Patatas Bravas is one of Spain’s most iconic tapas dishes crispy fried potatoes served with a bold, slightly spicy tomato sauce. You’ll find it in almost every Spanish bar, often shared with friends over drinks. The contrast between crunchy potatoes and rich, saucy topping makes it incredibly addictive. Traditionally, the potatoes are fried until golden and crispy, then topped with salsa brava and sometimes a touch of creamy aioli. This version keeps it simple but delivers that authentic street food feel.
😌 Difficulty: Easy
⏱️ Preparation time: 10 min
🔥 Cooking time: 25 min
⏳ Total time: 35 min
👥 Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp olive oil (or oil for frying)
- salt to taste
For brava sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- 200 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt and black pepper to taste
Optional:
- aioli (garlic mayo) for serving
- chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cut potatoes into bite-sized chunks and pat them dry.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry potatoes until golden and crispy (about 15-20 minutes).
- Remove and place on paper towel, season with salt.
- In another pan, heat olive oil.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in smoked paprika and chili flakes.
- Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Plate crispy potatoes.
- Spoon warm brava sauce over the top.
- Optional: drizzle aioli and sprinkle parsley.
SpinThatCuisine Tip 💡
For extra crispiness, boil the potatoes for 5 minutes before frying – this creates that perfect crunchy outside and soft inside.