Transform your kitchen into a Spanish tapas bar with our easy, oven-roasted Patatas Bravas! Healthier than fried, these potatoes are irresistibly crispy, drenched in a sauce that’s a flavor fiesta.
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What are Patatas Bravas?
Patatas Bravas is a celebrated Spanish tapas dish. It’s famous for its vibrant flavors and straightforward composition. The term “patatas” translates to “potatoes” in English, highlighting the central ingredient of the dish. “Bravas,” meaning “fierce” or “spicy,” refers to the character of the accompanying sauce. The sauce is usually spicy and a robust blend typically made from tomatoes, garlic, and Spanish paprika.
This dish, often served in tapas bars and restaurants, combines the comforting appeal of crispy, golden potatoes with the zest and heat of the bravas sauce. In Madrid, Spain, this sauce is also known as salsa brava – a mildly spicy sauce traditionally served with Patatas Bravas. This dish has a delightful balance between homey and zesty flavors.
Reasons to Love Patatas Bravas
- The perfect texture contrast between the crispy exterior and soft interior of the potatoes is irresistible.
- Patatas Bravas is a great option for vegetarians looking for a delicious and satisfying dish.
- You can easily adjust the spice level or add additional toppings to suit your taste.
- It’s a fulfilling dish that leaves diners content and satisfied.
- The combination of spices and sauce creates a bold flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes: Baby/fingerling potatoes form the base of the dish.
- Spanish Paprika: Hot Spanish paprika adds the characteristic spicy flavor. You can check local stores or Amazon for the availability of Spanish Paprika.
- Diced Tomatoes: No-salt-added diced tomatoes are essential for the sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Sweet Patatas Bravas: Substitute traditional potatoes with sweet potatoes for a delightful contrast between the sweet, earthy flavor of the sweet potatoes and the spicy bravas sauce.
- Smoky Bravas: Use smoked paprika instead of hot Spanish paprika for a deeper, smokier flavor in the bravas sauce.
- Herb-Infused Patatas Bravas: Toss boiled potatoes in a mixture of freshly chopped herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano before roasting for a fragrant and flavorful twist to your patatas bravas.
- Cheesy Patatas Bravas: After roasting the potatoes, sprinkle them with a generous amount of grated Manchego or other Spanish cheese. Then, return them to the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.
- Bravas with a Twist: Experiment with different types of aioli. For example, saffron-infused aioli or lemon-garlic aioli could add a new dimension to the dish.
How to Make Patatas Bravas
Step #1: Place the potatoes and white vinegar in a large pot along with two quarts of water. Bring the pot to a boil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the potatoes are just barely tender. Drain and allow them to cool.
Step #2: While the potatoes are cooling, prepare the garlic aioli. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, three tablespoons of olive oil, and both pressed garlic cloves until well-combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Step #3: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (about 232 degrees Celsius). Toss the cooled potatoes with canola oil, salt, pepper, and half a teaspoon of the hot paprika.
Step #4: Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the potatoes once or twice to ensure even cooking.
Step #5: Meanwhile, prepare the easy Patatas Bravas sauce, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Place the canned tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, the remaining teaspoon of hot paprika, and sugar in a large food processor or blender bowl. Pulse until puréed.
Step #6: Carefully transfer the mixture to the saucepan (it may splatter a bit); cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has darkened in color and the raw onion taste is gone, about 5 to 6 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
Step #7: Serve the roasted potatoes with generous portions of the garlic alioli drizzled on top. Then, drizzle with Patatas Bravas sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve hot.
Expert Tips
- Boil with Vinegar: Add a splash of vinegar to the boiling water. This helps the potatoes maintain their structure and prevents them from falling apart during roasting.
- Parchment Paper Usage: Lining your sheet pan with parchment paper prevents sticking and ensures the potatoes roast evenly without burning.
- Stirring During Roasting: Halfway through roasting, stir the potatoes. This promotes even browning and prevents sticking to the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Replace the mayonnaise with vegan mayonnaise.
Yes, you can partially prepare Patatas Bravas in advance by boiling and seasoning the potatoes. You can also prepare the sauces ahead of time. However, for the best results, roast the potatoes and combine everything just before serving to maintain the crispy texture of the potatoes.
Yes, you can use other potatoes if you can’t find baby potatoes. Yukon golds or red potatoes would also work well in this recipe. Just remember to cut them into 1-inch pieces for similar cooking times. I haven’t tried this recipe with russet potatoes, but if you decide to give that a try, I’d suggest peeling them before cubing them. Also, the cooking time might be different because russets cook differently.
Yes, you can adjust the heat level by reducing the amount of hot Spanish paprika used in the recipe. You could also substitute it with sweet paprika, which isn’t spicy but will still provide a nice flavor.
Yes, you can use a different oil. Just make sure it’s one that can withstand high heat. Avocado oil, peanut oil, or even vegetable oil could be used instead of canola oil.
Storage Info
You can store Patatas Bravas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is an option, but it may alter the potatoes’ texture. To reheat, spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and warm them in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F (about 175°C) until they regain their crispiness, typically taking 10-15 minutes. Store the sauce separately and add it after reheating the potatoes to preserve optimal texture and flavor.
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Patatas Bravas Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds baby / fingerling potatoes
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - divided
- 2 cloves garlic - pressed
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons hot Spanish paprika - divided
- 1 14.5 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juices
- Half of one yellow onion - peeled
- 2 cloves garlic - peeled
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and Pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Place the potatoes and white vinegar in a large pot along with two quarts of water. Bring the pot to a boil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the potatoes are just barely tender. Drain and allow them to cool.
- While the potatoes are cooling, prepare the garlic aioli. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, three tablespoons of olive oil, and both pressed garlic cloves until well-combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (about 232 degrees Celsius). Toss the cooled potatoes with canola oil, salt, pepper, and half a teaspoon of the hot paprika.
- Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the potatoes once or twice to ensure even cooking.
- Meanwhile, prepare the easy Patatas Bravas sauce, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Place the canned tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, the remaining teaspoon of hot paprika, and sugar in a large food processor or blender bowl. Pulse until puréed.
- Carefully transfer the mixture to the saucepan (it may splatter a bit); cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has darkened in color and the raw onion taste is gone, about 5 to 6 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve the roasted potatoes with generous portions of the garlic alioli drizzled on top. Then, drizzle with Patatas Bravas sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve hot.
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Made this last night and it’s so so good. We finished the whole thing. So flavourful, delicious, and quick! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Hi Justine,
Glad you love these Patatas Bravas as much as we do!
– Linda
Husband said this was the best patatas bravas that he’d ever had(!). And we’ve been to Barcelona twice. So I’m gonna pat myself (and you) on the back for this one. I didn’t have smoked paprika, so…I used regular paprika and added some mushroom umami seasoning from Trader Joe’s plus and cayenne. Is that weird? It’s probably weird. In any event, it worked 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! It’s gonna go in my bookmarks for sure.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for the great comments, glad you loved it!
– Linda
As a Spaniard I gotta say…these patatas bravas look fantastic! what a great recipe, and the images are stunning, great job
I’m a total sauce-aholic as well! YUM this looks amazing! Love the potato idea!
There’s only one problem with this recipe. I want to devour it all, but it’s so pretty that I hate to disrupt it’s appearance by taking a bite. Hopefully, I will resolve my issues prior to finishing the dish. Maybe I will just make mine look ugly. Problem solved.