Description
Patatas Bravas is a classic Spanish tapa featuring crispy golden potatoes topped with a spicy, smoky bravas sauce and creamy garlic aioli. This recipe includes options for pan-frying, baking, or air-frying the potatoes, making it versatile and easy to prepare for a crowd or a flavorful side dish.
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 6 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 2 ¼ pounds)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil (plus 2 Tablespoons for roasting/air frying)
Bravas Sauce
- 1/4 cup onion (36g), diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Small pinch ground sea salt (or more, to taste)
- ½ teaspoon sweet smoked Spanish paprika (or more, to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ Tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth (120g) or vegetable broth
Aioli Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (57g)
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch salt
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Make Bravas Sauce: Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sea salt, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, and broth. Simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Use an immersion blender to blend sauce until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Make Aioli Sauce: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside.
- Prep Potatoes: Cut each potato in half lengthwise, then into quarters lengthwise. Cut each quarter into six even pieces for uniform size to ensure even cooking.
- Parboil Potatoes: Bring a pot of water to boil, add the cut potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander and let them steam dry for a few minutes. Shake or jiggle the colander gently to roughen the potato edges, which helps create a crispy exterior later. Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
- Cook Potatoes (Choose One Method):
- Pan Fry: Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Toss potatoes with 2 Tablespoons olive oil, spread them out on a large baking sheet so they don’t touch. Roast for about 25 minutes, tossing once during cooking. Then switch oven to broil and broil for 2-5 minutes until potatoes are golden and very crispy.
- Air Fry: Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Toss potatoes with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and place in the air fryer basket. Cook for about 10 minutes or until golden and crispy, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Serve: Arrange the crispy potatoes in a large shallow bowl. Spoon the warm bravas sauce over the top, then dollop with garlic aioli as desired. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately for the best texture.
Notes
- The bravas sauce and aioli can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated to save time on the day of serving.
- Using Yukon Gold potatoes is preferred for their creamy texture and good crisping ability, but russets can also work.
- Adjust the amount of cayenne and smoked paprika depending on your spice preference.
- For a vegetarian option, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth in the bravas sauce.
- Shaking the potatoes in the colander after parboiling creates a rough surface that crisps better during cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Pan Frying
- Cuisine: Spanish
