Spanish Classics: Patatas Bravas (Spanish Fried Potatoes)

In Spain, a wide variety of potatoes are used in food, and people usually eat them with a range of sauces. One of the most popular ones is patatas bravas, which are potato wedges fried with a spicy tomato sauce.

The first Spanish dish we learn to make in the classroom is patatas bravas. It is a dish made of green garlic, potatoes, and olive oil. It is usually served with a tomato sauce, and is usually eaten as an appetizer. It is also the Spanish name for fried potatoes.

Patatas Bravas (Spanish Fried Potatoes) |  What is Patatas Bravas? Primarily a dish of fried potatoes. In some areas the dish is called Spanish Fried Potatoes. The dish has become popular as an appetizer in Spain and is also eaten as a main dish. Basically, the dish is made with potatoes that have been fried in a pan. The potatoes are sometimes coated with flour. The dish is then served with olive oil.

 

To Awaken The Taste Buds, Nothing Like A Little Spicy Patatas Bravas!

Looking for a spicy, fun-to-share dish? You should try patatas bravas, or Spanish Fried Potatoes.

This Patatas bravas dish is often served as a tapas plate and is made with nicely cooked potatoes with a smoky, spicy bravas sauce (Spanish sharing plates).

Patatas bravas is the ideal mix of starchy texture, creamy taste, and spiciness! Toss some sauce over the potatoes, but don’t forget to set up a bravas sauce dipping dish.

Patatas bravas are ready to be shared!

Patatas bravas, sometimes known as “papas bravas,” may be served with a creamy aioli dipping sauce instead of or in addition to the traditional bravas sauce.

This traditional Spanish dish is enjoyed across the country, although it originated in Madrid. Lisa spent time in Spain and is familiar with Spanish food, particularly tapas, which she enjoys sharing with friends.

Substitutions and Recipe Suggestions

Before you begin preparing this Patatas bravas dish and Patatas bravas sauce, there are a few things you should know or keep in mind:

• For this dish, we prefer to use an all-purpose potato like white or Yukon gold potatoes. When boiled and fried, they retain their form well.
• Use a high-quality olive oil for this dish; it will make a big difference in the taste.
• Our bravas sauce isn’t prepared with tomatoes since that’s how it’s usually done. When you’re done cooking the onion, you may definitely add some chopped tomatoes.
• Use sweet smoked paprika instead of regular sweet paprika since it tastes so much better.
• You may use red pepper flakes instead of hot paprika since hot paprika isn’t usually readily accessible at the grocery store (at least where we live).
• You may spice it up a little more or a little less than we do. Two teaspoons will give it a good taste boost without making it unpalatable. If you prefer a lot of spice, go ahead and add more; if you don’t, go ahead and add a little bit.
• If you wish to tone down the heat, serve the patatas bravas with aioli (garlic mayo) instead of or in addition to the bravas sauce.

Patatas bravas should always be served with a bit additional bravas sauce!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Patatas Bravas

Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this article for precise measurements on how to prepare these papas bravas.

This section contains pictures of the recipe process for people who wish to see a visual representation of the stages.

If you have any queries, you may follow along with how we created our Patatas Bravas and compare your results!

Bring the potatoes to a boil.

To begin, boil the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water with their skins on until nearly cooked but not quite done.

You should be able to puncture them with a fork, but it should not easily slip through.

Allow time for the potatoes to cool.

Remove the potatoes from the saucepan and place them on a cooling rack.

Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces.

Prepare the bravas sauce in the meanwhile. Peel and finely slice the onion first. Also, peel the garlic clove and slice it or use a garlic press to press it.

In a pan, heat the oil.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, heated in a medium frying pan

Onions should be sautéed.

When the oil is heated, add the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium-high heat, or until transparent.

Garlic should be included now.

Sauté for a few minutes longer after adding the smashed garlic. Make sure the garlic does not burn otherwise it will turn bitter.

Toss in the paprika.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the smoked paprika and hot paprika (or red pepper flakes) with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Depending on your spice tolerance, you may vary the quantity of hot paprika used. It has a kick from two teaspoons, but it’s not overpowering.

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Toss in the flour.

Add the flour once the paprika has been well mixed in, making sure there are no flour lumps.

Pour in the broth.

Allow about a minute of resting time in the hot pan (to allow the flour to lose its “flour taste”).

Then, while continuously swirling with the wooden spoon, gradually add the broth. Continue to whisk until the sauce has a smooth consistency.

Allow for the sauce to thicken.

Increase the heat to a low-medium setting and bring the sauce to a simmer. Season with season with season with salt to taste.

Allow the sauce to boil for 4-5 minutes, or until it has thickened to your liking. Stir often.

Remove the pan from the heat after the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

To make the bravas sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a blender.

The sauce should then be smoothed out in a blender.

Potatoes should be peeled and sliced.

Returning to the potatoes. They should be peeled first, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

In a frying pan, heat the oil.

In a large frying pan, heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.

Toss in a few of the potato chunks.

Add about half of the potato cubes when the oil is heated enough (test by dipping a wooden spoon into the oil – if tiny bubbles form around it, the oil is hot enough).

You may be able to add more or less depending on the size of your pan; just don’t overcrowd it.

Fry the potatoes in a skillet until they are golden brown.

On medium heat, fry the potato cubes until completely cooked and gently golden brown on the exterior.

Flip the potato cubes on a regular basis. Keep the temperature low since you don’t want the outsides to burn while the insides are still cooking.

Place the fried potatoes on a paper towel-lined platter.

When the potatoes are done, use a straining spoon to take them from the pan and put them on a dish lined with paper towels to absorb any leftover oil.

Then repeat with the second batch of potatoes.

Patatas bravas with a touch of minced parsley and plenty of sauce!

Season with salt and pepper, then serve the patatas bravas in a bowl with part of the bravas sauce and chopped parsley.

You may serve aioli (garlic mayo) in addition to – or even instead of – the bravas sauce if you wish to tone down the heat of the sauce.

Storage Suggestions

The potatoes and sauce may be eaten cold, but the patatas bravas are best served warm.

Place leftover potatoes in a sealed container and keep in the refrigerator. They will lose their crispiness with time, but they will still be edible the following day.

Keep the remaining bravas sauce in the fridge in a sealed container. When you’re ready to serve it, give it a good stir. Because the sauce contains neither meat or dairy, it may simply be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

FAQ

What exactly are patatas bravas?

Patatas bravas are fried potatoes served with a fiery, smokey red sauce and/or a creamy aioli sauce as tapas in Spain. Patatas means “potato” in Spanish, while bravas is the sauce’s name. “Patatas bravas” is a Spanish word that roughly translates to “spicy potatoes.”

What are the ingredients in Patatas Bravas?

Patatas bravas are fried potatoes that have been cooked and then fried in oil. Onion, garlic, and a variety of spices are used to make the bravas sauce.

What should you serve with patatas bravas?

Patatas bravas are accompanied by other tapas dishes. Meat meals and grilled veggies are two popular options.

How do you prepare patatas bravas and the sauce that goes with them?

To prepare patatas bravas, boil potatoes, chop them up, and fry them in oil until they are golden brown. To create the bravas sauce, sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, then add the spices, thicken, and mix until smooth. The full Patatas Bravas recipe may be found at the bottom of this page.

Recipes that are similar

If you like these Spanish recipes, here are a few more that may pique your interest:

Ingredients

The Sweet Potatoes

• 2 pound potatoes (all-purpose) (e.g. Yukon gold or white potatoes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt to taste
• garnish with chopped parsley (optional)

The Patatas Bravas Sauce

• 1 yellow onion, medium-sized
• 1 garlic clove, big
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons smoked paprika from Spain
• 2 tablespoons paprika (spicy) or red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
• 2 tblsp flour (all-purpose)
• 1 1/2 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a saucepan of boiling water, cook the potatoes with their skins on until nearly cooked but not quite done. You should be able to puncture them with a fork, but it should not easily slip through.
2. Remove the potatoes from the saucepan and place them on a cooling rack.
3. Prepare the bravas sauce in the meanwhile. Peel and finely slice the onion first. Also, peel the garlic clove and slice it or use a garlic press to press it.
4. 1/4 cup olive oil, heated in a medium frying pan When the pan is heated, add the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium-high heat, or until transparent. Sauté for a few minutes longer after adding the smashed garlic. Make sure the garlic does not burn otherwise it will turn bitter.
5. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the smoked and hot paprika with a wooden spoon until well combined. Depending on your spice tolerance, you may vary the quantity of hot paprika used. It has a kick from two teaspoons, but it’s not overpowering.
6. Add the flour once the paprika has been well mixed in, making sure there are no flour lumps.
7. Allow everything to rest for a minute in the hot pan (so the flour loses its “flour flavor”), then slowly pour in the broth while continuously swirling with the wooden spoon. Continue to whisk until the sauce has reached a well-combined consistency.
8. Increase the heat to a low-medium setting and bring the sauce to a simmer. Season with salt to taste. Allow the sauce to boil for 4-5 minutes, or until it has thickened to your liking. Stir often.
9. Remove the pan from the heat after the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency and set aside to cool for a few minutes. The sauce should then be smoothed out in a blender.
10. Returning to the potatoes, peel and chop the cooled potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
11. In a large frying pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil. When the oil is heated enough (test by dropping a wooden spoon into it and seeing whether there are tiny bubbles developing around it), add about half of the potato cubes. You may be able to add more or less depending on the size of your pan; just don’t overcrowd it.
12. On medium heat, fry the potato cubes until completely cooked and gently golden brown on the exterior. Flip the potato cubes on a regular basis. Keep the temperature low since you don’t want the outsides to burn while the insides are still cooking.
13. When the potatoes are done, use a straining spoon to take them from the pan and put them on a dish lined with paper towels to absorb any leftover oil. Then repeat with the second batch of potatoes.
14. Season with salt and pepper, then serve the patatas bravas in a bowl with part of the bravas sauce and chopped parsley. If you wish to tone down the heat of the sauce, use aioli (garlic mayonnaise) alongside or instead of the bravas sauce.

Notes

• It’s much simpler to boil the potatoes first and then just fried them for a few minutes. While it is theoretically feasible to fry raw potatoes, we do not suggest it. It would take an eternity, and the exterior would most certainly get too brown while the interior was still raw. As a result, simply boil them first!
• If you don’t like spice, use extra sweet smoked paprika and a little amount of hot paprika instead.
• Leftover bravas sauce may be kept in the fridge in a sealed container for a few days if used quickly.

Information about nutrition:

Serving Size: 4 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size 522 calories 29g total fat 4g Saturated Fat 0g trans fat 24g of unsaturated fat 1 milligram of cholesterol 569mg sodium 62g carbohydrate 10 g fiber 6 g sugar 9 g protein

An online nutrition calculator was used to determine this nutritional information. It should only be used as a guideline and not as a substitute for expert dietary guidance. Depending on the particular components used, the exact values may vary.

How did this recipe turn out for you?

You may save it to one of your Pinterest boards and come back to it at any time!

Fried potatoes are a staple for many Spaniards and Catalonians. I was recently in Barcelona and had the opportunity to try patatas bravas, which is a Catalan dish made from potatoes. It is a popular tapa of the Spanish cuisine of the area, usually served as a bar snack. My friend and I enjoyed it as an appetizer and it was a great dish.. Read more about patatas bravas barcelona recipe and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called patatas bravas?

The word patatas bravas means brave potatoes in Spanish.

What are patatas bravas made of?

Patatas bravas are a Spanish dish made of fried potatoes, olive oil, garlic, and tomato sauce.

Who invented patatas bravas?

Patatas bravas are a traditional Spanish dish. The exact origins of the dish are unknown, but it is thought that they were created by accident when potatoes were fried in olive oil and seasoned with paprika.