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Patatas bravas

This popular Spanish tapas dish hails from the kitchens of Madrid. Bring it home in a few simple steps and enjoy the authentic flavors.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

600 g Potatoes
Salt
Bay Leaves
Salsa brava The Tapas Sauces

Instructions

Slice the potatoes into cube shapes of the same size.
Bring water to a boil.
Add salt and two bay leaves to the water.
Add the cubes of potato to the water.
Once boiled, remove the potato cubes and let dry for a few minutes.
Then, fry the potato cubes in a pan with oil.
Once fried, remove the potato cubes and place them on a plate.
Add a generous dollop of salsa brava The Tapas Sauces on top.
Sprinkle the final garnish of herbs on top (optional) and serve.

Video

Notes

One of the most popular tapas dishes in Spain can be yours in no time! Bring its highly satisfying flavors to your kitchen with just a few simple ingredients and our easy-to-follow steps. It’s a dish comprised of little fried cubes of potato smothered in a distinct and authentic Spanish sauce known as salsa brava. This is Spanish tapas as its tastiest!

Patatas bravas is a tapas dish found in bars, cafes, and restaurants all over the sun-drenched, Mediterranean country. It is usually prepared in large amounts, served on a large plate, and shared among groups around the table, but it also comes as a small ‘tapa’ on a little saucer dish to accompany a drink.

The occasion you prepare it for is your choice, but there’s no reason why it can’t be either lunch or dinner or on any day from a casual meal to a special gathering. In Spain, patatas bravas areenjoyed on all occasions.

Origin of patatas bravas

To find out when and where patatas bravas come from, we have to go way back, but let’s start with where. It’s common knowledge in Spain that the recipe first existed in Madrid before spreading around the rest of the entire country. The next question is: when?

Patatas bravas may have been around for hundreds of years. After the Spanish conquered the Inca Empire in 1542, they brought potatoes to Europe. This new vegetable found its way into the cuisines and diets of people all over the continent and beyond. In Madrid, this developed into the patatas bravas recipe, meaning fierce potatoes, with ‘fierce’ referring to the spice in the dish that comes from the sauce.

Papas bravas Vs patatas bravas

Sometimes, you may see the dish referred to as ‘papas bravas’. This is no different from the patatas bravas dish, despite the slight difference in the name. Papas is simply another way of saying patatas.

What to serve with patatas bravas

Have them on their own – You can have patatas bravas on their own as an appetizer or snack to eat alone or to share with friends or family. With their tasty salsa brava on top, they can be enjoyed similarly to nachos, in other words, something tasty to snack on during game day or movie night.

Gazpacho – For a cold and refreshing tomato sauce boasting culinary authenticity from Spain, a bowl of gazpacho can be enjoyed on a summer night. It can even be drunk from a glass.

Salmorejo – Similar to gazpacho but thicker and with a slightly different blend of ingredients, some people prefer this cold soup to its more famous counterpart.

Chicken Wings – They will bring some balance to the meal. As we know, potato-based meal components such as fries or patatas bravas are often enjoyed with chicken.

Meatballs – You can add some meat to your meal in Spanish style, by preparing some meatballs to go with your patatas bravas. In Spanish, meatballs are known as ‘albondigas’.

Keyword potato, salsa brava, sauce