Patatas Bravas is a traditional Spanish side dish or "tapas" that consists of crispy roasted potatoes topped with a smokey tomato sauce. Baked instead of fried, this is so simple to make, but totally delicious too. It's also really cheap to make.
We love Spanish food for its simplicity, but intense flavours. And that is exactly what you get from this potato dish. Roasted cubes of potato in an incredible smoky, and slightly spicy tomato sauce that it made from ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard.
Jump to:
What is Patatas Bravas?
Patatas bravas, sometimes known as patatas a la brava or papas bravas, is a traditional Spanish dish, usually served as a tapa in bars. It typically consists of potatoes that have been cut into cubes of about two centimetres, then fried in oil or baked and then served warm with a tomato based sauce.
Why should you try it?
- A must at any tapas dinner party
- A really tasty side dish
- Easy to adapt sauce
- A new way to cook potatoes
Ingredients needed
- Potatoes - Floury potatoes like Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree work best for this recipe, but you can use any potatoes.
- Oil - Try to use a really good quality olive oil.
- Onion - We used a brown onion, however you could swap it for shallots to give it a sweeter flavour.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is always best, however you could use chopped garlic in a jar to save some time.
- Chopped tomatoes - We used a can of chopped tomatoes and the key to this recipe being the best it possibly can, is using the best quality tomatoes you can. You really will taste the difference, as cheap tinned tomatoes tend to be really watery and that gives a watery sauce.
- Tomato puree (paste) - This helps to thicken up the sauce and give it a more intense tomato flavour.
- Chilli powder - This gives the potatoes a kick of spice. You can leave it out if you would prefer.
- Paprika - This gives the potatoes the smokiness that they are known for.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make patatas bravas - Step by step
One: Put the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 7 minutes and drain.
Two: Add the drained potatoes to a large baking tray with the olive oil, paprika and some salt and pepper and mix well. Roast in the oven at 190°C/350°F/Gas 5 for 35-40 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and crispy.
Three: Heat a little oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic and gently cook for 4 minutes.
Four: Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
Five: Put the potatoes into a bowl.
Six: Top with the tomato mixture and garnish with parsley.
Baked or fried potatoes?
You could save yourself some time and fry these potatoes in a pan. However, whenever we can make the swap for baked instead of fried, we do. You will find in Spain that they usually fry the potatoes, however you can still get them just as crispy in the oven, and use less oil.
Brava sauce
Whilst the crispy potatoes are the base of this dish, it really is all about the sauce. It's amazing, but that doesn't mean it is complicated.
Patatas Bravas sauce is actually really simple and made of store cupboard staples. Sautéed onions and garlic is mixed with a can of tomatoes, some tomato puree and then a generous amount of smoked paprika - that's the "secret" ingredient that gives it all the flavour.
You can make the sauce a little bit richer by adding a glug of red wine.
What to serve these with
Patatas Bravas are a must at a tapas themed meal, so we always serve them with our Spanish Rice, Tortilla, Gambas Pil Pil or Chicken Skewers. They also go well with a simple grilled chicken or salmon dish.
Whilst many tapas bars will give you the option of topping this with some chorizo, fried fish or chicken, we kept it simple and just let the tomato sauce be the star of the show. But, for those meat eaters out there I would say a little bit of chorizo goes a long way in this.
You can also finish it off with a drizzle of alioli.
FAQs
You want to use a floury potato for this recipe, as they crisp up nicely in the oven. Something like a Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree.
You can store the sauce and potatoes separately or together in air tight containers. They will keep in the fridge for up to three days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, defrost fully in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
More potato recipes
If you’ve tried this patatas bravas recipe, or any other recipe on the blog, then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - we love sharing photos when people make our recipes. You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Patatas Bravas
Ingredients
- 500 g potatoes cut in to chunks
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 400 g chopped tomatoes canned
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 0.5 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
- parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 7 minutes and drain.
- Add the drained potatoes to a large baking tray with the olive oil, paprika and some salt and pepper and mix well. Roast in the oven at 190°C/350°F/Gas 5 for 35-40 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and crispy.
- Heat a little oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic and gently cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Put the potatoes in a bowl.
- Top with the tomato mixture and garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Add a little chopped chorizo to the sauce for some extra smokiness
- Use a floury potato so the edges get nice and crispy.
- You don't have to par-boil them, just add extra cook time for them in the oven.
- You can add a glug of red wine to give a richer, more indulgent sauce.
- Finish this dish off with a drizzle of alioli.
- You could fry the potatoes to make this recipe quicker.
Nadia
Looks delicious! I must say after a week of eating only raw food roasted potatoes sounds like heaven! I could easily inhale the whole plate :D I've not eaten many Spanish dishes,. In fact, I think I've only been to a Spanish restaurant twice and can't even remember what I had!
Dannii
It can't have been that memorable then ;) Definitely give this a try if you like paprika!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
I never met a potato I didn't like, so this dish is right up my alley! I wouldn't want to be rude, so I believe I will have some red with this! :)
Dannii
Yes, just to be polite!
Manali @ CookWithManali
yay for potatoes! love this lightened up version Dannii!
Dannii
I have some great new potato recipes coming soon!
Emma White
oh wow this looks and sounds amazing going to have to give it a try myself
Dannii
I hope you enjoy it :)
Giovanna
These look delicious! Cant wait to try
xoxo
http://confusedgirlinthecity.com/blog/
Dannii
Why thank you!
Brittany
Potatoes are my life force. They are just so versatile, this looks fantastic!
Dannii
There really is so much that you can do with them and I am hoping to show that over the coming months.
Alida @mylittleitaliankitchen
Your potatoes look fab!! I have always loved patatas bravas, a truly delicious Mediterranean style dish. Have a nice Easter weekend.
Dannii
I hope you had a great Easter too!
Cailee
Oh my word this looks amazing!! I LOVE potatoes! I eat at least one everyday! Usually I go for sweet potatoes, but they're all delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
xoxo Cailee!
Dannii
Yay for more potato love!
[email protected]
Dannii I love eating potatoes in all forms and I have special love for those crispy crunchy potatoes! Now this is my kind of meal :)
Dannii
They just HAVE to be crispy, don't they!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
I love Spanish food! I'll take crispy potatoes and a spicy and smokey sauce on top any day!!! this looks so good!!!
Dannii
It's the perfect combo I think!
Catstello
I think I've had this before but I never knew this was the name for it!
Dannii
Well, know you do :)
Harriet Emily
Patatas bravas is one of my favourite dishes! I just love the combination of potatoes and tomatoes, its the best! These look so delicious Dannii!!
Dannii
It's one of my favourite flavour combos, especially when the sauce is really smokey from the paprika.
Mary
Oh Yes! I love patatas bravas, if they are on a menu I'm ordering them. I've never made them at home because I don't want to fry potatoes, but this recipe takes care of that for me. Looks delicious, and I like that you skipped the aioli, no need for unneeded and unwanted calories. :)
Dannii
Well, I wouldn't say that the aioli is unwanted ;)
Ali
I absolutely love patatas bravas - I'll have to try making it at home now I know how!
Dannii
I hope you enjoy it!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
Gahhh! I loooooove patatas bravas, Dannii!! Like, totally addicted! There was this amazing Tapas place back in FL that I used to love and I would always order their patatas bravas. Yours look just as delicious as theirs, girlfriend! I want to reach through my screen and steal ALL your taters! Must. Make. ASAP! ;) Cheers, girlfriend!
Dannii
Noooo, don't steal my taters! Just make your own ;)
Rach @ This Italian Family
Oh yum! I've never tried these before, but they look so delicious!
Dannii
Definitely give it a try - it has such a lovely smoky flavour.
Mir
Patatas bravas are my ALL TIME FAVORITE tapas dish! So you can bet I'm on board for these!!
Dannii
Welcome aboard the crispy potato topped with spicy tomato sauce train! Woop Woop!
Psychic Nest
I am so willing to try this recipe because I love potatoes and Spanish recipes! Keep it up with the great work!
Zaria
Dannii
It sounds like the perfect dish for you then!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After
The first time I had patatas bravas was in Barcelona too! I adore fried potatoes and anything spicy so they quickly became my favorite kind of tapas. Love that you have lightened them up here & now I can eat them with no guilt (and garlic shrimp). Yay ;)
Dannii
I miss Barcelona so much. I can't wait to go back soon.
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog
This is making me crave Spanish food again! A new restaurant just opened up that serves Spanish food, and patatas bravas are one of my favorite things, but I don't want to be going out all the time, so this recipe is perrrrrect! YUM!
Dannii
You could just move in there and eat their food all the time :D