Traditional Madrid patatas bravascrisp potatoes with bold paprika sauce
Crisp Spanish potato cubes with a smooth, spicy Madrid-style brava sauce based on paprika, not ketchup.
Madrid-style patatas bravas pair tender-centered fried potatoes with a brick-red sauce thickened lightly with flour. Sweet and hot paprika provide the heat and color, while garlic and olive oil round out this classic bar tapa.
Ingredients
Potatoes
Sauce
Potatoes
Preparation
Parboil the potatoes
Simmer potato cubes in salted water for 6 minutes. Drain and let steam-dry thoroughly.
10 minutesStart the sauce
Warm 30 ml olive oil, gently cook sliced garlic and remove it once golden. Whisk flour into the flavored oil.
4 minutesBuild the brava sauce
Take off heat, stir in both paprikas, then gradually whisk in 300 ml hot water. Simmer 5 minutes and blend with garlic until smooth.
8 minutesFry the potatoes
Heat the remaining oil in a wide skillet. Fry potatoes in batches until deeply golden and crisp, turning carefully.
18 minutesSeason and serve
Drain, season with salt and spoon the warm brava sauce over the potatoes just before serving.
3 minutes
Substitutions
For a milder sauce, reduce hot paprika and replace it with sweet paprika. Tomato and aioli are regional variations, not required here.
Storage
Store potatoes and sauce separately in the refrigerator; reheat potatoes in a hot oven and warm sauce gently.
Approximate shelf life: Up to 3 days refrigerated.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by brand, substitution and actual yield.
