan and transfer them to a cooling rack.
• Do not keep the Pav in the pan longer; otherwise, they will become soggy.

More Eggless Bread Recipes

Recipe Card