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Patatas Bravas

Patatas Bravas are fried potatoes with amazing seasonings. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Wait for the bravas sauce, full of flavor and absolutely fiercely amazing. You don’t need to visit a restaurant for this tapas food, because you can easily make it at home. Once you try this Patatas Bravas recipe, you know it is a keeper that everyone can’t get enough of.

Closeup of Patatas Bravas.

Reasons to love this Patatas Bravas recipe

I use lots and lots of great seasonings to make everything flavorful and delicious.

Texture is spot on: crispy on the outside, soft in the inside.

Once you try them you will feel like in a tapas restaurant but you can have them whenever you want them easily at home.

Ingredients needed to make Patatas Bravas are collected on a cutting board.

What you need for this Patatas Bravas recipe

Potatoes: I like baby potatoes, but there is absolutely no need to peel them and only halve them. Russet potatoes are also great. You can chop them into cubes or the size you want.

I use olive oil because I like the savory flavor that you can get from it. But any other oil like sunflower or canola oil will work, too.

Garlic goes into the potatoes and in the sauce. Result wise, I can truly say it turned out so over the top delicious.

Side by side view of a frying pan with onions and tomato sauce for the braves sauce.

What’s in this Bravas Sauce

Garlic, again for an amazing flavor.

Tomato sauce is our base for really simple and amazing flavor.

Smoked paprika adds a smoky note and sweet flavor which is a great contrast to the tomato sauce.

Chili flakes: as you can get from all the ingredients, Patatas Bravas are fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce. The literal meaning is “brave”, so you know it is a fiercely flavorful dish that tastes anytime delicious.

For serving

Aioli: I can say this is what makes everything even better. It really compliments the final result to make it truly restaurant quality. I use vegan aioli, but you use any that you like and want.

Side by side photos of ready braves sauce and cooked potatoes.

How to make Patatas Bravas

Start with precooking your potatoes: give them into a pot filled with salted water. Bring to a boil and cook them for around 10 minutes. You can tell they aren’t fully cooked, but that is fine, because we are going to fry them.

To prepare the sauce, being with heating up 1 Tbs olive oil in a sauce pan. Add in onions and pressed 3 cloves garlic. Let everything simmer for around 2 minutes.

Then, stir in the tomato sauce, half of the chili powder, and smoked paprika. Remove from heat.

Fry the potatoes in a larger pan with olive oil. It will take around 7 minutes until golden. Also add in 2 cloves of garlic, pressed.

In a large bowl, mix the seasonings (remaining smoked paprika, garlic, chili flakes). Then give the fried potatoes to the bowl and mix well. 

Frying of cut potato halves before and after.

Serving Patatas Bravas

Finishing up with a pinch of salt and pepper, then serve everything in bowls or on plates.

Add as much brava sauce as you like. And don’t forget aioli, so good.

Leftovers

In my gusto, this is not a dish for leftovers, because Patatas Bravas taste best fresh. If you do have leftovers, I can tell these will be great for around 2 days and taste also great cold.

Fried potatoes are mixed with seasonings in a mixing bowl, then transferred onto a serving plate.

Tips and tricks 

Can’t find any aioli? This is so easy friends. Use your favorite mayo, press in 2 cloves of garlic mix and you are ready to eat.

For baking: You can do the following: after cooking your potatoes, mix them with the seasonings. Also add 2 Tbs olive oil to that mix and bake everything for 15 minutes. Result wise, nothing can beat frying in my taste. There is something about that texture fresh from the pan. Baked it will be a satisfying and enjoyable result, but it will have a different texture. Whenever you can, go and fry them.

You can make the spice mix and sauce 2 days in advance. It comes in handy, because you have all your seasonings and your sauce prepared.

Potatoes can be cooked up to 24 hours in advance.

Peel the potatoes or leave the skin pn. Keep in mind with skin on, you will have more texture and bite.

Top view of a serving of Patatas Bravas.

Other potato recipes to try

Collage of two photos of Patatas Bravas with recipe title text.

For remakes of these Patatas Bravas, share with a tag on Instagram or Facebook.

Enjoy, Florian.

Top view of a serving of Patatas Bravas.

Patatas Bravas

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Patatas Bravas are fried potatoes with amazing seasonings. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Wait for the bravas sauce, full of flavor and absolutely fiercely amazing. You don't need to visit a restaurant for this tapas food, because you can easily make it at home. Once you try this Patatas Bravas recipe, you know it is a keeper that everyone can't get enough of.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs potatoes, washed
  • 1/3 cup olive oil + 1 Tbs
  • 5 cloves garlic, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup aioli
  • 7 oz tomato sauce
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp chili flakes
  • salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook your potatoes:
    Give potatoes to a pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Let cook for around 10 minutes. You can tell they aren't fully cooked, but that is fine, because we are going to fry them. Side by side photos of ready braves sauce and cooked potatoes.
  2. Make Bravas sauce:
    In a sauce pan, heat up 1 Tbs olive oil, then add in onions and garlic. Simmer them for around 2 minutes. Side by side view of a frying pan with onions and tomato sauce for the braves sauce.
  3. Next add in tomato sauce, half of the chili powder, and smoked paprika. Remove from the heat.
  4. Frying potatoes:
    Heat olive oil in a large pan. When hot, give the precooked potatoes to it, together with 2 pessed cloves of garlic. Fry for about 7 minutes unil golden brown.Frying of cut potato halves before and after.
  5. Season potatoes:
    In a large mixing bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic, chili flakes .
  6. Transfer the fried potatoes to the bowl with the seasonings and mix everything well together. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.Fried potatoes are mixed with seasonings in a mixing bowl, then transferred onto a serving plate.
  7. Serve the potatoes with the prepared Bravas sauce and aioli.Top view of a serving of Patatas Bravas.

Notes

  • Can't find any aioli? Use your favorite mayo, press 2 cloves of garlic into it and mix.
  • Baking: After cooking your potatoes mix them with the spice mix. Yet this time add also 2 Tbs olive oil to that mix and bake everything for 15 minutes.
  • Make the spice mix and sauce 2 days in advance. Comes in handy, because you have all your seasonings and your sauce prepared.
  • Potatoes can be cooked around 24 hours in advance.
  • Peel potatoes or leave the skin on. With everything a matter of preference and taste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 472Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 512mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 7gSugar: 2gProtein: 8g

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