Papas Arrugadas (Wrinkled Potatoes)

Written by
Lisa & Tony Sierra
Lisa and Tony Sierra are freelance writers and Spanish food experts who lead culinary tours of the country.
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Lisa & Tony Sierra
Updated 10/30/20
Papas Arrugadas

Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
156 Calories
0g Fat
36g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 156
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2344mg 102%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Protein 4g
Calcium 25mg 2%
*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.)

Papas Arrugadas, wrinkled potatoes, is a typical dish of the Canary Islands, where potatoes have been cultivated since the 1600s when they were first brought back to Spain by the conquistadores. The residents of the Canary Islands, called carnarios, call them papas—the Indigenous peoples' name for them—while in the rest of Spain they are called patatas.

This dish requires only two ingredients: small potatoes—rather than the huge monsters we’ve gotten used to seeing in the supermarkets—and coarse sea salt. Traditionally the potatoes were boiled in seawater, but adding a generous amount of sea salt to the water will create a similar effect. And no need to peel the potatoes—just be sure to clean them well before cooking. 

Serve the papas arrugadas as a side dish with fish or meat, or as an appetizer, with the traditional Canary Islands sauces mojo picon or mojo cilantro.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds/1.25 kg small potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Wash any dirt off the potatoes and remove “eyes,” if any.

  3. Place the potatoes in a large pot and add water to just cover; add the salt.

  4. Boil potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked.

  5. Remove from heat and pour off the water.

  6. Return pot with potatoes to the stove, letting the steam evaporate. You should see a layer of salt form on the dry skins.

  7. Serve hot with red pepper sauce - mojo picon or cilantro green sauce - mojo cilantro on the side.

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