I first had patatas bravas in Madrid many years ago, and now I love making them for house guests for breakfast or brunch. My patatas bravas recipe also makes a lovely dinner, or honestly, it’s good any time of day! Irresistibly crispy fried potatoes tossed in delicious homemade bravas sauce, this recipe is always a hit.
If you don’t want to deep fry these, I’ve included directions for air frying or even roasting them in the oven. I prefer them fried, but the bravas sauce is so good, they will be delicious whichever way you cook the potatoes. For more potato goodness, try hash, or any of these potato recipes.
Patatas bravas makes a lovely side, but it’s easy to make it a main dish when topped with a runny fried egg, garlic aioli and served along with a pitcher of Sangria.
Patatas Bravas Ingredients
- Olive oil: You can use olive oil for the bravas sauce, but I recommend using vegetable oil for frying the potatoes.
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes are my favorite because they really get creamy on the inside and crisp on the outside. That said, if you only have Yukon Gold, red or fingerling potatoes, those will work.
- Spices: Smoked paprika, cayenne, salt
- Canned diced tomatoes: Fire-roasted would work well, too!
- White wine vinegar: This recipe calls for quite a lot of vinegar so I wouldn’t swap! It’s important to have the right balance of acid and sweet.
- For the garlic aioli: The garlic mayo is just that! Garlic + mayo + a spritz of lemon.
How To Make Patatas Bravas
Find the full detailed instructions at the bottom of this page.
- Fry the potatoes, part 1! Fry your potatoes in oil that’s been heated to 300° (use a deep frying thermometer to measure) for about five minutes.
- Let them cool completely before you begin fry #2. This is a great chance to make your salsa bravas and garlic aioli.
- Fry the potatoes, part 2! This fry happens at a higher temperature (370°) and is all about getting the patatas nice and crispy!
- Make the aioli. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic. You made aioli!
- Make the bravas sauce. Whiz it all together with an immersion blender and you’re done!
- Bring it all together! Toss with the bravas sauce, then sprinkle with salt to taste. We like to serve it topped with a fried egg.
Tips For The Best Patatas Bravas
- Like most fried foods, patatas bravas are best eaten in the moment, and don’t keep very well.
- Top the finished dish with a bit of cheese! Manchego, which is a Spanish cheese, is a natural fit!
- Fry the potatoes in small batches rather than all at once to maintain the oil temperature.
- Prep the aioli and the bravas sauce a day ahead of time, if you want to save time on the day you hope to serve these potatoes. Just warm the sauce up a bit before tossing it with the fried potatoes.
- Instead of deep-frying, you can roast the potatoes in the oven or use an air fryer!
- Oven instructions: Toss the potatoes with oil, roast at 425°F for 45 minutes, flipping halfway. The potatoes won’t be as crispy as the deep fried version, but they should still be delicious.
- Air fryer instructions: Spray with oil, cook at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes. You could single-fry if you want to save a little time.
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