Patatas Bravas

Patatas bravas are simple yet super delicious tapas from Spain.

These fried or roasted potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce and garlic aioli are full of flavor and highly addictive. So addictive that we ordered them at every restaurant we dined at while in Barcelona this past week.

So delicious that we didn’t waste any time recreating patatas bravas as soon as we got home.

It’s tapas time!

Typically, patatas bravas are fried. We’ve opted to first steam, then pan-fry with minimal oil…classic patatas bravas, only healthier!

Steaming Versus Boiling

We like steaming potatoes rather than boiling. During boiling, potatoes collide with each other, which releases their starches; the more starch they release, the gummier they become. The potatoes can also break apart in rapidly boiling water.

Potatoes steam undisturbed, so the starch remains in their cells, yielding lighter, fluffier potatoes.

Begin by scrubbing the potatoes under cool water, then peel. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and immediately place in a bowl of cold water to prevent them from turning brown.

The key is to make sure the cubed potatoes are roughly the same size. This way they will all cook at the same rate.

Set a steamer basket in a large pot. Fill with enough water to come at least 1/2-inch below the bottom of the steamer insert; bring to a boil. Place potatoes in basket and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Begin checking the potatoes for doneness after 5 minutes of steaming.

Transfer cooked potatoes to a baking sheet and spread out. Set aside while preparing the spicy tomato sauce and garlic aioli.

Spicy Tomato Sauce

For the spicy tomato sauce, cook diced onions in a little olive oil with a dash of salt for 6 minutes to slowly sweat until the onions become translucent. Stir in minced garlic for 30 seconds.

Add crushed tomatoes, paprika, chili flakes, a little sugar and a little salt. Simmer gently for 20 minutes and finish by processing in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Diced tomatoes should work, but the consistency will not be exactly the same. Crushed tomatoes are more concentrated and make the perfect sauce.

Garlic Aioli

The garlic aioli couldn’t be more simple. In a small bowl, allergy-friendly mayonnaise, grated garlic, and lemon juice are whisked together until smooth.

To finish the potatoes, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the steamed potatoes and cook, turning occasionally, until potatoes are crisp and golden. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and season with a bit more salt to taste.

Just because we love patatas bravas, we made a second batch, but this time roasting the potatoes. The  potatoes were tossed with the same amount of olive oil and seasoned with salt. In the oven preheated to 425-degrees F, they roasted for about 25 minutes.

We found the potatoes that were steamed and then pan-fried were crispier than the roasted potatoes.

Now we’re ready to plate and enjoy these patatas bravas, drizzled with spicy tomato sauce and some garlic aioli, and garnished with fresh flat-leaf parsley if you like.

Again, super simple, fiercely flavored and totally satisfying!