Crispy Patatas Bravas [Spanish Fried Potatoes]

There are times when you come home with a completely empty stomach, but you think you don’t have the time to make a delicious and hearty meal.

Fortunately, the patatas bravas come here to break with this conception. It’s probably one of the easiest recipes to make, and it’s a fantastic way to make a twist on classic fries.

Keep reading this article to learn how to make patatas bravas, get tips for storing and serving, and all the changes you can make to the ingredients to customize this Spanish tapas recipe.

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Background of the Dish

Patatas bravas is probably one of the oldest recipes in Spain, although it was one of the slowest to reach the general public. 

Just in the year 1950, they began to be sold in different bars in Madrid and Andalusia. 

The difference between the Spanish fried potatoes from Madrid and the patatas bravas from Andalusia is that the ones from the south of Spain have tomatoes in their sauce, while the others do not. 

This dish quickly became popular, as there is honestly nothing better than easy fried potatoes, which can be eaten at any time of the day and anywhere.

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Things You’ll Need for Patatas Bravas

To make this wonderful patatas bravas recipe, you only need a few ingredients and almost zero equipment. 

The main ingredients are the patatas, but you can make replacements in the others. And the equipment is just a large saucepan for frying. 

Ingredients

1. To start making these Spanish potatoes,  grab a saucepan and heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Once it gets hot, add the finely chopped garlic cloves and onion. Season with salt and pepper until the onion has softened a bit. About 10 minutes.
2. After that time, add the hot paprika and stir for about 5 seconds. Then add the dash of vinegar and stir for another 20 seconds. 
3. Once this is done, add the fried tomato, mix again and cook for 5 more minutes.
4. Then add the flour, mix everything and let it cook, always over medium heat, for about three minutes, to toast the flour and remove the raw flavor. With all this already cooked, add the broth. If you don’t have any, you can just use water, although the flavor won’t be the same. 
5. Up next, mix all the ingredients again and then blend the sauce. It should be rather liquid but not completely runny. 
6. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large pieces. Fry them in abundant oil for about 10 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy. Once cooked, remove them and place them on absorbent paper. 
7. For the final step add a pinch of salt and after a couple of minutes serve them, and pour a few tablespoons of the brava sauce on top. Now your potatoes are ready.

How to Make Patatas Bravas – Step by Step Guide

1. To start making these Spanish potatoes,  grab a saucepan and heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Once it gets hot, add the finely chopped garlic cloves and onion. Season with salt and pepper until the onion has softened a bit. About 10 minutes.
2. After that time, add the hot paprika and stir for about 5 seconds. Then add the dash of vinegar and stir for another 20 seconds. 
3. Once this is done, add the fried tomato, mix again and cook for 5 more minutes.
4. Then add the flour, mix everything and let it cook, always over medium heat, for about three minutes, to toast the flour and remove the raw flavor. With all this already cooked, add the broth. If you don’t have any, you can just use water, although the flavor won’t be the same. 
5. Up next, mix all the ingredients again and then blend the sauce. It should be rather liquid but not completely runny. 
6. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large pieces. Fry them in abundant oil for about 10 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy. Once cooked, remove them and place them on absorbent paper. 
7. For the final step add a pinch of salt and after a couple of minutes serve them, and pour a few tablespoons of the brava sauce on top. Now your potatoes are ready.

Substitution of Ingredients

Since this is an old recipe, there isn’t just one way of making patatas bravas. 

This means you can check other patatas bravas recipes to see the changes you can make in the ingredients. 

Some of the replacements that you can make are to use water instead of broth for the sauce, though you should add more salt or even a broth bouillon. 

You can use other spices such as cayenne pepper, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, etc. Or even the classic rosemary, parsley, and garlic combination. 

If you liked this recipe, then you should try other Andalusian recipes, such as Bacalao Croquettes, Patatas a lo Pobre, tortilla de patatas, and Spanish mushroom croquettes.

They are the perfect appetizers or side dishes, and they are super simple to make. And the Spanish wrinkled papas arrugadas are a must-try if you love potato dishes.

Tips on Serving Patatas Bravas

The patatas bravas are truly the best fried potatoes because you can enjoy them as a side dish or as the main one. 

You can also eat them for lunch, dinner, or even as an afternoon snack. 

This fried potatoes recipe is meant to be served with the classic patatas bravas sauce, but you can use other sauces if you want. 

For example, these potatoes go really well with aioli, tomato sauce, honey mustard, etc. 

And if you want a truly Spanish culinary experience, we encourage you to serve the flamenquines cordobeses next to patatas bravas.

How to Store Patatas Bravas

Storing these Spanish fries is super easy, but there are some tricks that you need to pay attention to. 

For example, if you want to store them you should just cook the potatoes, but wait to make the patatas bravas sauce recipe.

The best thing to do is to make the sauce the same day that you are going to eat the fried potatoes, or the flavor won’t be as good. 

Besides that, you can either freeze the potatoes and save them for 30 days or store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Recipe Card: Crispy Patatas Bravas

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