Vegan Patatas Bravas
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.If you want a meal that everyone will love, try these vegan patatas bravas. The golden, crispy potatoes covered in creamy paprika sauce are the definition of irresistible. I toss russet potatoes with cornstarch, cornmeal, and olive oil before baking them to a golden crisp. The combination of the crunch coating and smoky sauce takes this gluten-free appetizer to new levels. I have everything ready for my family in just under an hour, and it gets devoured even faster.
Patatas bravas started as a classic Spanish dish, but I needed a plant-based version that worked for weeknight dinners and family gatherings, too. I also wanted something a bit lighter than my vegan scalloped potatoes for the summer months. Instead of deep frying, I bake the potatoes and still get that signature finish that makes this dish so appealing. If you love potato dishes but do not enjoy the heaviness of dairy products, this vegan patatas bravas recipe is for you.
Patatas bravas started as a classic Spanish dish, but I needed a plant-based version that worked for weeknight dinners and family gatherings, too. I also wanted something a bit lighter than my vegan scalloped potatoes for the summer months. Instead of deep frying, I bake the potatoes and still get that signature finish that makes this dish so appealing. If you love potato dishes but do not enjoy the heaviness of dairy products, this vegan patatas bravas recipe is for you.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
Vegan patatas bravas deliver everything I want from a comfort food appetizer. And best of all, it does this without relying on dairy or heavy frying methods, which really appeals to me as a health coach. I also love that this recipe uses simple plant-based ingredients in the sauce, which actually add nutritional value to the meal. The cashews provide healthy fats, while the potatoes add fiber.
One reason these vegan patatas bravas work so well is the step-by-step cooking process that builds texture from start to finish. I parboil my peeled and cubed potatoes first, then coat them in cornstarch, cornmeal, and oil. I roast them at a high heat until crisp, while the creamy sauce blends together. After that, all I need to do is assemble everything and enjoy all the flavors.
The first time I made these for my boys, I was immediately asked what “patatas bravas” means. The literal translation is “brave potatoes,” but it could also mean fierce or bold. My two youngest boys were intrigued and wanted to know if eating them made you brave. I told them that if they believed it, then it’s true. After that, this meal became a tradition, and I make it the night before any event that has someone feeling a bit nervous. If you need a little bravery in your life, make these potatoes. I cannot guarantee that it will cure your nerves, but I can guarantee that you will have a delicious meal.
🥘 Ingredients
I use basic ingredients and fresh potatoes for these vegan patatas bravas. This is what I need to get a crisp texture and smoky sauce:
For the potatoes
Russet potatoes: I prefer russet potatoes for their fluffy interior and starchy texture that crisps nicely in the oven. Yukon gold potatoes could work too, but the texture turns slightly creamier.
Olive oil: A light coating of olive oil helps the potatoes brown properly while helping the crispy coating stick during baking.
Cornstarch and cornmeal: These help create the crisp outer layer on the potato cubes
Sea salt and black pepper: I keep the seasoning simple since the smoky sauce carries plenty of flavor already.
Fresh parsley: Sometimes I sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the potatoes right before serving for freshness and color.
For the paprika sauce
Vegetable broth: I blend the sauce with vegetable broth instead of water for extra flavor.
Raw cashews: Cashews create a creamy texture without needing dairy or mayonnaise. Once blended, the sauce becomes rich and silky.
Apple cider vinegar: A splash of this brightens the sauce and balances the smokiness.
Hot sauce: I adjust the amount depending on who I am serving.
Paprika and smoked paprika: The combination of both paprikas creates the classic flavor that makes patatas bravas so recognizable.
Fresh garlic and salt: Garlic sharpens the sauce, and the salt balances the smoky and spicy flavors.
🔪 How To Make
These vegan patatas bravas come together in just a few easy steps, with most of the work happening in the oven. This is how I make them:
Preheat and prep potatoes: I start by preheating the oven to 450F, then peel and chop the potatoes into evenly sized cubes.
Parboil potatoes: Next, I cover the potatoes and bring them to a boil over high heat. Then, after 5-7 minutes I uncover the pot and cook at a rolling boil for 5 minutes until slightly tender.
Dry and coat: Once the potatoes are cooked, I drain them and dry them thoroughly. I place the cubes in a bowl and toss them together with the cornstarch, cornmeal, salt, pepper, and oil until fully coated.
Arrange on tray: I spread the potatoes onto a parchment-lined baking tray in a single layer, so the edges crisp properly.
Bake: Then I bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown with crisp edges and soft centers.
Blend sauce: While the potatoes bake, I blend the cashews, broth, garlic, paprika, vinegar, and hot sauce into a smooth, creamy consistency.
Serve and drizzle: Right before serving, I spoon the sauce over the potatoes and add extra parsley or paprika if I want more flavor.
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan patatas bravas recipe is to let the potatoes steam dry for a minute after draining them. I discovered that slightly damp potatoes struggle to crisp properly in the oven, while dry surfaces grab onto the cornstarch coating much better.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Preheat the baking tray: Sometimes I preheat the baking tray so that the potatoes start crisping immediately once added.
- Do not overcrowd: I always leave space between the potatoes so the hot air can circulate around each piece properly.
- Blend longer: Even when the sauce looks smooth, I blend for another minute to create the silkiest texture possible.
- Flip halfway: Turning the potatoes during baking helps all the sides brown nicely, instead of leaving soft doughy spots underneath.
- Soak cashews: I always soak my cashews in water overnight to ensure the smoothest sauce. If I am making this at the last minute, I boil the cashews for 20-25 minutes until soft, before adding them to the blender. This step is especially important if you do not have a powerful blender.
📖 Variations
Whenever I make vegan patatas bravas for parties or family dinners, I like changing up the flavors depending on what everyone is craving or what I am serving it with. These are the 3 versions my family requests the most:
Chipotle version: I add 1 teaspoon chipotle powder and a spoonful of adobo sauce to the paprika sauce for extra smoky heat. My husband loves this version on taco nights.
Herb potatoes: Sometimes I take inspiration from the Canary Islands and use their Mojo Verde as an additional drizzle. I place a handful of washed, destemmed cilantro, parsley, 2-3 whole garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and enough olive oil to create a textured drizzle into a blender and blend until mostly smooth.
Barcelona style: Instead of just using the red sauce, I also drizzle over some of my vegan garlic aioli before adding my smoky red sauce. I love using this combination when I am having a bowl of patatas bravas and nothing else as a snack.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
These vegan patatas bravas are great for tapas-style dinners, and a fixture on my summer menu. For your next tapas dinner, serve these with a few slices of vegan bruschetta with a side of vegan spinach artichoke dip. I like breaking away from these rich flavors and textures by including something fresh and bright, like a Mexican fruit salad.
Last weekend, I turned these patatas bravas into a light, lazy dinner and included them in a harvest bowl along with some leftovers. I added a lentil quinoa salad as the base, then loaded the bowls with miso mushrooms, a few maple roasted Brussels sprouts, and an extra serving of smoky dressing. Everyone loved it!
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Refrigeration: I store leftover potatoes and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing these potatoes since the texture softens too much once thawed.
Reheating: I reheat the potatoes in the oven or air fryer, and warm the sauce separately before serving.
❓Recipe FAQs
What can I do to ensure my potatoes bake up super crispy?
If you really want to up the crunch factor, I recommend boiling the potato cubes in a bit of alkaline water for about 1-2 minutes. I use 1 teaspoon of baking soda per quart of water. This helps break down the starches, giving your potatoes an ultra-crispy finish and fluffy interior.
What can I use instead of cashews in the sauce?
When I need a nut-free option, I replace the cashews with soaked sunflower seeds or white beans, depending on what I have available. Sunflower seeds create a creamy texture with a mild flavor, while the white beans make the sauce slightly thicker and more savory. I usually add an extra splash of broth when using beans to help the sauce blend smoothly.
How do I keep the roasted potatoes crispy after cooking?
I avoid covering the potatoes immediately after baking since trapped steam softens the crispy coating very quickly. Instead, I leave them uncovered on the tray for a few minutes before serving. If I need to reheat leftovers later, I place them back into a hot oven or air fryer to recrisp them.
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📋 Recipe Card
Vegan Patatas Bravas
If you want a meal that everyone will love, try these vegan patatas bravas. The golden crispy potatoes covered in creamy paprika sauce are the definition of irresistible. I toss russet potatoes with cornstarch, cornmeal, and olive oil before baking them to a golden crisp. The combination of the crunch coating and smoky sauce takes this gluten-free appetizer to new levels. I have everything ready for my family in just under an hour, and it gets devoured even faster.
Servings: 4
Calories: 393kcal
Ingredients
For The Potatoes:
- 2 pounds russet potatoes , cubed
- 1 drizzle oil or broth , to get the coating to stick (see note)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- ½-¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- parsley garnish , optional
- garlic aioli , optional
For The Sauce:
- 1 cup veggie broth , low sodium if needed
- ¾ cup raw cashews , see note
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½-¾ teaspoon sea salt
Equipment
- Large pot
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F / 230 C
- Parboil the cubed potatoes. Put them in a pot and cover them with water. Add a pinch of salt.
- Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. About 5-7 minutes.
- Uncover and cook at a rolling boil for 5 more minutes until slightly soft.
- Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Dab dry with a paper towel and put into a bowl.
- Mix the cornstarch, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Add to the bowl with the potatoes.
- Drizzle on the oil or broth and mix well so they are covered.
- Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake covered for 30-35 minutes, until potatoes are golden and soft.
- Meanwhile make the paprika sauce by putting everything into a blender and blending until smooth and creamy.
- Serve with sauces!
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan patatas bravas recipe is to let the potatoes steam dry for a minute after draining them. I discovered that slightly damp potatoes struggle to crisp properly in the oven, while dry surfaces grab onto the cornstarch coating much better.
- Preheat the baking tray: Sometimes I preheat the baking tray, so that the potatoes start crisping immediately once added.
- Do not overcrowd: I always leave space between the potatoes so the hot air can circulate around each piece properly.
- Blend longer: Even when the sauce looks smooth, I blend for another minute to create the silkiest texture possible.
- Flip halfway: Turning the potatoes during baking helps all the sides brown nicely, instead of leaving soft doughy spots underneath.
- Soak cashews: I always soak my cashews in water overnight to ensure the smoothest sauce. If I am making this at the last minute, I boil the cashews for 20-25 minutes until soft, before adding them to the blender. This step is especially important if you do not have a powerful blender.
Nutrition
Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 625mg | Potassium: 1172mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g
These Vegan Patatas Bravas were a delightful surprise! The crispy potatoes were the perfect base for the bold, flavorful tomato sauce. A truly satisfying and hearty dish that even non-vegans will love.
Awesome! Thanks so much Gianne!
oh man – this is such a great alternative to fries or tater tots! I love the taste of these spicy potatoes and I had to make a second batch last night to satisfy my cravings!
Yay!! So happy to hear that!
Oh yum. We loved this dish and it’s great that it’s vegan as well.
Thank you so much Angela!
Very good! Thank you for the clear directions too, easy to follow. I’ll make this again!
Thanks Kristine! So glad you liked it!