# Spanish Patatas Bravas

> The crunch comes from **parboiling the potatoes then frying them twice**. The boil cooks the centre, the first fry dries the surface, and the second builds the crust. Frying raw potatoes directly gives a burnt surface and a raw middle.

**Spanish Cuisine · 55 min · 4 servings · 380 kcal per serving**

Patatas bravas is Madrid's most famous tapa, served in every bar. Crisp potato cubes with two sauces: the spicy red brava and the white garlic aioli. Easy, and the whole difference is in the crunch.

## Ingredients


### البطاطس
- 1 kg — potatoes, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 1 tbsp — salt (for boiling)
- 3 cups — oil for frying

### صوص البرافا
- 2 tbsp — olive oil
- 1 حبة — onion, chopped
- 3 cloves — garlic
- 1 tbsp — smoked paprika
- 1 tsp — chilli
- 1 tbsp — flour
- 1 cup — stock or water
- 2 tbsp — tomato paste
- 1 tbsp — wine vinegar

### الأليولي
- 0.5 cup — mayonnaise
- 3 cloves — garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp — lemon juice
- 1 tbsp — olive oil

## Method

1. **Parboil** — Boil the potato cubes in salted water for **8 minutes** until soft on the outside but still holding together. Drain and let them dry for 10 minutes.
2. **Brava sauce** — Soften the onion and garlic, add the paprika, chilli and flour and stir for a minute, then the stock, tomato paste and vinegar. Simmer 8 minutes to thicken, then blend smooth.
3. **Aioli** — Mix the mayonnaise with the crushed garlic, lemon and olive oil, and chill it.
4. **First fry** — Oil at **150°C**, fry the potatoes for 6 minutes without colouring. Lift onto a rack and leave 5 minutes.
5. **Second fry** — Raise the oil to **190°C** and fry for 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain and salt immediately.
6. **Serve** — Pile the potatoes on a plate, spoon the brava sauce over, and pipe lines of aioli. Serve at once.

## Tips

- Parboiling cooks the centre so the frying can concentrate on the crust.
- Dry the potatoes after boiling — wet ones spit in the oil and never crisp.
- Salt immediately after frying while hot — it adheres better.
- Sauce on top only at serving — potatoes that sit in sauce go soft.

## FAQ

### What is smoked paprika?
Spanish paprika (pimentón) dried over oak smoke, giving a distinctive smoky taste. Substitute: ordinary paprika with a pinch of cumin — but the smokiness is the sauce's signature.

### Can I use an air fryer?
Yes — parboil first, dry them, toss in two spoonfuls of oil, and air fry at 200°C for 20 minutes with shaking. Lighter and very close.

### What is real aioli?
The original is garlic and olive oil alone, emulsified in a mortar — no egg. The mayonnaise version is far easier and works well.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/spanish-cuisine/spanish-patatas-bravas
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-12