Patatas Bravas
Patatas bravas is a classic Spanish potato dish: crispy pan-fried potato cubes seasoned with smoked paprika and chili, then finished with spicy ketchup and a creamy garlic sauce. This vegan version keeps everything you love about the tapas-bar original and skips the egg-based aioli, so it stays fully plant-based. It comes together with pantry staples and makes the ultimate comfort snack or side.
To keep it simple, I used a spicy ketchup for the tomato sauce, and instead of aioli (which is not normally vegan) I used a mix of vegan mayo and minced garlic cloves. I also added some fresh chopped parsley on top, and to make these patatas bravas taste even better, I sprinkled them with smoked paprika and chili powder while roasting. Hope you’ll like my version of vegan patatas bravas.
Choosing the right potatoes
The potato is the star here, so it is worth picking a good one. I recommend using potatoes with very thin skin, as frying them with their skins on makes their texture so much better. New potatoes are in season right now, so I highly recommend you go to the farmers’ market and buy some baby potatoes for this recipe. Plus, I think they are sweeter and taste so much better than regular white potatoes.
The two sauces on top
Traditional patatas bravas come with two toppings: a spicy tomato sauce and aioli, a white garlic sauce. Since classic aioli is made with egg, I swapped it for a quick vegan version. Just stir 2 tablespoons of vegan mayo together with 2 minced garlic cloves and you get that same rich, garlicky drizzle. For the brava sauce, a good spicy ketchup does the job with zero fuss. Between the smoked paprika and chili powder on the potatoes and the garlic in the mayo, every bite has a bit of heat and a bit of creaminess.
How to get them crispy
The trick to great patatas bravas is a two-step cook. The potatoes are first boiled for just 5 minutes, only until they start to turn tender, then drained and left to cool. That short boil softens the inside so it stays fluffy, while the pan-frying afterward builds the golden, crisp crust. Give the cubes room in the skillet and stir only from time to time, so each side gets contact with the hot oil and browns instead of steaming. Cook them for 10 to 15 minutes until deeply golden, then season and add the parsley.
Serving, storing and making ahead
Patatas bravas are best served hot, right out of the pan, while the edges are still crisp. They are a staple of Spanish tapas, so serve them as part of a bigger spread of small plates, or just as a shareable snack with the sauces on the side for dipping. If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet or an oven rather than the microwave, which turns them soft. You can also boil the potatoes ahead of time and keep them chilled, then do the quick pan-fry just before serving so they crisp up fresh.
Give this recipe a try and don’t forget to leave me a feedback in the comment section below. Tell me if you went with baby potatoes and how spicy you made your ketchup. Drop a star rating too, I’d love to hear how your patatas bravas turned out.
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Patatas Bravas
Ingredients
- 5 potatoes washed and cubed, skin on
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 Tbsp parsley chopped
- 1 tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Sauces:
- ketchup to taste
- garlic sauce to taste; mix 2 Tbsp vegan mayo with 2 minced garlic cloves
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the cubed potatoes and cover them with water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and let the potatoes cook for 5 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and let them cool.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the boiled potatoes, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and chili powder, and cook, stirring from time to time.
- Cook for 10-15 more minutes, until the potatoes are golden and crisp at the edges.
- Top with the chopped parsley, ketchup and garlic sauce, and serve right away.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Patatas bravas are a popular Spanish tapas dish of fried potato cubes served with a spicy tomato sauce and a garlic sauce on top. They are usually enjoyed in bars as a shareable small plate. This version is made fully vegan by swapping the classic egg-based aioli for a mix of vegan mayo and minced garlic.
Yes, this recipe is completely vegan. The traditional aioli topping is replaced with 2 tablespoons of vegan mayo stirred together with 2 minced garlic cloves, and the brava sauce is simply spicy ketchup. Everything else, from the potatoes to the olive oil and spices, is plant-based.
Potatoes with very thin skin work best, because you can fry them with the skin on for better texture. New potatoes or baby potatoes are ideal when they are in season, since they are sweeter and taste better than regular white potatoes. You can leave them cubed with the skin on rather than peeling.
Boiling the potatoes for about 5 minutes softens the inside so it stays fluffy, while the pan-frying afterward creates the golden, crisp crust. This two-step method gives you potatoes that are tender inside and crunchy outside. Be sure to drain and cool them before they go into the hot oil.
Classic aioli uses egg, so for a vegan version just mix 2 tablespoons of vegan mayo with 2 minced garlic cloves. Stir until smooth and drizzle it over the fried potatoes along with the spicy ketchup. It gives you that same rich, garlicky finish without any animal products.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To bring back the crispness, reheat them in a hot skillet or an oven rather than the microwave, which makes them soft. You can also boil the potatoes ahead and pan-fry them just before serving.
One of my favorite potato recipes so far. Thank you!
Mine too! 😀