Spanish Patatas Bravas

By
Lisa & Tony Sierra
Lisa & Tony Sierra
Lisa and Tony Sierra are freelance writers and Spanish food experts who lead culinary tours of the country.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/5/22
Spanish patatas bravas

The Spruce

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
351 Calories
19g Fat
44g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 351
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 797mg 35%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 26mg 130%
Calcium 46mg 4%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 1308mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Patatas bravas is one of the most popular and classic Spanish tapas dishes that is served in bars all over Spain. Supposedly, the dish was invented at a bar called Las Bravas in Madrid, though there are many people who beg to differ.

The recipes vary throughout the country and even from one tapas bar to another. With all of them, though, the bravas sauce should be a bit spicy—hence the name bravas, which means "fierce" or "courageous" in Spanish.

This version of the sauce has a slight bite from Tabasco, which makes it easy to prepare. It's served alongside freshly fried, bite-sized potato chunks that are easy to skewer with a toothpick.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium potatoes

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups Spanish olive oil, for frying

  • 1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard

  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika

  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, or sherry vinegar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for spanish patatas bravas
    The Spruce

  2. Peel the potatoes. Cut each potato lengthwise, then cut it lengthwise again. Cut each of those 4 long pieces crosswise, leaving you with 3 or 4 chunks that are about 1/3 to 1/4 inch.

    Cut up potatoes
    The Spruce

  3. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt.

    Potatoes in a bowl
    The Spruce

  4. In a wide, deep frying pan with a heavy bottom, pour olive oil so it is about 1-inch deep. Heat the oil on medium-high until hot. To test it, carefully place one piece of potato in the oil. It is hot enough if the potato immediately begins to fry. If there is no bubbling or frying, the oil is not hot enough and the potato will absorb too much oil.

    Pour oil in a bowl
    The Spruce

  5. Fry the potatoes for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown or browning on the edges (depending on your preference).

    Fry the potatoes
    The Spruce

  6. Use a slotted spoon or a spatula to remove them from the oil and set them aside on paper towels to drain.

    Use a slotted spoon
    The Spruce

  7. In a small frying pan, pour 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat over medium heat.

    Pour oil in pan
    The Spruce

  8. Pour tomato sauce into the pan and sauté for 5 minutes.

    Sauce in pan
    The Spruce

  9. Turn the heat down and add the mustard, stirring well.

    Sauce with spoon in it
    The Spruce

  10. Add the Tabasco, paprika, and vinegar, and mix well.

    Mix
    The Spruce

  11. Taste the sauce and adjust as necessary with salt, more Tabasco, etc.

    Sauce on spoon
    The Spruce

  12. Place the potatoes on a plate or in a wide open dish and pour the sauce over the potatoes.

    Serve
    The Spruce

  13. Serve warm with toothpicks and enjoy.

More Potato Tapas

Potatoes are a staple of Spanish cuisine. When they are fried in olive oil, they're known as patatas fritas and these are served with almost any main course. In its basic form, patatas fritas are simply french fries: Raw slices of salted potatoes fried to create a crispy snack or side. It's when you add the sauces that great tapas like patatas bravas are created.

Another tapas that begins with fried potato chunks, rather than slices, is patatas con alioli. Alioli is a garlicky mayonnaise that goes perfectly with hot or cold potatoes. You could serve these as complementary tapas along with patatas bravas and have fun calling the duo patatas bravioli.