Patatas Bravas with Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Aiolis

With my Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Aiolis, these Patatas Bravas are a unique spin on the traditional Spanish potato dish!

Patas Bravas is one of my favorite meals EVER.

A traditional Spanish dish, Patatas Bravas consists of delicious crispy potatoes and a spicy tomato sauce.

My Introduction to Patatas Bravas. And My New Best Friend.

I first had patatas bravas some years ago in Spain while visiting Madrid.

Thanks to our delayed flight from Brussels, Belgium–where I worked at the time–my travel buddy and I made friends with a Spaniard, who was also on our flight.

You can become best friends with someone pretty quickly when you’re stranded at the airport for an indefinite period of time…and the three of us became slap-happy, best friends during the ultimately 2 ½ hour (!!!!) flight delay.

A New Favorite Dish

Well, we finally did make it to Madrid, and our new best friend was so awesome, when he discovered this was our first time in Spain, he used his connections to get us into a popular flamenco dinner show.  (Las Carboneras, for those of you familiar with Madrid.)

Not only did we get to see this beautiful flamenco show, our new friend also arranged for us to enjoy several amazing Spanish tapas.  One of the tapas we had that night was patatas bravas.

I immediately became near obsessed with this delicious dish, and knew I’d be recreating it at home.

My Spin on Classic Patatas Bravas

Traditionally, patatas bravas is served with a spicy tomato sauce.  My aiolis here are not tomato-based, or really all that spicy.  But my patatas bravas recipe stays true to the idea of the dish: crispy potatoes with awesome sauce loaded on top!

I also added some fried chickpeas so you can enjoy patatas bravas as a full-on meal, not just as a tapa.  Put the potatoes, chickpeas, and aiolis over a bed of spinach, and you’ve got a really healthy and a really tasty dinner!

Even better, this recipe is gluten-free, and vegan if you omit the Parmesan from the aiolis.  I often do, and they are still absolutely delicious and totally addicting!

This is my favorite brand and deal for nutritional yeast. You really can’t beat the flavor, quality, quantity, and price point! Click the photo to view on Amazon! [aff. link]

A Few Things!

My Favorite Nutritional Yeast

In my book, nutritional yeast [ aff. link] takes these patatas braves and chickpeas to the next level!

Nutritional yeast has a nutty, cheesy flavor to it, and is so incredibly good for you.  (Just 1/4 cup of this stuff has 8 grams of protein!).  It adds a nice, slightly cheesy flavor to this dish.  Best of all, nutritional yeast adds an extra bit of crispness to the potatoes during roasting.

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If you don’t have nutritional yeast on hand, you can find my favorite brand and deal on Amazon here [aff. link].

Trader Joe’s makes my favorite onion salt. If you don’t have a local Trader Joe’s click the photo to view or purchase on Amazon! [aff. link]

My Favorite Onion Salt

My favorite onion salt to use in general, and especially in this recipe, is the Trader Joe’s brand.  It’s studded with dried herbs that add so much flavor to these patatas bravas.

I was really surprised to discover that you can find Trader Joe’s onion salt on Amazon, so if If you don’t have a local Trader Joe’s, check out their onion salt here [aff. link]!

Make These Potatoes and Aiolis!

Make my Patatas Bravas with Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Aiolis for a delicious, healthy, and filling meal that’ll transport you to Madrid any day of the week!

It certainly does for me.

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5 from 3 votes

Patatas Bravas with Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Aiolis

With my Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Aiolis, these Patatas Bravas are a unique spin on the traditional Spanish potato dish!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings: 5
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

  • 2 Tbsp good olive oil
  • 2.5 pounds red potatoes, diced to ½ inch pieces (don't peel the the potatoes! we want the skin on.)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion salt
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

For the chickpeas:

  • 1 Tbsp good olive oil
  • 2 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

For the Pesto Aioli

  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp Parmesan, freshly ground, or omit to keep this meal vegan. This aioli is still delicious without the Parmesan!
  • 2 cups fresh basil
  • 2 Tbsp good olive oil
  • ¼ cup Veganaise, or mayonnaise

For the Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

  • 1/3 cup blanched almonds or pine nuts
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 dash cayenne, optional, omit if you don’t like heat
  • 2 Tbsp Parmesan, freshly ground, or omit to keep this meal vegan. This aioli is still delicious without the Parmesan!
  • ½ cup roasted red bell pepper, from a jar
  • ¼ cup Veganaise, or mayonnaise

Instructions

Preheat the oven

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Put the sheet you will use to roast the potatoes in the oven while it preheats. Let the pan heat in the oven for 15 minutes.

Prep the potatoes

  • Add the diced potatoes,salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast and olive oil to a large mixing bowl.
  • Toss everything together until the potatoes are coated in the oil and seasongs.
  • Now take your sheet pan out of the oven and dump the potato mixture onto the sheet pan. The potatoes will sizzle when they hit the pan.
  • With a spatula, spread the potatoes out so they are evenly distributed and not touching each other.

Roast the potatoes

  • Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, take the potatoes out of the oven, and flip them so a difference side of each potato is face-down on the sheet pan.
  • Place the sheet pan back in the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.
  • Take the sheet pan out of the oven, flip the potatoes, and roast for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Potatoes are done!

Make the aiolis

  • While the potatoes roast, make your aiolis.

Pesto aioli

  • To your food processor, add the pine nuts, garlic, salt, parmesan, and basil. Pulse until everything starts to break down, then process until everything has turned to small flecks.
  • Now add the olive oil and the Veganaise (or mayonnaise). Process until everything comes together and the mixture is very creamy. Remove from the food processor and place in a serving dish. Pesto aioli is done!

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

  • First, rinse your food processor. Now add the blanched almonds (or pine nuts), garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), parmesan, and roasted red bell pepper to the food processor.
  • Pulse a few times, and then process until every has turned to small flecks.
  • Add the Veganaise (or mayonnaise) and process until creamy and the flecks have gotten even smaller. Roasted Red Pepper Aioli is done!
  • Note: if using almonds, they will retain a lot of their texture and that is good!

Fry the chickpeas

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat until the oil is hot, about a minute. Now add the chickpeas, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast.
  • Stir so the seasonings are evenly distributed, and then with your spatula spread the chickpeas out so that each chickpea has a side touching the bottom of the pan.
  • Cook for 6 minutes over medium heat, then flip the chickpeas so another side has a chance to brown. Cook for another 4-6 minutes over medium heat, or until the chickpeas are browned on this side as well.
  • If the chickpeas begin popping a little too crazily, turn the heat down to medium low as needed. Chickpeas are done!

Serve and enjoy!

  • Serve the patatas bravas and chickpeas over a bed of greens, and either dip in the aiolis, or drizzle the aiolis over the top. Enjoy! (:

Notes

This meal is vegan if you omit the Parmesan from the aiolis.  I often do, and both sauces are absolutely delicious without Parmesan!
This meal is gluten free.

© Copyright 2025 Vanguard of Hollywood

8 Responses

  1. 5 stars
    I’m obsessed with this recipe. The combination of flavors is perfect. The Aiolis are amazing and the chick peas are divine! Sometimes I add chicken and grilled veggies, but the recipe as written is perfect.

    1. Ohhhh yum!!!! Veggies and a meat or meat substitute sound like great additions to this recipe. Thank you so much for your kind words, it means so much to me! I could almost drink these Aiolis haha. (:

  2. 5 stars
    Oh man, flight delays are the worst! But it sounds like you had a silver lining to that experience for sure. I bet that was really awesome seeing the flamenco show in Madrid – bucket list for sure. And I’ve heard about patatas bravas, but I haven’t had the opportunity to try them yet. These sound quite tasty, Shannon!

    1. Aren’t flight delays terrible??? Thank heavens I had good company to get me through this one haha. 😆. Oh you will LOVE patatas bravas David, definitely give them a try!

  3. 5 stars
    Prior to the dreaded CV19 arrival, we frequented a tapas bar in Copenhagen often and the first thing I always ordered is Patatas bravas. But, I’ve not made it at home, until now. Great recipes and I love the chickpea addition.

    1. Thanks Ron! Ohhh that sounds absolutely AMAZING!! I’ve never been to Copenhagen, but it’s certainly in my top places to visit. Hopefully soon!

  4. Oh my goodness! I could eat this three times a day. Seriously. I love your aiolis, and my eating life tends to revolve around condiments! My girlfriend turned me on to TJ’s onion salt, and it’s fabulous!

    1. Thanks Mimi! Haha oh I am so with you, condiments and sauces just make the meal in my book! Yessss, another fan of Trader Joe’s onion salt!! Isn’t it the best?? Love that stuff!

5 from 3 votes

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