Patatas Bravas Recipe (2024)

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These patatas bravas are crispy even though they are baked not fried! Topped with a delicious smoky salsa brava and garlic aioli, they are totally addictive!
Patatas Bravas Recipe (1)

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Happy Friday! If you read this blog, you know that around here Friday = drinks and appetizers, and in Spain we call that TAPAS. I already promised you more tapas recipes last week when I shared my ham croquettes. As I told you then, starting to think about making ONE Spanish recipe merged into several. I just couldn’t stop myself, I wanted, NO, I NEEDED to make all the Spanish food. Actually as soon as I finish writing this I am off to the kitchen to work on another Spanish recipe that I can’t wait to share with you.

Patatas Bravas Recipe (2)
As I mentioned before, I spent a summer in Spain on a study abroad trip. To be honest, I don’t remember ever eating patatas bravas there, not even once. How is this possible? Well, two things. It was a few (…ahem, we don’t need to talk about exactly how many) years ago, so there is a chance I forgot. Also the food in Spain is very regional, so a dish that is very popular in one area might not be in another. Either way, I don’t remember ever trying patatas bravas until they became popular in the United States in the last few years. There are several hot Portland restaurants that serve versions of patatas bravas and they are always delicious.

Patatas Bravas are crispy, golden potatoes topped with a bold, spicy red sauce and a creamy garlic aioli.

Patatas Bravas Recipe (3)

Patatas Bravas in the Oven

When I decided to make them at home, I wanted to do it without frying them. Of course, you could fry them, but I try to avoid it when possible (except with the croquettes, there is just no way around that one). I used a trick to make these potatoes really crispy even though they are baked – are you ready for it? Baking soda! It does amazing things. First you give the potatoes a quick par boil in water with baking soda, then you bake them. The baking soda breaks down the cells of the potato which creates a ton of surface area, so they almost make their own coating that gets super crispy in the oven. Thank you America’s Test Kitchen for that little gem.

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What is Brava Sauce?

The Brava Sauce (salsa brava) is a spicy tomato sauce so easy to make, very similar to my easy 20 minute marinara, except that is has a star ingredient – smoked spanish paprika! Oh you guys, I am IN LOVE with smoked paprika right now, I want to put it in everything. I even used it in a co*cktail recently (bear with me, that one is coming soon probably). That plus some heat from cayenne pepperand hot sauce make this a salsa BRAVA.

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Of course the last, and crucial component is the garlic aioli. Some recipes actually just call for mayonnaise, but I really like the extra punch of flavor from the garlic. I tried and tried to make a homemade aioli that I was happy with, and although I made some that were OK, I wasn’t totally happy with them. I’m still working on the perfect aioli, so I ended up just taking a slight shortcut and mixing some garlic and lemon juice into some good quality mayonnaise. It was really the best solution, it tasted great and was really simple to make.

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Put it all together and you have crispy potatoes, bold salsa brava and creamy garlic aioli all together in a bowl that will disappear before your eyes. Serve this with a few other small plates and some wine and you have yourself a tapas party. Or just make the patatas bravas and throw an egg on top, and you have breakfast. You can’t go wrong, really.

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More recipes for your tapas party…

Patatas Bravas Recipe (11)

Patatas Bravas

By Meghan McMorrow | Fox and Briar

5 from 22 votes

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 45 minutes mins

Total 1 hour hr

Servings 4 Servings

Patatas Bravas Recipe (12)

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These patatas bravas are crispy even though they are baked not fried! Topped with a delicious smoky salsa brava and garlic aioli, they are totally addictive!

Ingredients

For The Potatoes:

  • 2 and 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes cut into a 3/4 inch dice
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • chopped parsley for garnish, optional

For The Salsa Brava:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 sweet or yellow onion diced
  • 2 teaspoons spanish smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
  • 2 to 3 dashes hot sauce to taste
  • salt

For The Garlic Aioli:

  • 1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove grated or pressed
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

For The Potatoes:

  • Place a large baking sheet in cold oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.*

  • Add baking soda and salt to a pot of water and bring to a boil. When boiling, add potatoes, cover, and bring back to boil. As soon as water is boiling, set a timer for 1 minute. After potatoes have been boiling for one minute, drain in a colander.

  • Return potatoes to pot and stir for 30 seconds, then add 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper, stir to make sure potatoes are fully coated.

  • Carefully remove hot baking sheet from oven and pour potatoes onto the hot baking sheet, arranging them in a single layer.

  • Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes.

  • Remove sheet from oven and use a spatula to flip the potatoes, then return to the oven for another 15-25 minutes, or until potatoes are golden and crispy.

For The Salsa Brava:

  • Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.

  • Add onion and sauté until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add tomatoes, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper and hot sauce, stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

  • Reduce heat and allow to simmer on low for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

  • If you want, you can leave the sauce chunky, or if you would like it smooth as I did, transfer to a food processor to puree. Allow sauce to cool a bit before pulsing in food processor.

For The Garlic Aioli:

  • Add mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic to a bowl and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper if desired.

To Serve:

  • You can keep the sauces on the side or drizzle salsa brava and garlic aioli over potatoes and serve with more of each sauce on the side for dipping. Top with fresh chopped parsley for garnish if desired.

Video

Notes

*cooking times may vary depending on your oven and equipment. If you use a darker baking sheet, the cooking time will be shorter. Use your best judgment and keep an eye on them to avoid burning.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 99.2g | Protein: 13.6g | Fat: 26.2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizers, Beverages, Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free, Sides, Snacks

Cuisine: Spanish

Did you like this recipe?Please comment, rate and share! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @foxandbriar AND #foxandbriar so I can see what you made!

Patatas Bravas Recipe (13)

All Recipes Appetizers Breakfast Breakfast/Brunch Easy Recipes Food Game Day Gluten Free Sides Snacks Summer Tapas Vegetarian

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Hello! I’m Meghan.

I am so glad that you are here! I am the recipe developer, photographer, and writer here at my blog Fox and Briar. I am a passionate, self-taught home cook and believe that most things are better homemade and that good food doesn’t need to be complicated.

More About Me

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Patatas Bravas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the sauce on patatas bravas made of? ›

Bravas sauce (salsa brava) is easy to make with a few simple pantry ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, smoked paprika, and tomato paste! Perfect for drizzling atop hot fried potatoes to make delicious patatas bravas.

How to use bravas mix? ›

Our favourite way is to make a quick tomato sauce with the blend – simply heat through a carton of passata seasoned with four or five teaspoons of Patatas Bravas blend, then drizzle the sauce over your fried potatoes. A 'dry' version can be made simply by tossing the fried potatoes in the spice blend.

What does "bravas" mean in Spanish? ›

Bravo/brava is an adjective with various meanings in Spanish. We use it when we want to say someone is brave or courageous. In some Spanish-speaking countries, however, bravo/brava is also used as a synonym for angry, mad or upset. This adjective can also help us describe the world around us by meaning rough or fierce.

What is a fact about patatas bravas? ›

Patatas bravas, or spicy potato as it is translated, originates from Madrid and is a traditional Spanish cuisine typcially served to share. Patatas means “potato” in Spanish, and bravas is the sauce and lends to the term “spicy”. They make for a perfect start to a delicious meal with friends or loved ones.

What does patatas bravas contain? ›

Patatas bravas is the most popular Spanish tapa, made of crispy fried potatoes that are tossed with salsa brava or bravas sauce. It's really the sauce that gives these potatoes the delicious slightly spicy and smoky flavor and distinguishes them from any other fried potatoes you'll try.

What does patatas bravas mean in English? ›

Patatas bravas (Spanish: [paˈtatas ˈβɾaβas], also called patatas a la brava or papas bravas, all meaning "spicy potatoes") is a dish native to Spain.

What to eat with patatas bravas? ›

Serving idea: Enjoy patatas bravas as a side dish served with grilled fish or chicken and a green salad.

Does bravas sauce contain tomato? ›

In the authentic brava sauce there is no tomato, no garlic and certainly no aioli. In Madrid this is how they do patatas bravas. The secret to making brava sauce is to use sweet smoked paprika and hot smoked paprika. This is what gives the sauce it´s color plus it´s flavor.

Where is patatas bravas popular? ›

The FAMOUS Patatas Bravas from Barcelona Spain | CLASSIC Tapas Recipe. If you have ever visited the beautiful city of Barcelona, you've surely had the famous patatas bravas (brave potatoes) from Barcelona. With their spicy paprika-based sauce and garlic mayo aioli, make them one of the best in the country.

What does Pepe mean in Spain? ›

Pepe is a boy's name of Spanish origin. This name translates to “Jehovah increases” and is a diminutive of the name José or Joseph. The alternative take on this classic name is an easy way to personalize it without diverting from its original meaning.

Who invented patatas bravas? ›

The origin of the dish comes from two Madrid establishments that currently no longer exist: La Casa Perico and La Casona. Much is said about which of the two places was really the creator of white potatoes, but about 1960 the tails to try this dish were mythical.

Do you say Brava to a woman? ›

You will say “Bravo” (Brah-voh) for a single male performer. You will say “Brava” (Brah-vah) for a single female performer. You will say “Bravi” (Brah-vee) to a group of all male performers or a mix of male and female performers. You will say “Brave” (Brah-vay) to a group of all female performers.

What country says patatas? ›

So, as you may know, potatoes are called “patatas” in Spain and a few other places (and “papas” nearly everywhere else).

What time of day do people eat patatas bravas? ›

Smoked paprika, garlic, and tomatoes give potatoes a flavor boost, while bacon and eggs transform this tapa into an awesome breakfast. Traditionally tapas are eaten during the hunger-witching hour between a pre-siesta lunch and an 11 PM Spanish dinner, but this meal is sure to satisfy any time of day.

Why are patatas bravas so popular in Spain? ›

"The potatoes probably come from Aragon or Galicia, the allioli from Catalonia and the spicy salsa from the Basque country. Bravas mix the many different cultures of Spain on one plate." And as the local saying goes: "They're so cheap, even the king can afford them." Write to us at wsje.weekend@wsj.com.

What is Spanish sauce made of? ›

However, the famous Spanish sauce is made entirely from scratch and the aroma and taste are simply irresistible. The combination of roasted peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic, with toasted almonds and smoked Spanish paprika, results in a sauce that you'll demand an IV for.

What is the brown sauce in Spain? ›

Translated as the 'Spanish' sauce, Espagnole is a rich-bodied brown sauce. The sauce is the base of many other sauces, but perhaps most popularly, the demi-glace. Demi-glace is a time-consuming super-concentrated sauce popular in restaurant dishes.

Does bravas sauce contain tomatoes? ›

In the authentic brava sauce there is no tomato, no garlic and certainly no aioli. In Madrid this is how they do patatas bravas. The secret to making brava sauce is to use sweet smoked paprika and hot smoked paprika. This is what gives the sauce it´s color plus it´s flavor.

What sauce represents Spain? ›

Romesco. Perhaps one of the most famous sauce in Spain, Romesco is a specialty in Catalonia, in the country's northeast. The base of the sauce is tomatoes, red peppers and garlic, often roasted in wood-fired ovens.

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