This Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli Recipe is a twist on the classic, with a deliciously addictive spicy chipotle aioli that you will want to eat with everything! Serve it with a refreshing caña (a small beer) or an off-dry white wine, such as the Amalaya Torrontés Riesling featured below in this post.
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Patatas Bravas Fun Facts
Fried Potato Perfection!
Patatas Bravas (also known as Papas Bravas), is a classic and very popular tapas dish served throughout Spain. These patatas or papas (which means potatoes) are cut into cubes or chunks, and at their best are twice-fried, so they are soft and creamy on the inside and golden brown and crispy on the outside. Simply fried potato perfection!
Sauces, Aioli and Chipotle
In addition to an impeccable texture, the best Patatas Bravas are always served with a super flavorful sauce or alioli (aioli). The aioli in our Patatas Bravas recipe is a basic garlic aioli to which we add a powder made from chipotle, a smoked-dried jalapeño used primarily in Mexican cuisine. We love it, as it adds a little kick of Mexican spice to the dish!
The Classic: Patatas Bravas with Salsa Brava
While today Patatas Bravas are served with a myriad of sauces and aioli, varying among regions in Spain and even from restaurant to restaurant within a region, a very typical accompanying sauce, particularly in Madrid, is salsa brava (brava sauce). Although no two recipes are alike, salsa brava is usually a mildly spicy orange-colored sauce flavored with tomato, garlic and often smoked and/or sweet pimentón (paprika).
Famous Patatas Bravas from Las Bravas Restaurant, Madrid
Salsa brava is said to have originated with and/or made famous by Madrid’s Las Bravas, a tapas restaurant which originally opened in 1933 as El Callejón del Gato and now boasts three locations and a hugely successful Las Bravas® brand sauce. At the recommendation of a close friend from Madrid who is a big fan, we first tried these tasty Las Bravas Patatas Bravas (pictured above) in 2014 during a trip to Madrid. We’ve been obsessed ever since!
Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli Recipe
- 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed (or grated using a rasp grater, such as a Microplane*)
- 1 teaspoon espelette pepper mustard (dijon mustard may be substituted)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup grape seed oil combined with 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1-2 teaspoons red jalapeño chipotle powder to taste
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes (or about 4 large potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Pimentón de la Vera Dulce (sweet smoked paprika)
- 1 teaspoon red jalapeño chipotle powder
- grape seed oil or canola oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Special equipment: deep-fry thermometer
- Making the Aioli: In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolk, garlic, mustard, vinegar and salt until well blended. Whisking continuously, drizzle in the grape seed-olive oil mixture in a slow, steady stream** until emulsified and sauce is thickened. Whisk in tomato paste. Stir in chipotle powder and additional salt as needed. Keep chilled until ready to use.
- Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with water until ready to use. This will prevent potatoes from browning and help remove excess starch to prevent them from sticking together during frying.
- In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, paprika and chipotle power. Set aside.
- In a large heavy saucepan fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, add oil (at least 3 inches deep). Heat oil over medium heat until deep-fry thermometer registers 275 degrees F. Place a wire cooling rack over a paper towel lined baking sheet next to the stovetop.
- Working in batches, remove potatoes from the water and pat them dry. Fry potatoes until tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 8-10 minutes. They will only turn a light golden color. Remove potatoes from oil using a slotted spoon and transfer to wire rack to drain. Let potatoes cool.
- Meanwhile, increase heat to medium-high until the deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Working in batches, fry potatoes until golden brown and crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove potatoes from oil, shake off excess oil, and transfer immediately to a serving plate and sprinkle lightly with salt mixture.
- Drizzle potatoes generously with aioli and garnish with parsley.
- *A rasp grater is a long, skinny grater that works well for zesting citrus and grating a variety of firm foods. We love our Microplane Premium Zester/Grater which you can buy through Amazon by clicking here.
- **Oil must be added very slowly or it will not emulsify and the sauce will not thicken. When completed, the sauce should be slightly thinner than commercial mayonnaise. If it becomes too thick, you can add warm water, one teaspoon at a time.
Wine Pairing: Torrontés Riesling
The spicy quality of this Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli Recipe, as with many spicy dishes, makes it a bit challenging to pair with wine. The reason being is that the heat in spicy foods tends to increase the perceived bitterness and alcohol burn, and reduce the perceived fruitiness and sweetness, in a wine. Therefore, when it comes to spicy foods, it’s wise to stay away from wines that are high in alcohol, tannins and acidity. Although it’s possible to pair spicy food with fruity, light-bodied, lower tannin reds (e.g., Beaujolais, Pinot Noir), we prefer fruity white wines with a slight sweetness (but not too sweet), such as an off-dry Riesling.
2016 Amalaya Torrontés Riesling
We recently tried an interesting Amalaya Torrontés Riesling blend from Salta, Argentina. A light, fruity white wine with a touch of sweetness on the palate from the Riesling. It was absolutely delicious on its own and paired really well with our Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli.
2016 Amalaya Torrontés Riesling:
Grape Varieties: Torrontés (85%) Riesling (15%)
Region: Salta, Argentina
Alcohol by Volume: 13%
Average Cost: $9.99
Tasting Notes: Bright yellow in color and aromatic, with notes of lemon, stone fruit and jasmine. Refreshing and silky on the palate with a distinctive mineral quality. An excellent value and critically acclaimed: 89 (Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate) and 95 (Decanter).
We hope you enjoy your Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli!
If you have any comments or questions, we would love to hear from you.
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