Patatas Bravas

Name: Patatas Bravas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 2 lbs potatoes, cubed; Oil for frying; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, minced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp sweet paprika; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes; 1 tsp sherry vinegar; Mayonnaise or aioli, for serving

4 servings15 min prep30 min cookEasy Spain

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Patatas Bravas

Story updated September 17, 2026

Patatas Bravas, fried potatoes in a spicy tomato-based sauce, emerged from Madrid's mid-20th-century tapas bar culture. No single bar or cook is definitively credited with inventing it, but it quickly became one of Spain's most ordered tapas nationwide.

Ingredients

Scale:· 4 servings

2 lbs potatoes, cubed
Oil for frying
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp sherry vinegar
Mayonnaise or aioli, for serving

Instructions

1Fry potato cubes in batches until golden and crisp, then drain and salt.
2Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
3Stir in paprika and cayenne and cook briefly until fragrant.
4Add crushed tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes until thickened.
5Stir in sherry vinegar and blend the sauce until smooth if desired.
6Spoon the bravas sauce over the fried potatoes and drizzle with aioli.

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