Patatas Bravas

¡Olé, España! Crispy, saucy Patatas Bravas are one of our favorite traditional Spanish dishes. This tasty tapas classic literally means “brave potatoes.” (If you choose to add cayenne pepper and spicy chipotle to your recipe, we think you’re pretty brave too!) We adore the combination of crispy, browned papas, or patatas, and soft, creamy brava sauce. Traditional Patatas Bravas are deep fried in oil, but we’ve managed to recreate the same crunch with potato wedges roasted with a thick layer of oil in the pan. After you remove the potatoes, you can save the cooled oil and use it later for another cooking recipe. ¡Disfruta!

Makes:

Serves 4-6

Hands-on time:

30 minutes

Start-to-eat time:

1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Potatoes:
2 pounds gold or russet potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon paprika
½ cup olive oil
Sauce:
½ onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or more to taste
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle peppers (optional)

Kids kitchen skills:

chopping
roasting
blending

Tools:

knife & cutting board
measuring cups & spoons
large casserole dish or roasting pan
flat spatula
small skillet
blender or food processor

Step-by-step

Grown-up steps

Heat the oven to 450° F. Add the potato chunks to a large bowl, and toss them with 1 tablespoon of salt plus the pepper, paprika, and chipotle powder (if using). Then add ½ cup of olive oil and toss again.
Place the potatoes (and all the oil) in a large casserole dish or roasting pan. Make sure the potato chunks are not overlapping or touching. (You can use 2 pans if you need to.)
Roast the potatoes in the oven for about 20 minutes. With a grown-up’s help, remove the dish from the oven and carefully flip the potatoes with a spatula, minding the sizzling oil. Then lower the heat to 400° F, return the pan to the oven, and roast for another 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp. Use a spatula to transfer the cooked potatoes to a paper towel–lined plate.
While the potatoes roast, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet on the stove over low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and clear, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Once it’s cooled slightly, add the onion, garlic, smoked paprika, and 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, tomato paste, and cayenne pepper (if using), and blend again until it’s all well mixed.
Serve the potatoes on a large sharing plate and drizzle them with the brava sauce. ¡Delicioso!