Try this Spiralized Patatas Bravas recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 cup water
- salt to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 easpoon garlic powder
- 3 medium garlic cloves minced
- for the potato noodles:
- 3 pounds russet potatoes blade c, noodles trimmed
- for the bravas sauce:
- 1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 1/2 easpoon hot sauce
- Carbohydrate 42.6763248482372 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.40055914591667 g
- Fiber 3.17655946456212 g
- Protein 5.19296249441478 g
- Saturated Fat 0.3538720495 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -8 (247g)
- Sodium 606.446102652734 mg
- Sugar 39.4997653836751 g
- Trans Fat 0.121991007966667 g
- Calories 206 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the tomatoes with their juices in a medium bowl and, using your hands, break into rough 1-inch pieces and set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the oil. Once oil heats, add in the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and red pepper flakes, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add in the tomatoes and their liquid along with the water, salt, bay leaf, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has thickened and has reduced by about half, about 15 minutes.
- While the sauce cooks, place another large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the oil. Once oil heats, add in the potato noodles and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Let cook for 10 minutes or until potato noodles are cooked through. When done, set aside on a serving plate and cover.
- Once sauce is done cooking, remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a blender. Purée the sauce until smooth and then add in the vinegar and hot sauce and pulse again to combine. Taste and add more hot sauce, if needed.
- Pour the sauce over the potato noodles and garnish with cilantro or parsley. Serve immediately.
Traditional patatas bravas rely on hand-cut cubes of potato that are fried until crisp on the exterior and soft within, then smothered in a fiery, piquant sauce. This variation trades the classic irregular chunks for uniform strands of russet potato formed on a spiralizer. Transforming the geometry of the potato changes the cooking dynamics entirely, allowing thin strands to cook through rapidly in a skillet while still achieving tender interiors. Russet potatoes contain high levels of starch, which helps the strands maintain structural integrity under heat rather than dissolving into a mash. When building the accompanying bravas sauce, canned whole peeled tomatoes are crushed by hand to ensure a more rustic texture than what results from standard pureed products. Spices like smoked paprika and red pepper flakes bloom quickly in heated oil, releasing fat-soluble flavor compounds into the base before the tomatoes are introduced. Simmering the liquid mixture until it reduces by half concentrates the natural sugars in the tomatoes and onions, establishing a dense backdrop for the bright splash of sherry vinegar added at the very end.
Texture Management in Spiralized Potatoes
Cooking spiralized dense root vegetables requires precise heat control to prevent uneven results. Setting the skillet to medium-high allows the surface moisture of the potato noodles to evaporate quickly without steaming the strands into limp ribbons. Spreading the noodles evenly across the pan surface ensures direct contact with the hot metal, which is necessary for developing localized tender spots. If the noodles begin to brown too quickly before softening fully, lowering the burner slightly and covering the pan for the final two minutes will trap steam and soften the core of each strand.
- If the bravas sauce tastes overly acidic after reduction, balance the pH by whisking in a pinch of sugar rather than adding more water.
- Leftover spiralized potato dishes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days, though the noodles will soften further upon reheating.
- To revive chilled potato noodles, reheat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for three minutes to drive off excess moisture before applying fresh sauce.
