Air Fryer Patatas Bravas With Quick Romesco Sauce

My first meet cute with patatas bravas was while I was backpacking in Spain. Tired, nearly broke, and perpetually starving, I happened onto a tapas bar with high top tables spilling out into a narrow street. There, a kindly mustachioed waiter guessed my plight, suggested a small glass of the local brew, and brought me a plate of patatas bravas without my asking. He just knew my spirits needed lifting and I didn’t have much of a budget to do so. 

These Potatoes Are Your New Best Friend

Since that first encounter, I’ve had a serious romance with the iconic Spanish crispy potato dish. What’s not to like about cubed spuds fried in copious amounts of olive oil topped with (or dipped into) a spicy red pepper-tomato sauce? Cheap, filling, and absolutely a blast to say (paaa-taaa-taaasss brahhh-vass), I will forever love this dish for serving with grilled meats and roasts, as a last-minute party appetizer, and as a midnight snack for one after a night out. They are always there for me. 

The Two-Step Method to Air Fried Spuds

The traditional dish is made with peeled, deep fried potatoes. I skip all that fuss and go straight for my air fryer. It’s quicker and there’s less mess and fat. After tinkering for years, I’ve arrived at a two-step cooking method for the crispiest potatoes with the creamiest insides. First, I cook  the spuds in my toaster oven-style air fryer with moderate heat until tender. Then I crank up the heat to 450 F and air-fry the spuds until they are crispy and deeply golden brown.

Gambas al Ajillo Recipe (Spanish Garlic Shrimp Tapas)

The Perfect Dipping Sauce

While the potatoes are air frying, I make a streamlined sauce that’s lots easier than the complicated bravas sauces of Madrid. I base my sauce on roasted jarred piquillo peppers because they have an intense, sweet and smoky flavor. Regular roasted red peppers will work in a pinch.

Then I add a little sherry (or apple cider) vinegar for a punch, Marcona almonds for richness, sweet and smoky paprika, and just enough cayenne to make the sauce a little fiery. Add salt to taste, as every jar of peppers varies. It’s really more of a romesco sauce than a bravas sauce, but it’s dead-easy and it tastes AHH-mazing. 

Serving Patatas Bravas

I prefer to serve my patatas tapas-style, with toothpicks stuck in a few spuds and the bravas sauce on the side for dipping. This helps keep the potato pieces crispy longer. But it’s not unheard of to toss the potatoes in the sauce until they are totally coated. For the Cadillac version, go ahead and drizzle garlicky aioli over the top. It’s rich, but very sexy, like most Spanish things. 

Make Ahead

The bravas sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Whip with a whisk to make sure the sauce is well blended before serving.

What You'll Need To Make These Crispy Spuds

A Great Air Fryer

A Powerful Blender

An Outstanding EVOO