Roasted Spanish Potatoes Recipe

Potatoes are one of those vegetables that play a starring role in cuisines around the world. Whether they are boiled, mashed, steamed, fried, or roasted, they tend to be satisfying and comforting, and make the perfect base for a wide variety of dishes. In these roasted Spanish potatoes, inspired by classic tapas recipes, tomato sauce adds a rich coating to the creamy Yukon gold potatoes and allows the smoked paprika and thyme to adhere perfectly during roasting. A touch of olive oil is just enough to help the potatoes crisp up on the outside and remain tender on the inside. It's an easy dish to throw together because you can let the oven do the heavy lifting, and the end result is savory, smoky, and the perfect side dish to serve with an array of entrees.

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "When I visited Spain, I fell in love with Spanish potatoes served as tapas. The crispy nature and bold flavor won me over, and they were one of the first recipes I recreated when I returned back to the states."

To make this recipe, start by picking up some Yukon gold potatoes. Then you'll need some tomato sauce and olive oil. Check your spice cabinet for smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. A pop of green parsley makes a nice garnish, so grab some of that too to finish off the dish.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Add 1 ½ teaspoons of salt to a pot of water and bring to a boil.

Peel the potatoes.

Cube the potatoes.

Add them to the pot of boiling water and cook for 6 minutes until al dente, then drain.

Add the potatoes to a bowl with the tomato sauce, olive oil, smoked paprika, dried thyme, remaining salt, and pepper and toss to coat.

Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until crispy.

Garnish with optional parsley and serve.

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Many years ago, in the mid-20^th century, Spanish potatoes started showing up in bars and cafés as one of a variety of small plate appetizers known as tapas. Their bold taste makes them satisfying in small portions, and they pair well with other common tapas like Gambas al Ajillo and tortilla Española. Traditionally, Spanish potatoes are called patatas bravas, which means "brave or bold potatoes," and they are made by frying the potatoes in oil. 

As patatas bravas became popular across Spain and other regions, the dish evolved. Some versions added other savory flavors like garlic or bitter flavors like vinegar, but all versions featured a tomato-based sauce that included smoked paprika in the mix. Over the years, lighter versions emerged that leaned on oven cooking, which meant that less oil was needed to get a crispy exterior and a tender, soft interior. This hands-off way of preparing Spanish potatoes makes it easy to incorporate them as a side dish while tending to other parts of the meal. The bold and spicy flavor of Spanish potatoes has migrated to other countries and is adaptable to everyday cooking.

There are some easy modifications to this recipe that will not alter the overall flavor very much, if you want to work with what you have on hand. For the potatoes, red potatoes are slightly firmer but will work well in this dish. Russet potatoes work better when you're making true patatas bravas that are fried, but if you're using russets for this oven-cooked method, cut them a little larger so they don't dry out due to their high starch content. Halved fingerling potatoes can be used as well.

If you don't have tomato sauce on hand, substitute crushed tomatoes or run canned diced tomatoes through the blender. Since tomato sauce is a little thicker, you'll want to add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste to the blended tomatoes so the sauce will adhere well to the potatoes.

Smoked paprika is a key ingredient in the Spanish potatoes, but if you only have sweet paprika, use that, plus a pinch of chipotle powder, ancho chile powder, or smoked salt. If you don't have dried thyme, substitute with the same amount of oregano or use about 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves.

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