Patatas Bravas

Written by Updated on November 29, 2025 in Sides
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Patatas Bravas
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Patatas Bravas

Recipe by Johnny BeaversCourse: SidesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

Patatas Bravas is a bold Spanish tapas classic built on contrast. Crispy, golden-fried potato cubes form the base, fluffy on the inside and shatteringly crisp on the outside. They’re smothered in a silky, smoky tomato-paprika sauce that brings heat, acidity, and depth all at once, then often finished with a cool drizzle of garlicky aioli to tame the fire. The result is a perfect collision of crunch, spice, smoke, and creaminess. It’s simple food that refuses to be subtle.

For this dish, I use air-fried cubed potatoes or potato wedges but you can use grilled, roasted or fried potatoes as well!

Ingredients

  • Bravas Sauce

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 

  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced 

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste 

  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste) 

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch 

  • 1 cup vegetable broth 

  • ½ to 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

  • Aioli

  • 5 cloves garlic, finely grated, minced, or pressed

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 small lemon)

  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise

  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  • Bravas Sauce
  • In a medium pan or skillet over medium heat, warm the ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Add the sliced garlic cloves and cook until the garlic turns golden and the oil is shimmering (about a couple of minutes). Be careful not to brown the garlic; you just want to infuse the oil with garlic flavor. 
  • Remove the garlic from the pan (discard or save for something else). 
  • Lower the heat. Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and cornstarch. Whisk to combine. 
  • Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, whisking continuously so the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. 
  • Once the sauce is well combined and smooth, add ½ to 1 teaspoon vinegar (sherry or red wine). Whisk again. Remove from heat. 
  • Use immediately (for example, drizzle over fried potatoes to make patatas bravas), or let cool and transfer to a jar for refrigeration.
  • Aioli
  • Stir 5 finely grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard together in a small bowl until combined. Let sit for 15 minutes for the flavors to meld.
  • Whisk in 3/4 cup mayonnaise until smooth. Taste and season with kosher salt or up to 1 tablespoon more lemon juice as needed.