Patatas Bravas
Potatoes, onion, garlic and smoked paprika in a tomato and sherry vinegar sauce, with mayo and parsley on top. Prep 20 minutes, cook 35, serves 4.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 900 g
- 120 ml
- 3 cloves
- 200 ml
- 2 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- 100 g
- 1 tsp
- 10 g
Process
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Put the potato cubes in a large pot, cover with cold water by 3 cm, add the 1 tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8 minutes until a knife just enters the outside but the centre still resists, then drain well and leave in the colander for 5 minutes to steam dry.
While the potatoes drain, make the bravas sauce. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves, and cook for 6 minutes until soft and pale gold, not browned.
Stir the smoked paprika and hot paprika into the onion for 20 seconds until fragrant, then pour in the tomato passata and sherry vinegar. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick enough to coat a spoon. Season with a pinch of salt and keep warm.
For the allioli, whisk the mayonnaise, crushed garlic clove and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust the lemon, then chill until serving.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium-high heat to roughly 170°C. Fry the dried potato cubes in two batches for 5 to 6 minutes each, turning, until pale gold and cooked through. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a tray lined with kitchen paper.
Raise the oil heat to high, about 190°C, and fry the potatoes a second time in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Drain again on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt.
Pile the hot potatoes into a warm serving dish, spoon over the bravas sauce, drizzle with the allioli, and scatter with chopped parsley. Serve immediately while the crust is still crunchy.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is frying once at a single temperature: the first low fry cooks the potato through, the second hot fry builds the crust. Skipping the first fry gives raw centres, skipping the second gives soggy cubes.
- Dry the boiled potatoes thoroughly and let them steam in the colander before frying; surface water makes the oil spit and stops the crust from forming.
- Fry in batches so the oil temperature does not drop, and let the oil come back up to heat between batches. Crowding the pan steams the potatoes instead of crisping them.
- Add the paprika off the direct heat or for only 20 seconds; it burns easily and turns the sauce bitter.
- The sauce and allioli can both be made up to 3 days ahead, which leaves only the frying for serving time.
Substitutions
- sherry vinegar→red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- tomato passata→blended canned chopped tomatoes
- mayonnaise→thick Greek yogurt for a lighter allioli
- smoked paprika→sweet paprika plus a pinch of smoked salt
Storage & reheating
Keep the bravas sauce and the allioli in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The fried potatoes are best eaten straight away; if you must hold them, spread them on a tray, refrigerate for up to 1 day, then reheat on a tray at 220°C for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp again. Reheat the sauce in a small pan over low heat or in 30-second bursts in the microwave, and never microwave the potatoes or they turn rubbery.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why are my patatas bravas soggy instead of crispy?
Almost always because the potatoes went into the oil wet or the oil was not hot enough. Drain the boiled cubes and let them steam dry for 5 minutes, then fry in small batches at about 170°C first and 190°C second. If the oil drops below 160°C, the potatoes absorb fat and never crisp.
Can I make patatas bravas ahead of time?
Yes, in parts. The bravas sauce and the allioli keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, and you can boil and dry the potatoes a day ahead and refrigerate them. Fry them just before serving, because they lose their crunch within 20 minutes.
Can I bake the potatoes instead of frying them?
You can, though the result is less crisp. Toss the boiled, dried cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil, spread them on a tray in a single layer, and roast at 220°C for 25 minutes, turning once. For a closer texture, raise the heat to 240°C for the last 8 minutes.
What is the difference between bravas sauce and allioli?
Bravas sauce is the cooked tomato and smoked paprika sauce, slightly tangy from vinegar and mildly spicy. Allioli is the cold garlic mayonnaise served alongside or drizzled over the top. Authentic tapas bars serve both, and the combination of hot, smoky and creamy is the point of the dish.
How spicy should patatas bravas be?
It should be warm and smoky rather than fiery. The 0.5 tsp hot paprika gives a gentle background heat; add another 0.5 tsp if you want more, or use only sweet smoked paprika for a mild version. Taste the sauce before serving and adjust.
Which potatoes are best for patatas bravas?
Waxy or all-purpose potatoes hold their shape through boiling and frying, so they stay fluffy inside with crisp edges. Floury baking potatoes break apart in the water and turn greasy. If you only have floury potatoes, cut them larger and boil them 2 minutes less.
Can I use canned tomatoes for the bravas sauce?
Yes. Blend a 400 g can of chopped tomatoes until smooth and use 200 ml of it in place of the passata. Simmer it a few minutes longer, since canned tomatoes carry more water, until the sauce coats a spoon without running.
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