Spicy Patatas Bravas – Super easy Spanish tapas recipe

Super easy bravas sauce recipe

There are plenty of bravas recipes out there (just Google it) but we’ve tried to condense this classic tapas recipe into something that can be made quickly and easily with minimal fuss. 

Our super easy patatas bravas recipe can be made with easy-to-find ingredients and can be whipped up in around 30 minutes, making our list of the top 10 vegan tapas recipes. This recipe serves 4 people as a tapas.

Where is patatas bravas from?

Depending on where you pitch the question in Spain, you’ll receive a different answer. However, many will argue that the birthplace of patatas bravas, Spain’s most adored tapas, is Madrid. 

Madrileños are particularly fond of this easy tapas dish and you’ll find it in a vast majority of the tapas bars throughout the city. 

Perhaps one of the first claims of the bravas sauce is by the popular tapas bar aptly named ‘Las Bravas’ that was established in 1933 and claims to have created the now-famous bravas sauce in 1950, which it then patented the ‘Las Bravas’ sauce recipe in 1960.

What is bravas sauce made of?

Most authentic Spanish recipes for patatas bravas call for the use of just 6 simple ingredients; olive oil, garlic, paprika, flour, chicken (or vegetable) broth, and salt. 

Of course, with such a popular tapas dish that’s widely consumed throughout Spain, there’s no set recipe and you’ll often find some bravas sauces with additional ingredients such as onion, chili powder, and tinned tomatoes.

Is bravas sauce spicy?

Traditional bravas sauce recipes rely on the pimentón picante (hot paprika) to give the sauce its distinctive spice, which is typically quite mild. However, it’s now common to see a little cayenne pepper or even chili powder being added to modern bravas sauce recipes to give the sauce an extra spicy kick. 

In this patatas bravas recipe, we’ve used a little chili powder to give the sauce some extra heat! 

Is patatas bravas vegan?

Traditional bravas sauce recipes call for the use of chicken broth, but as we want to share the love with our vegan and vegetarian buddies, we’ve created our bravas recipe using veggie stock. Our bravas sauce is proudly vegan-friendly! 

Does patatas bravas call for fried or baked potatoes?

Most modern tapas bars will use fried potatoes simply because it makes the dish faster and easier to prepare. When you’re making it at home, many don’t have a deep fryer or want to make a healthier choice, and roasting the potatoes works perfectly well. 

For this patatas bravas recipe, we use sunflower oil and fry the potatoes in a deep-sided frying pan.

Looking for more tasty recipes with potatoes?

Try these other tasty recipes that use potatoes: Spanish chickpea stew (Spanish potaje de garbanzos), Poor man’s potatoes (Patatas a lo pobre), Spanish seafood pie, and Roast vegetable stacks. 

Equipment needed

• 1 deep-sided frying pan (to deep fry the potatoes)
• 1 splash guard (optional for frying)
• 1 medium-sized saucepan (for making the bravas sauce)

Method (step-by-step)

1. Prepare your potatoes by cutting them into small chunks and deep fry or bake them (add extra time for baking). You know they’re ready when they’re crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. 
2. In the meantime, prepare your sauce by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic paste and stir through.
3. Next, add the pimentón dulce and pimentón picante and stir until combined. Add the chili powder if you’re making an extra spicy sauce. 
4. Add 1 tablespoon of flour and stir until combined. Keep stirring constantly for 1 minute. 
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly add the broth while stirring constantly. 
6. The sauce will begin to thicken as you incorporate the broth with the flour.
   Note: add more flour only if necessary to achieve the right velvety smooth consistency.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
8. Season with salt to taste.
9. To serve, drizzle sauce over some fried (or baked) potatoes. Best served with a cold beer or glass of Spanish red wine!

Spicy Patatas Bravas – Cooking tips and FAQs

What is patatas bravas sauce made of?

The bravas sauce is made with olive oil, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, crushed garlic, and flour. If you want some spice, add some cayenne powder or chili powder. And that’s it! Crazy simple right?!

Is patatas bravas spicy?

‘Patatas bravas’ translates from Spanish to ‘Spicy potatoes’ in English. Typically, Bravas sauce is a little spicy, but nothing compared to the spice of jalapeno pepper. 

What goes with patatas bravas?

Patatas bravas is served as tapas in Spain and can be accompanied with some fresh bread. 

Why is it called ‘patatas bravas’?

Patatas bravas literally translates to English as ‘Spicy potatoes’ and it gets it’s name due to the spice in the bravas sauce.