Patatas Bravas or potatoes with bravas sauce are crispy potatoes topped with a spicy red sauce and a cooling aioli.
These tasty potatoes are perfect served as an appetizer, a side dish, or for breakfast!
Tapas from Spain
My husband and I recently took a trip to Spain to visit one of our boys. We had an amazing trip, saw amazing sights, and ate the most incredible food!
Tapas, or small plates of food, are quite popular in Spain. One of our favorites was Patatas Bravas. We only toured a small part of Spain, but we did notice that each area had a slightly different version of Patatas Bravas.
While we were in Spain, we bought some hot paprika and some sweet smoked paprika. I've been playing around with this recipe for quite a while now. I think I've come close to matching one of the favorites that we had there. Of course, I may have to take another trip back to Spain just to be certain!
Patatas bravas are traditionally fried potatoes. I made them fried a couple of different times, but then I decided to make this recipe and serve it for brunch for a group of people. In order to make things easier, I baked the potatoes until they were golden and crispy and served the sauce on the side.
I love the potatoes fried, but the ease of baking the potatoes has become my go-to method. I'll include both methods so you can make your own choice.
Key ingredients
Ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
Potatoes bravas are made up of three different parts; the potatoes, the red bravas sauce, and the garlic aioli. Don't be deterred though, each part of the recipe is really quite simple.
Potatoes
I use Yukon Gold potatoes. When baking, I use a bit of olive oil and some coarse salt. When frying, I use vegetable oil.
Bravas Sauce
- Paprika - You need two types of smoked paprika; smoked sweet paprika and smoked hot paprika.
- Broth - I use chicken broth, but vegetable broth can also be used
- Flour - Just a tablespoon is used. The flour helps thicken the sauce.
Aioli
- Mayonnaise - This is the base for the sauce. Use your favorite type of mayonnaise.
- Garlic - Finely minced
- Lemon Juice - Use freshly squeezed juice
Step-by-step directions
How to make it
In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
Potatoes
- Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Choose to either bake or fry the potatoes.
- For baking, place the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 415°F oven for 40-45 minutes until baked through. Stir potatoes once during baking.
- For frying, heat a pan with about 4 inches of oil to 300°F. Fry the potatoes for 5 minutes and remove to a baking sheet lined with layers of paper towels. This is the first fry and the potatoes will not be fully cooked. You may need to do this in two batches so the pan is not overcrowded. Allow potatoes to fully cool.
- Increase heat to 370°F, and fry the potatoes a second time until nicely browned and crispy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle cooked potatoes with a bit of coarse salt.
Bravas sauce
While the potatoes are cooking, make the bravas sauce.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat along with flour and both paprikas. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the paprika is very fragrant.
- Add chicken broth and whisk until well combined
- Heat until simmering and the sauce slightly thickens
- Stir in salt and remove from heat
Garlic aioli
- Combine mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice together
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve
Assembling the potato bravas
Serve tapas style in a large serving dish with the bravas sauce and the aioli drizzled over the top. Or serve buffet style with everything in separate containers and allow everyone to layer their own.
Recipe tips
- The aioli can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until needed.
- The sauce can also be made ahead of time. Heat before serving.
- You will probably not need all the sauce or all the aioli. Add just as much as you like.
- Cover and refrigerate any leftover sauce and aioli and use within 5-7 days.
- Assemble as one dish or serve everything separately and let everyone serve themselves.
Two versions of Patatas Bravas; the one on the left is my recipe, and the one on the right is from one of our favorite bars in Barcelona, Spain. Feel free to add the amount of sauce and aioli to your liking.
Frequently asked questions
Some grocery stores carry hot paprika. You can also find it on Amazon.
Serving suggestions
Potatoes Bravas are delicious served as an appetizer, a side dish or even as a breakfast dish.
We love to make over easy eggs and serve them with potatoes and a little extra sauce over the eggs.
More delicious potato dishes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious appetizers!
Patatas Bravas
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 1½ - 2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold)
- 1 tablepoon olive oil
- coarse salt
Bravas Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika (dulce)
- 2 teaspoons smoked hot paprika
- 1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Aioli
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon garlic (finely minced)
- 1½ teaspoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- ½ teaspoon chopped parsley (optional as a garnish)
Instructions
Potatoes
- Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Choose to either bake or fry the potatoes.1½ - 2 pounds potatoes
- To Bake, mix the chopped potatoes with olive oil and then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 415°F oven for 40-45 minutes until baked through. Stir potatoes once during baking.1 tablepoon olive oil
- To Fry, heat a pan with about 4 inches of oil to 300°F. Fry the potatoes for 5 minutes and remove to a baking sheet lined with layers of paper towels. This is the first fry and the potatoes will not be fully cooked. You may need to do this in two batches so the pan is not overcrowded. Allow potatoes to fully cool.Increase heat to 370°F, and fry the potatoes a second time until nicely browned and crispy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle cooked potatoes with a bit of coarse salt.
Bravas Sauce
- While the potatoes are cooking, make the sauce. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat along with flour and both paprikas.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon flour, 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika, 2 teaspoons smoked hot paprika
- Cook for 1-2 minutes until the paprika is very fragrant. Add chicken broth and whisk until well combined1 cup broth
- Heat until simmering and the sauce slightly thickens. Stir in salt and remove from heat½ teaspoon salt
Aioli
- Mix mayo, garlic and lemon juice together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
To Assemble
- Place potatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with bravas sauce and aioli. Top with chopped parsley for garnish (optional).½ teaspoon chopped parsley
Notes
- The aioli can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until needed.
- The sauce can also be made ahead of time. Heat before serving.
- You will probably not need all the sauce or all the aioli. Add just as much as you like.
- Cover and refrigerate any leftover sauce and aioli and use within 5-7 days.
- Assemble as one dish or serve everything separately and let everyone serve themselves.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Hettie says
Love this recipe! Great taste and fun too. Thanks.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! 🙂
Levi says
I know that more money is spun with a glut of adverts but the the layout of this recipe is almost unreadable. The recipe format could also be set out far more clearly: why are quantities written at the end? The need to convert non-metric measurements, rather than them being included for non-U.S. readers, is also very frustrating.
Kathy says
Hi Levi,
Thank you for your email. I create free recipes that require a lot of time and ingredients. I photograph all the images and develop them to provide step by step directions for those who need it. You get to access the recipes at no cost to you. The ads provide me an income so I can continue creating more recipes. You can easily bypass the ads by clicking on the button at the very beginning that says "JUMP to RECIPE" and it will take you directly to the recipe card. The recipe card itself lists the equipment needed and then all the ingredients are listed next. The ingredients and the amounts are listed again in the instructions.
As far as the metric conversions, this is something I am working on and hope to be able to provide that as an option soon. Thanks for the suggestion.
I hope you enjoy my free recipes!
Kathy 🙂