An easy recipe for patatas bravas. This traditional Spanish tapa consists of crispy cubes of potato with spicy tomato sauce. You will love the simplicity of this dish!
For my last recipe of the year, I thought I would share a savoury recipe I make all the time. Patatas bravas always makes an appearance whenever we’re serving tapas for dinner. This recipe would make a fantastic party food for New Years Eve which is in just a couple of days time.
My family are massive fans of Spanish food and it’s one of my favourite cuisines to both cook and eat. A few of my most loved Spanish dishes have been inspired by past holidays and trips to Spain. The taste testers really love all kinds of Spanish recipes. Anything from paella, to churros to delicious and easy to make tapas just like the one I’m sharing with you today.
If you’ve never made or eaten these, patatas bravas are simply chunks of roasted potato (although traditionally they’re fried) served with a rich and slightly spicy tomato sauce. It’s mandatory (in my opinion) to serve the dish with an aioli dipping sauce which is a basic garlic mayonnaise and the most popular accompaniment to patatas bravas. This recipe has amazing flavour and certainly transforms the humble potato into a delicious and cost effective meal the whole family will enjoy.
You will start by preparing a simple spicy tomato sauce, in Spain it’s known as “salsa brava”. This sauce is based on my marinara sauce, but I’ve swapped the Italian herbs for smoked paprika and pinch of both cayenne and chilli to add some authentic Spanish flavour.
Once the sauce is simmering away, it’s time to prepare the potatoes for roasting. Peel and cut the potatoes into roughly 1-2 cm chunks – you want the potatoes to be irregular shapes as this helps the sauce “cling” onto the potatoes. Toss the chunks of potato in olive oil and then roast until golden and crispy! I prefer this method to frying because it’s better for you and you don’t need any specialist equipment.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Spicy Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (pimentón)
Pinch of ground cayenne or chilli flakes (add more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 x 400g can (14 ounces) chopped tomatoes
Small pinch of sugar
Potatoes:
900g waxy potatoes (such as King Edward, Maris Piper or Yukon Gold)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Method:
- To make the sauce: Heat the oil, gently sauté the onion and garlic on a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft. Now add the paprika, cayenne and chilli and continue to cook for a further minute until fragrant.
- Add the purée along with the chopped tomatoes, the sugar and a splash of water. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the sauce to boil then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- To prepare the potatoes: Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-2 cm cubes. Pat the potato cubes with kitchen paper towel to absorb any moisture. Then toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread out evenly onto 1-2 large baking trays. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until soft and golden and crisp on the outside.
- To serve: Scatter the crispy baked potatoes into a tapas bowl/dish. Spoon over the warm sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
- The tomato sauce can be made in advance. Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to one week.
- You can blend the tomato sauce if you prefer a smoother texture.
- The dish is best served warm, but it’s also delicious cold the next day.
- Recipe is vegetarian, omit the aioli to make it suitable for vegans.
- Adjust the level of spice to your taste, add more or less to your preference.
- This recipe can easily be doubled to cater for more people.
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This looks so delicious! I could easily eat this whole bowl all by myself!!
Thanks Ami!
I can’t say that I’ve ever made patatas bravas, but we love roasted potatoes and that spicy red sauce sounds delicious. Happy New Year’s Eve, Jess!
Thanks David! 🙂 Roasted potatoes are really delicious, but even more so when they’re served with spicy tomato sauce. You’d love patatas bravas, so definitely give this recipe a try! Best wishes for the New Year!
Oh my gosh, these potatoes look SO good, Jess! I can’t get enough of Mexican food these days so these are right up my alley!
Thanks Sarah! 🙂 If you like Mexican food, then you’d definitely enjoy this recipe!
Yum! What a delicious and super flavorful way to enjoy potatoes!
Sues
Thanks Sues! Glad you like it!
This dish looks absolutely delicious! I’d love a bowlful right now!
Thanks Marsha!
Oh potatoes in spicy sauce for the win! I do not cook Spanish food often enough, which is shame, because it’s awesome.I bet that sauce would taste good on so many other things as well.
Thanks Annie! 🙂 I’m hoping to share many more of my Spanish recipes on the blog. It’s one of my favourite cuisines and there are so many delicious dishes!
The tomato sauce is delicious served with bread and my mum even likes to stir it into couscous or pasta.
Hope you get to give the recipe a try soon!
Saffron mayonnaise on top sounds heavenly! I love love LOVE Spanish food, but I have only enjoyed it a couple of times- I’ve had patatas bravas at a tapas place close by, and it was to die for!
Thanks Medha! Spanish food is really good! Saffron aioli is delicious served with the patatas bravas. 🙂
i have never had patatas bravas but i want it!!!
I hope you give the recipe a try, Dixya! You’ll love patatas bravas!
Oh yum, I love Patatas Bravas and these look so good! I’ve never made them at home, but I love that you bake them, frying can be such a hassle. The aioli sounds amazing too!
Thanks Meghan! Baking is definitely always easier than frying! Really happy you like the recipe. 🙂
I love Spanish food, but never tried papatas bravas. Awesome dish, will definitely try it!
Thanks Mira! You’d love patatas bravas! Let me know if you try these!
This post brings me right back to all my trips to Spain – a dinner of tapas was never complete without an order of patatas bravas 🙂 they’re so amazing! I’m definitely going to have to try making them myself.
Thanks Rachel! 🙂 The tapas in Spain is amazing! Hope you enjoy making them!
Tasty!!! All the best for 2016 xx
Thanks Elaine! Best wishes for the New Year to you and your family! x
Potatoes and tomato? That sounds (and looks) heavenly Jess! YUM!
Thanks Jess! Glad you like the recipe!
I love eating tapas in restaurants! I never attempted to make them at home, but this dish sounds easy enough for me to try to make my first homemade tapas 🙂 Looks so good, the potatoes are perfectly browned!
Thanks Melanie! They’re super easy to make and taste really good. Hope you get the chance to give the recipe a try!
I would totally eat this as a meal. Love this, Jess!
Thanks so much, Eva!
Oh my goodness! Doesn’t this look good?! I love, love, love potatoes, and these look fantastic! Just reading the ingredients in that spicy tomato sauce is making my mouth water. Thanks for the tip to cut the potatoes into irregular shaped pieces to help the sauce to stick. I never would have thought of that. Pinning this for sure!
Thanks Sandra! Glad you find the tips helpful and I’m really pleased you like the recipe – it’s a family favourite. Also, thanks so much for the pin. I really appreciate it!
How much cayenne do you need?
Hi Janice – a pinch of cayenne or chilli flakes will do. Hope you enjoy the recipe. 😊
We always have to order this when we go out for tapas! I think the best ones we’ve ever had were in Barcelona but this looks sensations Jess! 😀
Thanks Lorraine! I would love to visit Barcelona and explore and taste the city! 🙂
This savory recipe looks just perfect, Jess! I could totally see myself devour this entire bowl. I hope you have a wonderful new year!
Thanks so much, Gayle! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Jess!!
You too, Patty!
I so have to make these – and now I have an excuse to buy a tapas bowl 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe! I love tapas bowls! 😉
Thank you for sharing this recipe! These patatas bravas look nothing short of amazing! I would love to learn to make more Spanish food…this is a wonderful place to start. (I am going to be thinking about crisp potatoes all day now! : )
Hi Monica! Thank you for your lovely comment. I’m planning to share more of my Spanish recipes on the blog over the next year, so I hope you will be inspired to try some of those future recipes! These patatas bravas are one of favourite foods to make. 🙂
Roasted potatoes are pretty amazing on their own, but with that spicy tomato sauce these look even better! Tried and true favorites are always the best recipes. 🙂 Happy New Year!
Thanks Kristine! Happy New Year! 🙂
Never heard of Patatas Bravas before but they sure look delicious! Happy New Years!!
Thanks Linda! You’d should give this recipe a try! Happy New Year! 🙂
We always order this when we eat tapas – along with croquettes and meatballs. It’s like the tapas holy trinity!!! Your recipe looks so easy – excellent! Happy New Year to you.
Thanks Nancy! Love croquettes! They’re really delicious dipped in aioli. Really pleased you like my patatas bravas recipe, I hope you give it a go! Happy New Year! 🙂
I’m always in search of new ways to prepare potatoes—my hubby and sons could eat them every day! These look wonderful with the spicy tomato sauce. Happy New Year, Jess!!!
Thanks Liz! Happy New Year!
I love how simple and flavorful this looks. I’ve never heard of it but I love potatoes so yeah..I am going to love this.
Thanks Zainab! 🙂
I haven’t had patatas bravas for ages and I love this dish! Thanks for the reminder and we’ll be having these soon.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Maureen! All the best for 2016!
This is my kind of dish–I love both potatoes and tomatoes! 🙂 Happy New Year to you, Jess!
Happy New Year, Nancy! All the best for 2016!
Oooh Jessica! To be honest, your patatas bravas look nicer than any I’ve had in Spain. They look delicious!
Oh, and … Happy New Year!
Thanks so much, Helen! That’s an amazing compliment! 🙂 Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to reading your blog again this year and trying out more of your delicious recipes!
I ate this at a Spanish restaurant last year, and it was so delicious! I need to give this recipe a try!
You should definitely try my recipe! I hope you enjoy it! Happy New Year, Laura! 🙂
I need to try this recipe!! That spicy tomato sauce sounds incredible and I could live off of potatoes. 🙂
Thanks Christin! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I’ve never heard of this before, but I really want to try it. It looks great, and I’m obsessed with potato dishes!
Thanks Amanda! You’d love patatas bravas, it’s a delicious tapa dish! 🙂
Oh wow! Potato is right up my street. This looks so delicious ♥
summerdaisy.net
Thanks Summer Daisy!
Yummmm!!! Patatas bravas are my absolute favourite way to serve potatoes! This recipe looks so delicious Jess!
Thanks Harriet! 🙂
I loved patatas bravas when I visited Granada last year. I am excited to find a recipe! Can I ask whether tomato puree is tomato paste and whether chopped tomatoes is the same as crushed? Thanks!
Hi Kay – tomato paste is the same as tomato puree and also chopped tomatoes and crushed tomatoes are similar so either can be used in this brava sauce recipe. I hope you enjoy the patatas bravas! 🙂
This has become a firm family favourite. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the wonderful review of this recipe, Caroline. I’m so glad it’s become a favourite of yours!