Patatas Bravas Recipe

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Patatas bravas is a classic Spanish tapas dish made with crispy fried potato cubes served with a spicy tomato and smoked paprika based bravas sauce and a creamy garlic aioli. The potatoes are soaked, dried and fried until golden and crisp. The bravas sauce is made with tomato paste, garlic, spices and vinegar, giving it a smoky, tangy flavor. It is served hot with aioli for a balanced taste and flavor.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Appetizers, Snacks

Cuisine: Spanish, World

Diet: Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 437kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For Frying Potatoes

500 grams potatoes – Yukon gold, Russet, Maris Piper or baby potatoes
cold water – as required, for soaking potatoes
½ cup oil – any neutral flavored oil for frying

For Aioli Sauce

¼ cup Mayonnaise – eggless or plant based
¼ teaspoon garlic – minced
2 pinches ground black pepper
½ teaspoon lemon juice or add according to taste

For Bravas Sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic – minced
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes – optional
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 tablespoons water or add as required
salt add according to taste
¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
¼ teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar – swap with red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, *check point no 8 in notes below

Instructions

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes. Soak them in cold water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and dry completely.
Prepare the aioli sauce by mixing mayonnaise, garlic, pepper and lemon juice. Set aside.
For the bravas sauce, sauté garlic in extra virgin olive oil until light golden.
Turn off the heat. Add tomato paste and bay leaf.
Next add in the ground cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, red chili flakes and ground black pepper.
Switch on the heat and mix well. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes on low heat.
Add water, oregano, salt and sugar. Mix and simmer the bravas sauce on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finish with vinegar and continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn off heat. Remove the bay leaf and transfer the bravas sauce to a bowl.
Heat oil and fry the potatoes in batches until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.
Place the fried potatoes in a serving dish. Spoon the bravas sauce over and drizzle aioli. Serve hot.
Serve patatas bravas immediately for best texture and flavor.

Notes

Cut potatoes into uniform pieces for even cooking. Dry the potatoes well before frying.
Soaking potatoes helps remove starch and improves crispiness.
Adjust spice and tang as per taste.
Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding. Use medium-hot oil so potatoes turn crisp and not soggy.
Adjust salt, sugar and vinegar to balance the flavors in the bravas sauce.
Try to use smoked paprika for the signature smoky flavor.
If using thick tomato puree, add about 2 to 3 tablespoons water and cook longer until the sauce is thick.
* Sherry vinegar can be replaced with red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar in the same amount. Since the bravas sauce recipe already includes sugar, adjust slightly to balance the taste if needed.

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