How to make patatas bravas

Make this classic tapas dish part of your cooking repertoire – it’s simply potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce.

Nutrition:

Highlight	Nutrient	Unit
kcal	0
fat	0 g
saturates	0 g
carbs	0 g
sugars	0 g
fibre	0 g
protein	0 g
low in	salt	0 g

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 227g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tsp sweet paprika (pimenton)
• good pinch chilli powder
• pinch sugar
• chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

For the potatoes

• 900g potatoes, cut into small cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

• STEP 1

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for about 5 mins until softened. Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, sweet paprika, chilli powder, sugar and a pinch of salt, then bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Lower to a simmer and cook for 10 mins until pulpy. Can be kept chilled for up to 24 hrs.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pat the potatoes dry with kitchen paper, then tip into a roasting tin and toss in the olive oil and some seasoning. Roast for 40-50 mins until crisp and golden. Tip the potatoes into serving dishes and spoon over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley to serve.

less than 30 mins

30 mins to 1 hour

Try Simon Rimmer’s patatas bravas recipe for golden cubes of potato in a spicy tomato sauce.

less than 30 mins

30 mins to 1 hour

Ingredients

• 600g/1lb 5oz potatoes – either Maris Piper, Desiree or King Edwards
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 x 410g tins chopped tomatoes
• 3 red chillies
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• chopped parsley, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 225C/450F/Gas 7.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes.

Heat the olive oil in a large roasting tin until really hot. Place the potatoes in the tin and shake them in the oil until covered. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the hot oven for about ten minutes until they begin to turn golden-brown.

Add the tomatoes, chilli and garlic and stir well. Cook for another 25-35 minutes until the potatoes are soft on the inside and are crisp on the outside.

You can either add the parsley and serve, or refrigerate them until the next day, then reheat, adding more oil and then add the parsley before eating.

less than 30 mins

Serves 8–10 as a tapas

Patatas bravas as they should be: crisp, olive oil-fried potatoes topped with a tomato sauce, well-flavoured with hot pimentón and sharpened with a little vinegar.

less than 30 mins

Serves 8–10 as a tapas

Ingredients

For the salsa brava

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp pimentón picante (hot Spanish smoked paprika), plus extra for serving
• ½ tsp crushed dried chilli flakes
• ½ tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 125ml/4fl oz tomato sauce (see Top recipe tip below)

For the potatoes

• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edwards, peeled
• 180ml/6fl oz olive oil, for shallow frying
• salt

Method

For the salsa brava, heat the olive oil over a low heat, add the pimentón, chilli flakes, Tabasco and vinegar and mix together well. Stir in the tomato sauce and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper (thin the mixture with a little water if necessary).

Cut the potatoes into small, even-sized pieces. Drop into a large pan of well-salted water and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well.

Heat the olive oil in two large, non-stick frying pans, divide the potatoes between them and shallow-fry in a single layer for 10–12 minutes, turning them regularly, until crisp, golden-brown all over and sandy in texture.

Spoon the potatoes into one large or small individual serving plates, drizzle over the sauce, sprinkle with a pinch of pimentón and serve with some toothpicks and napkins.

Learn how to make Patatas Bravas (spicy potatoes) and the delicious bravas sauce (salsa brava) at home.

It’s actually really easy and I have the perfect recipe that I just know you’ll want to make again and again.

Of course, you can buy patatas bravas in supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, but it is never going to be as delicious, and as satisfying, than making it yourself.

I will admit I am totally in LOVE with smoked paprika. The sweet and smoky flavour it adds to so many dishes you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!

Good ingredients for better results:
Many top chefs such as Rick Stein and Gordon Ramsay use this brand and from the day I first tried it many years ago, this is the brand (La Chinata) I’ve used ever since.

Available in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose or Ocado although I’ve never seen it in Tesco or Asda. At the time of writing, they are £2.00 a tin.

I have seen people trying to sell it on Amazon at ridiculously high prices so please be aware of that one. Cheeky bad, naughty people!

I know I go on about good quality tinned tomatoes but they are the base of the sauce so it really is worth buying good ones.

My personal choice is Cirio and I only tend to buy them when they are on offer at half price in Tesco or Waitrose as they are a bit on the expensive side but so worth it. Otherwise, the Napolina brand is good.

Chargrilled peppers in a jar are beautifully soft and sweet. Be sure to buy peppers in OIL and NOT vinegar or brine. ALDI sells them for the bargain price of 99p and they are always in my store cupboard.

Back to the Patatas Bravas:
I have read that patatas bravas (spicy potatoes) are originally from Madrid and are fried in a lot of olive oil.

But you can make a healthier version of patatas bravas. My recipe doesn’t use a lot of oil and if you prefer you could toss them in a little oil and bake them in the oven; both ways are a healthier option using far less oil.

The sauce at this stage, before blending is actually perfect for Baked Cod in Tomato Sauce.

Salsa Brava (literally translates to brave sauce) is packed full of flavour and of course, the amount of spiciness you add when making it is entirely up to you.

Once you’ve cooked the sauce tip it into a blender or you can use a stick blender.

Blend for a few seconds for a thick salsa Brava.

Once that’s done you can cook the potatoes.

Potatoes, soft and fluffy inside and perfectly crispy on the outside using very little oil.

A good heavy-based frying pan is just the thing for this. I used my Samuel Groves Carbon Chef’s Skillet and, as you can see I hardly needed any oil to achieve crispy potatoes; it’s such a great pan.

You can cook these in the oven if you prefer, check out the details in the recipe card below.

Relax and transport yourself to a tapas bar in Seville in Spain.

Serve the Patatas Bravas in tapas dishes, put the potatoes in the dish or dishes and spoon over the deliciously fiery sauce.

You might like to serve with another favourite tapas recipes, Gambas Pil Pil or Pil Pil Prawns.

When you order patatas bravas, the best classic tapas you can find everywhere in Spain, it can’t do without salsa brave!

A spicy red sauce that gives your papas tapas a nice kick and makes it taste even better. It might look like a complicated sauce but believe me it is not. Want to learn how you can make bravas sauce at home? Let’s get started!

You can eat this classic tapas with a brava salsa made with tomato or without. Today I’m sharing the sauce that is without the tomato.

Tomato-based salsa brava is eaten in the northwest of Spain.

Bravas sauce without tomato is generally eaten in the south of Spain in Andalusia or the northeast of Spain like Catalonia.

Today we are showing you how to make a bravas sauce without tomato.

Bravas sauce ingredients

To make this bravas sauce recipe you need a small number of ingredients. Get the following ingredients out of your kitchen pantry:

• Olive oil
• Flour
• Smokey paprika
• Sweet paprika
• Vegetable broth
• Salt to taste

This recipe doesn’t contain any tomatoes or tomato puree.

How to make brava sauce

So how do you make this great salsa sauce? Start with preheating a small saucepan with olive oil over medium heat.

Take a small mixing bowl and add the flour with the sweet paprika powder, the smokey paprika, and salt. Combine thoroughly using a spoon.

Be sure the ingredients are properly combined. Reduce heat and add 1 teaspoon of the flour mix to the oil and stir.

The flour will sizzle in the oil. Continue adding a teaspoon at a time and whisk until all the flour mix is added to the saucepan.

You will get an orange color sauce. Take the vegetable broth and slowly add it to the sauce while you keep whisking the sauce.

Add about ¾ of the vegetable broth. Your sauce will thicken so keep on whisking. When the sauce is to thick add a bit more of vegetable broth or water.

Leave the sauce 1 to 2 minutes to warm it through but do not boil the sauce.

Your brava salsa is ready to serve with your patatas bravas.

Serve it alongside some aioli.

Eat brava sauce with

Traditionally brava sauce is eaten with patatas bravas but you can also eat it with:

• Spanish tortilla – besides patatas bravas you can eat this sauce with Spanish tortilla and make it a tortilla brava
• Mexican street fries – traditionally brava sauce is used on patatas or tortilla brava but why waste a good sauce. Use it with these street fries
• Mexican potatoes – the same applies to Mexican potatoes you can enjoy them with some brava salsa as well

Store brava sauce

Brava sauce is best eaten fresh and warm. You can store it in the fridge for about a day. Be sure to cover the sauce or put it in a container.

Have fun making this bravas sauce recipe!

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Bravas sauce

Made patatas bravas at home serve them with this amazing bravas sauce. It is a little spicy and also goes great with Spanish tortilla. Try it!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon of smokey paprika
• 2 teaspoon of sweet paprika
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Pre heat a small saucepan with olive oil over medium heat
2. Mix the flour with the sweet and smokey paprika and salt
3. Reduce heat and add a teaspoon of the flour mix to the oil and stir. Continue adding teaspoons of flour mix and whisk until all the flour mix is added
4. Add about ¾ of the vegetable broth slowly to the patata bravas sauce. Your sauce will thicken so keep on whisking. When the sauce is to thick add a bit more vegetable broth or water
5. Ready to serve

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Nutrition facts

Calories: 53 ; Fat:5g; Carbs: 1.5g ; Protein: 1g ;

Patatas bravas is a classic Spanish tapa. Crispy potatoes topped with spicy tomato sauce and garlic aioli results in a simple but tasty recipe!

Love potatoes? Me too! It’s amazing how in Mediterranean cuisine we can turn potatoes into so many different dishes with different ingredients and approaches. For a simple omelette, you can make Spanish tortilla and if you’re looking for an easy side dish, you can make crispy oven roasted potatoes , Greek potatoes or baked fries with just a few ingredients. Today I’m going to show you how to make patatas bravas, an easy Spanish recipe that’s perfect for tapas!

What are patatas bravas?

Patatas bravas are one of the most popular Spanish tapas. Many say you can know a lot about the quality of a tapas bar by trying their patatas bravas. A simple dish, these crispy potatoes are always served with brava sauce , a semi-spicy tomato sauce flavored with Spanish smoked paprika which is usually drizzled directly over the potatoes.

To make this classic Spanish recipe, the potatoes are usually deep fried in olive oil. However, I have worked out a way for this patatas bravas recipe to use less oil but still get that nice and crispy exterior that they are popular for. This technique calls for par boiling the potatoes first and then frying them. Keep reading for complete instructions and tutorials.

The ingredients

Potatoes

The most important ingredient here is the potato. You want to use a starchy potato that also keeps its shape and gets soft on the inside when cooked. I use russet potatoes for this recipe because of their structure and texture.

Baking soda

Adding baking soda to the water when cooking the potatoes breaks their cells which results in a natural coating, giving us crispy potatoes. I learned this technique from America’s Test Kitchen and it works every time.

Olive oil

Like many other Mediterranean recipes, using extra virgin olive oil is always advised when cooking. You just need a few tablespoons of olive oil to make this recipe since the potatoes are par cooked and just need to get crispy and golden.

These potatoes are served with brava sauce, which we’ll talk more about later in this recipe.

Preparation instructions

Par cook the potatoes

Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into chunks and set aside. Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to boil. Add the baking soda and potatoes. Cook for two minutes and then drain.

Season the potatoes

Return the potatoes to the saucepan and stir for a minute for them to dry and a coating forms on their surface. Add one tablespoon olive oil and one teaspoon kosher salt to the potatoes and gently stir. This will take out their moisture and help with the crispiness.

Fry and serve

Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a non stick pan over medium heat until it’s shimmery. Add the potatoes to the pan and fry for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they get golden and crispy on all sides. When cooked, take them out of the pan using a slotted spoon and serve with brava sauce and garlic aioli.

Pro tip: Because of the coating the potatoes developed during par cooking, they won’t absorb the oil -therefore you won’t need much olive oil to fry them.

Brava sauce

Brava sauce is a classic Spanish red sauce with a tomato paste base. To make this sauce you need olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, tomato paste and water. Making this sauce is pretty simple:

• In a saucepan, cook the garlic for a few seconds until fragrant and then add the spices and cook for a minute.
• Add in the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the water and bring it to a simmer. Let it cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.

That’s it. A simple brava sauce recipe for easy patatas bravas that you can make at home right now. This is probably one of my all time favorite ways to eat potatoes!

Turn it into a tapas spread!

Spaniards love to put out a spread of tapas for me and one of the things I love to do is to make a nice Spanish tapas spread at home for a fun evening. Don’t be intimidated: putting together a nice tapas spread can be as simple as crackers and Manchego cheese with some of this crispy patatas bravas with some homemade aioli . If you feel fancy, make some blistered shishito peppers , some Mediterranean style salmon croquettes and gambas al ajillo (Spanish garlic shrimp) to go with the potatoes. It’s so fun to make and eat Spanish tapas!

Patatas bravas are the ultimate classic tapas. You can find them anywhere you go in Spain. Served with a spicy sauce. This is one of the most popular tapas in Spain no matter where you go.

These should be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside smothered in a spicy brava sauce. Are you ready to learn how you can make this patatas bravas recipe? Let’s get started!

Just imagine sitting outside in the sun in front of a local bar anywhere in Spain. It is late afternoon and you are enjoying a glass of wine or a small cañas (beer).

Not yet time for dinner but you would like something to eat with your drink. What do you take? No peanuts or potato chips here.

You go inside and find a wide variety of small tasty tapas dishes. One that has to be on your table is this classic patatas bravas tapas together with Spanish tortillas.

It may look like fries but there is more to it. You do not just deep fry your bravas. With the spicy brava sauce it is a great snack that will bridge the gap between lunch and dinner.

So what are patatas bravas?

You might be wondering what are patatas bravas? The answer is easy patatas bravas are the best fried Spanish potatoes you ever tasted in your life.

You can eat it with a spicy brava sauce or garlic aioli. These are also known as patatas a la brava or papas bravas.

With this recipe, you do not need a lot of ingredients or fancy toppings. You will be surprised at how easy this recipe is to make.

Patatas bravas ingredients

So what do you need to make this recipe? A very short list of ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Bravas sauce

How to make the best patatas bravas

To make the perfect crunchy Spanish potatoes you start with the potatoes. I use a starchy potato. Peel the potato and wash it thoroughly in cold water to get the starch off the outside.

Cut the potatoes in cubes e.g. you can cut a potato in half and cut the halved potato in 8 cubes. Take a kitchen towel and dry the potato cubes.

Heat a skillet with olive oil until 200℉/100℃. Put the potatoes in the skillet. The potatoes should be covered with oil. Boil the potatoes for 7-8 minutes.

The olive oil should not be hotter at this point as you want to boil the potatoes not yet fry them. After 7-8 minutes take them out of the pan on a paper towel.

Let them cool for 10 minutes. I fried the potatoes in a small pan so it took me two batches to first boil the potatoes.

Now increase the heat to about 300℉/150℃ and fry your patatas bravas until golden this also takes about 7 minutes. Turn if necessary.

Take them out of the pan and let them drain on a paper towel. Fry your second batch.

Put your patatas brava on a plate and add some brava sauce or aioli and your tapas is ready.

Other tapas recipes

If you like this classic tapa recipe you will love these recipes as well. Take a look:

• Spanish tortilla – the traditional Spanish tortilla is another classic tapas recipe
• Tapas – see what you can do with Spanish tortilla
• Tortillitas camerones – delicious fried shrimp cakes

Have fun with these delicious Spanish potatoes in this patatas bravas recipe!

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Patatas bravas

Make this delicious Spanish potatoes because these patatas bravas are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The perfect afternoon snack.

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes
• 2 cups olive oil
• Pinch of salt to taste

Instructions

1. Peel the potato and wash them with cold water to get the starch off
2. Cut the potatoes in cubes (about 12 cubes per potato). Take a kitchen towel and dry the potato cubes
3. Heat a skillet with olive oil until 200℉/100℃. Put about half of the potatoes in the skillet. The potatoes should be covered with oil
4. Boil the potatoes for 7-8 minutes if they start frying reduce the heat (note 1)
5. Take the patatas out of the skillet after 7-8 minutes and put them on a paper towel
6. Let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes
7. Increase the heat to 300℉/150℃ and fry your patatas bravas until golden (turn regularly). This also takes about 7 minutes.
8. Take the patatas out of the pan and let them drain on a paper towel.
9. Your tapas is ready to serve

Notes

Note 1 – The olive oil should not be hotter at this point as you want to boil the potatoes not yet fry them.

Nutrition facts

Calories: 404 ; Fat: 14g ; Carbs: 66g ; Protein: 7g ;

• Total: 30 mins
• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 20 mins
• Servings: 4 servings

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
935	Calories
95g	Fat
22g	Carbs
3g	Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	935
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 95g	122%
Saturated Fat 13g	66%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 126mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 22g	8%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Protein 3g
Calcium 30mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Patatas bravas is one of the most popular and classic Spanish tapas dishes that is served in bars all over Spain. Supposedly, the dish was invented at a bar called Las Bravas in Madrid, though there are many people who beg to differ.

The recipes vary throughout the country and even from one tapas bar to another. With all of them, though, the bravas sauce should be a bit spicy—hence the name bravas, which means “fierce” or “courageous” in Spanish.

This version of the sauce has a slight bite from Tabasco, which makes it easy to prepare. It’s served alongside freshly fried, bite-sized potato chunks that are easy to skewer with a toothpick.

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups Spanish olive oil (for frying)
• 1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (or sherry vinegar)

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.

Peel the potatoes. Cut each potato lengthwise, then cut it lengthwise again. Cut each of those 4 long pieces crosswise, leaving you with 3 or 4 chunks that are about 1/3- to 1/4-inch.

Sprinkle the potatoes with salt.

In a wide, deep frying pan with a heavy bottom, pour olive oil so it is about 1-inch deep. Heat the oil on medium-high until hot. To test it, carefully place one piece of potato in the oil. It is hot enough if the potato immediately begins to fry. If there is no bubbling or frying, the oil is not hot enough and the potato will absorb too much oil.

Fry the potatoes for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown or browning on the edges (depending on your preference).

Use a slotted spoon or a spatula to remove them from the oil and set them aside on paper towels to drain.

In a small frying pan, pour 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat over medium heat.

Pour tomato sauce into the pan and sauté for 5 minutes.

Turn the heat down and add the mustard, stirring well.

Add the Tabasco, paprika, and vinegar, and mix well.

Taste the sauce and adjust as necessary with salt, more Tabasco, etc.

Place the potatoes on a plate or in a wide open dish and pour the sauce over the potatoes.

Serve warm with toothpicks and enjoy!

More Potato Tapas

Potatoes are a staple of Spanish cuisine. When they are fried in olive oil, they’re known as patatas fritas and these are served with almost any main course. In its basic form, patatas fritas are simply French fries: Raw slices of salted potatoes fried to create a crispy snack or side. It’s when you add the sauces that great tapas like patatas bravas are created.

Another tapas that begins with fried potato chunks, rather than slices, is patatas con alioli. Alioli is a garlicky mayonnaise that goes perfectly with hot or cold potatoes. You could serve these as complementary tapas along with patatas bravas and have fun calling the duo patatas bravioli.

Many of us are seeking some delicious comfort foods to make at home. Here, we present you with two things that bring us comfort AND joy: potatoes and Chef José Andrés. Potatoes are just delicious no matter how you make them. And Chef Andrés is one of the most passionate, compassionate, and vocal advocates for those in need around the world. Take a look at some of what he does through his organization, World Central Kitchen. Since we’re self-isolating, it’s the perfect time to recreate culinary favorites at home. Here’s writer Irvina Lew’s take on how to make patatas bravas and the professional technique a la Jose Andres.

Photo courtesy JoseAndres.com and thinkfoodgroup.com

Thoughts on Patatas Bravas

I often think about the foods I enjoy while I’m traveling and, as a home cook, I occasionally experiment with dishes that I consider easy-to-adapt, if not to replicate, exactly. One definite favorite has been high on my list since my recent trip to Madrid and Barcelona, this past February, 2020. Patatas bravas, (or papas bravas) are a tapas serving of crisp, bite-sized, fried potato cubes–or rounds—topped with a splash of spicy tomato sauce and usually also presented with aioli, a garlicky, lemon-touched mayonnaise.

Tapas are finger-food appetizers served in typical Spanish bars; they’re often the raison d’être of a civilized social activity called tapeando, which is an early evening bar-hopping tradition that precedes a very late dinner. Sometimes, an extensive tapeando offers enough culinary variety to replace a meal: crusty croquetas, chicken or ham béchamel-filled fritters, olivas, grilled gambas al ajillo (garlicky shrimp), tortilla squares, (in Spain the dish is an egg and potato frittata) and jamón ibérica pata negra, (aka jamón ibérica de bellota), which are prosciutto-thin-like slices of the best cured ham in Spain, sourced from free-range, black-hoofed, acorn-fed pigs.

Like so many other typical staples, patatas bravas differ somewhat from place to place and can range from a simple platter in an ancient café on a narrow, cobblestone street to exquisite and delicate variations served in fine dining rooms. I still recall a meal at Jardín de Orfila, in Hotel Orfila, a family owned, 32-room Relais & Chateaux property where I stayed in 2010. It’s housed in an art and antique studded mansion dating from 1882 in Chamberi, Madrid. Here, each of the individually-decorated, creatively prepared potato squares arrived like rooks and pawns on a chess board and were as tasty as they were appealing. In 2017, just hours after landing in Madrid, my granddaughter Sage and I had our first lunch at Hermosos y Malditos, in the Hotel Totem, in the Salamanca district. I had no idea what Spanish food would or wouldn’t please a 17-year old New Yorker, so I ordered what the menu called: Nuestra Version de las Patatas Bravas. What made their version different was that they served it with a yogurt sauce and a tomato with chili sauce.

Hermosos y Malditos lunch at Hotel Totem in Madrid, Feb. 2017, called Nuestra Version de las Patatas Bravas.

The Spanish-born chef, José Andrés, who worked with Ferrán Adria at El Bulli, outside Barcelona, and mentored Katie Button, (Curate, Asheville, N.C.), serves the traditional tapas, as appetizer choices. Because I am an ardent fan of Chef Andrés, for both his culinary achievements and his extraordinary philanthropic deeds, I look for the dish on his menus at Jaleo in Washington, D.C. and The Bazaar by José Andrés, which are each located inside the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills and in South Beach. At Bazaar, the on-line menu features Papas Canarias, described as salty wrinkled potatoes with mojo verde and mojo rojo. Though I’m not sure about these green and red sauces, I’m confident if they’re his, they’re good. Bravas, in his Mercado Little Spain, in Hudson Yards, in Manhattan, specializes in patatas bravas. Here the potatoes (aka papas) in the classic tapas dish are cut into cubes, fried, and topped with a spicy tomato sauce.

The superstar chef also published a uniquely urbane way of making patatas bravas, in which two-inch cubes are large enough to dig out a circular hole, in which to serve the sauces. I enclose the recipe for those of you willing to make the effort and do the extra work. (I for one wouldn’t bother to spend that much time and energy; I’m certain it’s delicious either way.)

Patatas Bravas enjoyed at Chef’s restaurant JALEO in Washington, DC.

How I Make Patatas Bravas at Home
My preferred cooking method is a whole lot less complicated. I one-inch cube a large baking potato, add salt and pimentón (because I bought a jar of the regional red pepper when I visited the Basque country), toss the cubes in a little extra virgin olive oil; separate the pieces on a flat sheet, bake them in my toaster oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. They crisp, puff and are delicious.

For sauce, I use whatever is on hand or easy to fix: aioli made by adding crushed garlic to lemon juice; just before the potatoes are done, I add the liquid (only) to thin some Hellman’s mayonnaise; for the spicy red sauce, I add Tabasco to cocktail sauce (or salsa). Last night, I dipped them in a salsa verde, which was actually a defrosted parsley/cilantro/garlic and olive oil chimichurri. Fry or bake the potatoes, play with the sauces to suit your taste, or follow this Jose Andres’ recipe, which I am sure will be far more delicious. Trust me, wherever they are served or however you choose to make them, these delights far surpass the edible pleasure of freshly-made McDonald’s French fries with ketchup.

Patatas Bravas from Jardin de Orfila lined up on a chess board.

— Story and photos (except where noted) by Irvina Lew

Patatas Bravas

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Cooking with Little Potato Company’s Creamer potatoes is always so easy. That is why we use them all the time! I have been on a tapas kick lately and so enjoying these Patatas Bravas. I love how simple they are to make with pre-washed and ready to go whole Little Potatoes. Patatas Bravas means spicy potatoes and these we have made so many times now.

The first time I had them was at a restaurant in Seattle called Tango Restaurant when we visited in February. They left a lasting impression on me and I have made them three times now, creating my own recipe.

These are simple to make by just roasting up gorgeous Creamer potatoes, making a simple aioli and a simple tomato sauce. You will then have a dish that is memorable for you too!

Farm Fresh

All Little Potatoes are packed fresh, their thin skin means no peeling required, and consistent size makes for even cooking time. They are a busy mom’s dream to use! Plus you can rest assured that you are giving your family great nutrition.

Creamer potatoes are easy to use, just a quick empty of the bag onto a baking sheet. A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt gives you the very start of this recipe.

The Boomer Gold that I used are the perfect size for an appetizer or tapas dish like this.

While the potatoes roast to perfection in 30 minutes, you can make your tomato sauce and have it simmer until thickened in the same time.

And then a simple aioli can be whisked up and placed into a squirt bottle if desired for easy drizzling!

What is left over can then be stored in the refrigerator for later use, as this will last for a week or two.

Now that the potatoes are tender and roasted to a golden perfection, you can then assemble your dish!

Fill a serving dish with some of the tomato sauce, and adding in the hot Little Potatoes along with a drizzle of the aioli and sprinkle of the parsley, will have you now ready to serve this amazing dish!!

Do You Like It Spicy?

You can make the sauce as spicy as you like! Just add in more or less of the crushed red chili peppers. The 1/4 tsp. gives a little heat but nothing crazy!! I love the smoky flavor from the smoked paprika, so delicious!

Did you know that Little Potatoes are high in nutrition?

Per serving they have:

And are gluten free! All in your daily intake per serving!

Pass the aioli around as people may want to add on more to their liking. It is the perfect condiment to these scrumptious potatoes.

Whip up some delightful Marinated Red Peppers with some bread and you have a complete meal in no time. One that will elevate that ho hum dinner to a completely new level and it is all vegetarian too! But these potatoes would do wonders to a great steak also!

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Patatas bravas is the ultimate Spanish tapas dish. It is simple and yet so unique. This is a Mediterranean twist to a classic chips plate.

As I’ve mentioned a million times in this blog I’M A BIG FAN OF SPANISH FOOD — thank god I live closer to Spain than when I lived in Venezuela. I can’t get enough of their bread, olive oil and wine. But you know what is the thing I like the most about their gastronomy… Tapas.

Tapas is basically a small plate of food that comes with drinks. So, with this brilliant concept, you can go for a couple drinks to any Spanish bar and end up eating a full dinner with small plates of Spanish delicacies.

One of the most famous tapas is patatas bravas, but ….

Table of Contents

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What is patatas bravas?

I know that can sound intimidating… a plate that is self-called “angry potatoes”. You can assume that is a super spicy type of plate but in fact, the spicy factor is quite low. The stronger flavor is pepper and garlic.

The plate consists in confited, rough-cut potatoes covered with a red thick sauce that is mainly made with bell pepper paste and garlic.

How to confit potatoes?

Confit is a French cooking technique that basically consists in cooking an ingredient — usually used with poultry like duck or chicken meat —- inside a big amount of oil over low and constant heat.

It’s not the same as frying. The food is submerged when the oil is cold and slowly cooked while the oil is getting hotter. The temperature must stay below 200ºF while frying requires at least 350ºF.

Confit Potatoes

How to make the classic patatas bravas sauce?

This particular sauce is made basically out of “pasta de pimentón” that you may know as the paprika paste.

This recipe uses spicy paprika paste and regular sweet paprika paste. As I’ve mentioned before the spicy factor is not as strong because the ratio of spicy paprika paste is quite a lot. If you want a spicier result you can alter this ratio.

To get a thick and rick patatas bravas’ sauce you will need to make a type of roux but instead of milk like in a bechamel, we will use chicken broth.

This sauce must be smooth and shiny, for that reason after cooking it I like to blend it to make sure that there are no garlic or onion chunks.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and I see you in the next one!

Spain’s most popular tapas, Patatas Bravas are impossible to resist! Crispy home fries tossed with a mildly spicy tomato aioli. One bite and this will surely become one of your favorite potato dishes!

Throwing a tapas party? Don’t forget to grab the recipes for my Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions Crostini, Charcuterie Board, Beef Empanadas and Spanish Gazpacho Soup to complete your feast.

A party-perfect potato appetizer!

A few months ago, for my birthday, my dear friend and neighbor took me to a local tapas restaurant to celebrate. That was the day I tasted the best potato dish of my life: patatas bravas.

I unfortunately haven’t been to Spain, so tapas restaurants are as close as I can get to Spanish cuisine. I’m saying that so you take this post with a grain of salt, as I cannot claim authenticity.

What I can claim, though, is that this recipe tastes exactly like the one I had at the restaurant. Perfectly fried potatoes tossed with a to-die sauce, with just a little heat.

And while this is technically supposed to be served as a tapa, meaning an appetizer or snack, I’ve been serving it as a side dish and my family can’t get enough!

What are patatas bravas?

Patatas Bravas, also known as Papas Bravas or Patatas a la Brava, is a Spanish dish served in tapa bars all throughout Spain.

Originally from Madrid, it usually consists of irregular potato chunks of about 1 inch, fried and drizzled with Bravas sauce (Salsa Brava), a mildly spicy tomato sauce.

The name “Bravas” makes allusion to the dish spiciness, and it means “fierce”, “angry” and/or “ferocious” in English. But while you could certainly bump up the heat, the sauce is usually mild, made with a base of tomato, sherry vinegar, paprika and just a pinch of chili (like cayenne peppers).

However, there are as many Patatas Bravas recipes as there are cooks in Spain, so you will find lots of variations.

Some restaurants will offer options with a number of extra toppings, like chorizo, chistorra (a fast-cured sausage), chicken and/or fish.

You will also find the Bravas sauce used in other Spanish recipes, like the Tortilla Brava, a omelet topped with the sauce, and the Mejillones en Salsa Brava, a mussels dish.

Ingredients for papas bravas

For the Bravas Sauce:

• Red onion
• Garlic
• Smoked Paprika
• Olive Oil
• Mayo – store-bought or homemade.
• Cayenne
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• Sherry Vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper

For the patatas:

• Potatoes
• Salt
• Frying oil – I use canola, but vegetable oil, peanut oil, safflower oil or corn oil work too.
• Parsley, for garnishing

What is the best potato for frying?

Due to their high starch and low moisture content, Russet potatoes are the best kind of potatoes for frying. They crisp up nicely, better than other kinds.

That being said, Yukon Gold and Red Potatoes can also be used in this recipe. They just won’t stay as crisp as russets.

How to make patatas bravas

Let me start by saying my Bravas sauce recipe is a little different than the other ones you will find online.

Usually, Patatas Bravas are served with Bravas sauce AND a garlic aioli. In my version – similar to the one I had at the tapas restaurant – they are combined! Why bother making two different sauces when they are both gonna end up drizzled on the fries anyway?

Oh, and speaking of the “drizzling”… Mmm, how do I say this? Just go ahead and smother your fries with the sauce. Feel free to just drizzle the sauce on your fries if you prefer, but believe me when I say, the Bravas Sauce is the star of the show here!

To make Bravas sauce:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet, over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent.
• Add the smoked paprika and cook for a few seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
• Combine the sautéed aromatics with the remaining ingredients in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

To make Patatas Bravas:

• Rinse potatoes with cold water until water runs completely clean. Dry them thoroughly with paper towels.
• Heat at least 2 inches of canola oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Add all the potatoes and cook until tender but still pale, with a lightly bubbled surface, about 5 minutes. You should aim to keep the oil between 300 and 325 degrees F.
• Remove potatoes and drain on paper towel.
• Turn the oil’s heat up to 425 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until golden brown, about 2 minutes, maintaining the temperature between 375 and 400 degrees F.
• Transfer potatoes to a paper towel to remove excess oil and toss with salt.
• Drizzle the potatoes generously (or toss them in a bowl) with the reserved Bravas sauce. You can serve the extra sauce as a dip.

Can I make patatas bravas healthier?

While you can’t beat the crunchiness of a fried potato, you can certainly bake Patatas Bravas instead.

You will want to parboil them and then toss with oil and salt before baking at 400 degrees F, until golden and crispy.

Can I make papas bravas ahead of time?

Yes! The Bravas sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.

As for the potatoes, after the first frying step, you can drain then and refrigerate overnight or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

When ready to serve, fry them at 425 degrees F until golden and then toss with the sauce (at room temperature).

How to serve patatas bravas

As I mentioned earlier, Papas Bravas are usually served as an appetizer, among other Spanish tapa dishes. Oh, and don’t forget the wine (or beer)! This is a bar food after all.

You can also serve them as a side for meats – it goes great with grilled skirt steak! – or even with eggs, for breakfast or brunch.

• Total: 30 mins
• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 20 mins
• Servings: 4 servings

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
935	Calories
95g	Fat
22g	Carbs
3g	Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	935
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 95g	122%
Saturated Fat 13g	66%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 126mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 22g	8%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Protein 3g
Calcium 30mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Patatas bravas is one of the most popular and classic Spanish tapas dishes that is served in bars all over Spain. Supposedly, the dish was invented at a bar called Las Bravas in Madrid, though there are many people who beg to differ.

The recipes vary throughout the country and even from one tapas bar to another. With all of them, though, the bravas sauce should be a bit spicy—hence the name bravas, which means “fierce” or “courageous” in Spanish.

This version of the sauce has a slight bite from Tabasco, which makes it easy to prepare. It’s served alongside freshly fried, bite-sized potato chunks that are easy to skewer with a toothpick.

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups Spanish olive oil (for frying)
• 1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (or sherry vinegar)

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.

Peel the potatoes. Cut each potato lengthwise, then cut it lengthwise again. Cut each of those 4 long pieces crosswise, leaving you with 3 or 4 chunks that are about 1/3- to 1/4-inch.

Sprinkle the potatoes with salt.

In a wide, deep frying pan with a heavy bottom, pour olive oil so it is about 1-inch deep. Heat the oil on medium-high until hot. To test it, carefully place one piece of potato in the oil. It is hot enough if the potato immediately begins to fry. If there is no bubbling or frying, the oil is not hot enough and the potato will absorb too much oil.

Fry the potatoes for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown or browning on the edges (depending on your preference).

Use a slotted spoon or a spatula to remove them from the oil and set them aside on paper towels to drain.

In a small frying pan, pour 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat over medium heat.

Pour tomato sauce into the pan and sauté for 5 minutes.

Turn the heat down and add the mustard, stirring well.

Add the Tabasco, paprika, and vinegar, and mix well.

Taste the sauce and adjust as necessary with salt, more Tabasco, etc.

Place the potatoes on a plate or in a wide open dish and pour the sauce over the potatoes.

Serve warm with toothpicks and enjoy!

More Potato Tapas

Potatoes are a staple of Spanish cuisine. When they are fried in olive oil, they’re known as patatas fritas and these are served with almost any main course. In its basic form, patatas fritas are simply French fries: Raw slices of salted potatoes fried to create a crispy snack or side. It’s when you add the sauces that great tapas like patatas bravas are created.

Another tapas that begins with fried potato chunks, rather than slices, is patatas con alioli. Alioli is a garlicky mayonnaise that goes perfectly with hot or cold potatoes. You could serve these as complementary tapas along with patatas bravas and have fun calling the duo patatas bravioli.

This bravas sauce recipe, or salsa brava, is a Spanish spicy tomato sauce made with hot paprika, perfect for topping the popular tapas dish, patatas bravas.

We’re heading off to the great nation of Spain today, my friends, to bring to you a wonderful new sauce for your cooking repertoire. I love sauces, and a good, spicy sauce is always welcome in my kitchen. The secret to many a great recipe is in the sauce, so for me, the more the merrier.

This particular sauce is a Spanish recipe, a sauce called Salsa Brava, or Bravas Sauce, and I think you’re going to love it. It’s a tomato-based sauce that incorporates chili peppers and spiced with paprika along with a few other flavor building ingredients.

It is typically served with a popular Spanish tapas dish, Patatas Bravas, which are fried potato wedges. The sauce is served over the potatoes or on the side, but it’s really a versatile sauce you can use in so many different ways. It’s tomatoey and spicy in all the right ways, and I love it.

Let’s talk about how we make Salsa Bravas, shall we?

Salsa Brava Ingredients (Bravas Sauce)

• Oil. Use 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil, for cooking down the vegetables.
• Chili Pepper. Use 1 red pepper of choice, chopped. Choose according to your heat preference.
• Onion. 1 small onion, chopped, or use 1-2 shallots.
• Garlic. I used 3 cloves garlic, chopped, though you can easily add more garlic if you’d like.
• Paprika. I use 1 tablespoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika, though I often include more hot paprika for my own preference. You can also use cayenne in place of hot paprika.
• Tomatoes. Use 1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, or you can use the equivalent of fresh diced tomatoes.
• Vinegar. I use 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar. Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar are good options, too.
• Salt. Salt to taste, or salt and pepper to taste, if you prefer some cracked black pepper.
• Sweet. 1 teaspoon sugar or honey is optional if you prefer a touch of sweet to your bravas sauce.

How to Make Salsa Brava (Bravas Sauce) – the Recipe Method

Cook the Vegetable Base. Heat the oil in a pot or saucepan to medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook them down for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Seasonings and Tomatoes. Add the smoked paprika, hot paprika (or cayenne), diced tomatoes, vinegar, salt and sugar if using. Stir.

Simmer for Flavor. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors develop.

Blend Until Smooth. Transfer the bravas sauce to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Boom! Done! Your amazing Bravas Sauce is now ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn’t it? How are you serving yours up? I love this stuff.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• For the Chili Peppers. For a milder bravas sauce, use a bell pepper or Spanish piquillo pepper. For a bit of heat, Fresno peppers are a great option, or even a red jalapeno pepper. For more of a hot sauce, use cayenne peppers or even hotter. Yes, you can make this with superhots, my crazy chilihead friends.
• Heat Factor. Aside from the chili peppers, you can adjust the overall heat with your choice of paprika or cayenne. Skip the cayenne or hot paprika for a milder version, or adjust your ratios with more hot paprika for a spicier version.
• Thicker, Creamier Bravas Sauce. You can thicken your salsa brava by starting with a light roux of flour and butter, or by mixing in a few tablespoons of mayonnaise.

Serving Bravas Sauce

Salsa Brava is an important component for Patatas Bravas, the popular tapas dish in Spain, though this is an incredibly versatile sauce. It is essentially a spicy tomato sauce, so consider it as your next pasta sauce. It also makes for a great dip with toasted bread, or slathered over vegetables. And yes, you can also serve it as a salsa.

That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my bravas sauce recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Extra hot paprika for me, please! Maybe I’ll make a superhot version.

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

• Mojo Picon – Canarian Red Pepper Sauce
• Spanish Romesco Sauce
• Red Chimichurri (Chimichurri Rojo)
• Homemade Harissa
• Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
• Sambal Oelek
• Peri Peri Sauce
• Ajvar
• Muhammara
• Zacusca: Romanian Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Sauce

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

April 23, 2020 / by Kirsten Helle

This is an easy, incredible, slightly healthier recipe for a Spanish tapas classic – Patatas Bravas.

I have to let you know that these crispy potatoes tossed with a flavor-packed brava sauce are addictive. They are a fantastic side dish for any meal or addition to your tapas menu. I know once you try them, you’ll make them again and again.

How to make Patatas Bravas at home

Our recipe is easier, and a little healthier, than the traditional recipe, but I promise it is just as incredible.

Easy Bravas Sauce Recipe

Mesa de Vida Smoky Latin Cooking & Seasoning Sauce, makes the perfect base for bravas sauce, without all of the work. The bold flavors in our concentrated cooking sauce lend themselves beautifully to the flavors of a classic bravas sauce, and all it takes is a little bit of extra fresh garlic and a splash of Sherry wine or vinegar (also some cayenne, if you like it spicy) to create a dead ringer for the classic.

*Keep this bravas sauce recipe in your back pocket any time you’re looking for a wonderful sauce to serve with chicken, fish, beans, for dipping bread, or anything!

Crispy, tender potatoes without frying

You can deep fry your diced potatoes, but I have found this par-boiling-then-baking method creates a really fantastic, crunchy outside that is perfect for soaking up the brava sauce. The inside of the potato pieces remain soft and fluffy, creating the perfect crispy-tender bite.

Recipe notes:

• This recipe is Whole30 and Paleo-friendly if you use a high-quality avocado mayonnaise (or make your own), and use Sherry vinegar instead of the Sherry wine.
• This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian, making them a great side dish or appetizer for a wide variety of guests.
• Make these Patatas Bravas the centerpiece of your tapas menu by serving them up with some wine, a couple of Spanish cheeses, some cured ham, olives, and nuts. Or, if you’re serving a larger crowd, serve them as a starter course before serving our Paella recipe!

Enjoy!

Believe me when I say that this is the creamiest brava sauce recipe that you will ever come across! Do try out the best Spanish brava sauce to dip your homemade patatas bravas in! My all time favorite. Well I believe that it is tapas o’clock!

Do you like a delicious food challenge from time to time?

Then I suggest that you try your hand at making your own patatas brava sauce at home from scratch! Forget that jar of Hellman’s brava sauce. This one if far better, you can take my word for it!

Store Bought Jars

I know that it is much easier to open a jar of pink Russian cocktail sauce from that famous brand. What’s it called again? Or just drench your crunchy fried patatas bravas (those Spanish fried potatoes) in a generous drizzle of tomato ketchup and mayo.

I really get that!

Even I do that if I haven’t got enough time to make this sauce from scratch, I confess. But if I have all the necessary ingredients in my pantry, then I prefer to assemble my own yummie Spanish sauce the way I like it best!

Homemade

It’s really worth it.

Because that flavor is just wow. And also look how creamy this brava sauce is…

So what is it that makes it so special then?

OK, I will let you in on my little kitchen secret here: add a generous teaspoon of mayonnaise, but don’t tell anyone. I see a lot of recipes using flour to thicken the sauce. However I’m not fond of that.

Sweet

Another thing that makes my sauce delicious is the sweetness that comes from the pan fried onion and garlic. That’s the base of this sauce. All the other ingredients count as well, but that onion and garlic is definitely a game changer.

Try it out and see for yourself!

Best Brava Sauce Recipe for Patatas Bravas

That onion and a dollop of mayo, that really makes a difference.

Do you have little sauce left in the end? Then you can store this homemade brava sauce in the fridge in a jar or an airtight container for up to one week. But it won’t last that long, believe me.

Sure you can use this sauce for other purposes as well. How about serving it as a dipping sauce with raw vegetables for instance as a healthy appetizer bite! Or as a sandwich spread.

Dipping Sauce

So there you go then: crunchy fried potatoes topped off with a creamy salsa brava from scratch.

Better start licking thumbs and fingers because I am sure that you will love this Spanish tapas recipe!

A little bit of Spanish sun in your kitchen.

Spain’s most popular tapas, Patatas Bravas are impossible to resist! Crispy home fries tossed with a mildly spicy tomato aioli. One bite and this will surely become one of your favorite potato dishes!

Throwing a tapas party? Don’t forget to grab the recipes for my Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions Crostini, Charcuterie Board, Beef Empanadas and Spanish Gazpacho Soup to complete your feast.

A party-perfect potato appetizer!

A few months ago, for my birthday, my dear friend and neighbor took me to a local tapas restaurant to celebrate. That was the day I tasted the best potato dish of my life: patatas bravas.

I unfortunately haven’t been to Spain, so tapas restaurants are as close as I can get to Spanish cuisine. I’m saying that so you take this post with a grain of salt, as I cannot claim authenticity.

What I can claim, though, is that this recipe tastes exactly like the one I had at the restaurant. Perfectly fried potatoes tossed with a to-die sauce, with just a little heat.

And while this is technically supposed to be served as a tapa, meaning an appetizer or snack, I’ve been serving it as a side dish and my family can’t get enough!

What are patatas bravas?

Patatas Bravas, also known as Papas Bravas or Patatas a la Brava, is a Spanish dish served in tapa bars all throughout Spain.

Originally from Madrid, it usually consists of irregular potato chunks of about 1 inch, fried and drizzled with Bravas sauce (Salsa Brava), a mildly spicy tomato sauce.

The name “Bravas” makes allusion to the dish spiciness, and it means “fierce”, “angry” and/or “ferocious” in English. But while you could certainly bump up the heat, the sauce is usually mild, made with a base of tomato, sherry vinegar, paprika and just a pinch of chili (like cayenne peppers).

However, there are as many Patatas Bravas recipes as there are cooks in Spain, so you will find lots of variations.

Some restaurants will offer options with a number of extra toppings, like chorizo, chistorra (a fast-cured sausage), chicken and/or fish.

You will also find the Bravas sauce used in other Spanish recipes, like the Tortilla Brava, a omelet topped with the sauce, and the Mejillones en Salsa Brava, a mussels dish.

Ingredients for papas bravas

For the Bravas Sauce:

• Red onion
• Garlic
• Smoked Paprika
• Olive Oil
• Mayo – store-bought or homemade.
• Cayenne
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• Sherry Vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper

For the patatas:

• Potatoes
• Salt
• Frying oil – I use canola, but vegetable oil, peanut oil, safflower oil or corn oil work too.
• Parsley, for garnishing

What is the best potato for frying?

Due to their high starch and low moisture content, Russet potatoes are the best kind of potatoes for frying. They crisp up nicely, better than other kinds.

That being said, Yukon Gold and Red Potatoes can also be used in this recipe. They just won’t stay as crisp as russets.

How to make patatas bravas

Let me start by saying my Bravas sauce recipe is a little different than the other ones you will find online.

Usually, Patatas Bravas are served with Bravas sauce AND a garlic aioli. In my version – similar to the one I had at the tapas restaurant – they are combined! Why bother making two different sauces when they are both gonna end up drizzled on the fries anyway?

Oh, and speaking of the “drizzling”… Mmm, how do I say this? Just go ahead and smother your fries with the sauce. Feel free to just drizzle the sauce on your fries if you prefer, but believe me when I say, the Bravas Sauce is the star of the show here!

To make Bravas sauce:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet, over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent.
• Add the smoked paprika and cook for a few seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
• Combine the sautéed aromatics with the remaining ingredients in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

To make Patatas Bravas:

• Rinse potatoes with cold water until water runs completely clean. Dry them thoroughly with paper towels.
• Heat at least 2 inches of canola oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Add all the potatoes and cook until tender but still pale, with a lightly bubbled surface, about 5 minutes. You should aim to keep the oil between 300 and 325 degrees F.
• Remove potatoes and drain on paper towel.
• Turn the oil’s heat up to 425 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until golden brown, about 2 minutes, maintaining the temperature between 375 and 400 degrees F.
• Transfer potatoes to a paper towel to remove excess oil and toss with salt.
• Drizzle the potatoes generously (or toss them in a bowl) with the reserved Bravas sauce. You can serve the extra sauce as a dip.

Can I make patatas bravas healthier?

While you can’t beat the crunchiness of a fried potato, you can certainly bake Patatas Bravas instead.

You will want to parboil them and then toss with oil and salt before baking at 400 degrees F, until golden and crispy.

Can I make papas bravas ahead of time?

Yes! The Bravas sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.

As for the potatoes, after the first frying step, you can drain then and refrigerate overnight or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

When ready to serve, fry them at 425 degrees F until golden and then toss with the sauce (at room temperature).

How to serve patatas bravas

As I mentioned earlier, Papas Bravas are usually served as an appetizer, among other Spanish tapa dishes. Oh, and don’t forget the wine (or beer)! This is a bar food after all.

You can also serve them as a side for meats – it goes great with grilled skirt steak! – or even with eggs, for breakfast or brunch.

July 29, 2019 By wendy

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Super easy Patatas Bravas recipe – add a little Spanish flare to your summer and throw together a simple tapas selection for friends.

What is Patatas Bravas?

Patatas Bravas is a tasty Spanish potato tapas dish that’s super simple to make.

Cubes of crispy fried potato are served mixed into a rich smoky spiced paprika flavoured tomato sauce with a generous scattering of chopped flat leaf parsley.

This tapas dish is so very moreish you’ll struggle walking past it without digging in!

Patatas bravas is good served as part of a tapas spread or just on its own as a little something to nibble with crusty bread and drinks.

Patatas Bravas Ingredients

How to make patatas bravas

This Patatas Bravas recipe is easy and a super delicious summer way to serve potatoes.

• Firstly prepare your vegetables – peel and dice the onion, slice the red chillies, peel and chop the garlic and dice the potatoes – you can leave the peel on if you prefer.

• Add a tbs of olive oil to a saucepan and gently fry the onions, garlic and chilli over a low heat for around 5 minutes.

• Tip the tin of chopped tomatoes into the saucepan with the onions, garlic and chilli.

• Add the smoked paprika to the saucepan with the tomatoes, add in a pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper – to suit your own tastes.

• Bring the tomato sauce to the boil and then simmer over a low heat with the lid off so that the sauce thickens…. meanwhile…

• Put the diced potatoes into a saucepan with boiling water and bring the pan back to the boil.

• simmer with the lid on for around 5-7 minutes until the potatoes are just tender.

• Once the potatoes are just tender, drain them well in a colander.

• Add a tbs of olive oil to a large frying pan over a high heat, then tip the drained potato cubes into the pan.

• Stir fry the potatoes – stirring often until they’re crisping up all over.

• Remove the fried potato cubes from the frying pan using a slotted spoon to remove any excess oil.
• Tip the spicy tomato sauce over the potatoes cubes and gently mix together.
• Tip into a serving bowl and scatter over the chopped flat leaf parsley.

Make Patatas Bravas Your Way

• skip the chilli if you don’t like the heat

• stir through a tin of chickpeas for a little extra munch

• leftovers are delicious mixed with cheese and stuffed into little pasties.

• add a few discs of chorizo if you fancy a little meat

• delicious served topped with a poached egg as a complete meal

More Easy Tapas Recipes Vegetarian

You can easily throw together a vegetarian tapas spread – just gather together small dishes of the following

• Tomato and aubergine stew

• Blistered padron peppers

• Spanish omelette

• Marinated olives with cheese

• Tomato salad

• Stuffed pepperdews

• Smoky paprika peppers

• Dairy-Free
• Gluten Free
• Vegetarian
• Kid Friendly

Crispy, fried potatoes tossed in spicy salsa brava and served with creamy garlic aioli, we top our patatas bravas with a fried egg because sometimes you just have to go big.

Potatoes, Patatas—Let’s Eat Some Tapas.

Not every dinner has to be a whole thing. Tonight we’re taking a cue from our Spanish friends and indulging in tapas—essentially, really really good snacks—for dinner. Specifically, the king of all tapas, crispy-fried patatas bravas topped with garlicky aioli and (because we’re going all out) a fried egg. Just add a hefty pour of Rioja, or a kalimotxo, and you’ve got yourself the makings of an A+ date night in.

First Things First: What Are Patatas Bravas?

Patatas bravas (or, potatoes in bravas sauce) are a classic Spanish tapas dish. “Tapas” are basically (the best ever) bar snacks. The word tapas means “top” or “cover” in Spanish, likely referring to the practice of setting your small plate of food atop your drink between sips. Tapas bars keep things simple—plates are small, dishes are straightforward with bold flavors that stand up to Spanish wines and cocktails. Just about every tapas bar in Spain serves some version of patatas bravas—crispy, fried potatoes tossed in spicy salsa brava (tomato-y, spicy bravas sauce) and served with creamy garlic aioli—and they are basically the best of all drinking snacks.

How to Make the Best Patatas Bravas, Ever.

Here’s the part where we convince you to whip out your deep-frying thermometer and shoo the kids from the kitchen, because you’re going to do some major potato frying. In fact, our patatas bravas recipe involves frying the potatoes not once, but twice. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Fry #1! Fry your cubed russet potatoes in oil that’s been heated to 300° for about five minutes. During this fry, the goal is simply to cook the potatoes. They shouldn’t really brown, they’ll just be cooked. Let them cool completely before you begin fry #2—this is a great chance to make your salsa bravas and garlic aioli.
2. Fry #2! This fry happens at a higher temperature—370°—and is all about getting the patatas nice and crispy! You can help your oil maintain its temperature by frying the potatoes in small batches rather than all at once.

All About Salsa Brava (Bravas Sauce)

There are a lot of ways to serve patatas bravas—some restaurants serve them with just a drizzle of bravas sauce, some serve it on the side, some skip it entirely in favor of a dusting of salt and paprika. Our patatas bravas recipe is inspired by one of our favorite local restaurants here in Portland, Tasty & Sons— they toss the fried potatoes in the bravas sauce until they’re coated in it, and we love that! Spicy, smoky bravas sauce is so delicious, we want it alllll over those crisp-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside potatoes. Our salsa bravas recipe has quite a few ingredients, but most of them are probably in your pantry already:

• Olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Smoked paprika
• Cayenne
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Sugar
• Salt
• White wine vinegar

An Easy Garlic Aioli Recipe

Before you call us out on it, we know that technically aioli is French, and in Spain it’s called allioli. But we’re not too worried about authenticity here because—whatever you want to call it—we’re taking a shortcut to everyone’s favorite creamy, lemony garlic sauce. All you do is stir together:

• Mayonnaise.
• Lemon juice. Fresh-squeezed, please!
• Garlic cloves. Use a microplane grater to grate the garlic turns the allium into almost a paste and that’ll help to ensure that it gets evenly distributed into the mayo-lemon juice mixture.

Tools You’ll Need

• A large pot for frying.
• A deep-fry thermometer.
• A microplane grater comes in handy!
• Immersion or countertop blender for puréeing the salsa bravas.

More Tapas Inspiration

Invite some friends over, make a few snacky dishes, and call it a tapas party! Here’s what we’d make to serve alongside these crispy fried potatoes:

Put It All Together!

This is an elaborate dish, and sometimes it’s just really fun to prove to yourself that you can make something as good (better?) than you’d get in a fancy restaurant. We hope this patatas bravas recipe was a success for you! Let us know how it turned out—snap a photo, and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can see. Happy eating!