Delicious Authentic Spanish Potato Recipes to Try Today

By Edu Valor / Author - Spanish Chef

Spanish potato recipes have a long and flavorful history, rooted in one of the country’s most beloved ingredients. It’s amazing how something so humble has inspired such a wide variety of dishes.

Potatoes are at the heart of nearly every Spanish kitchen. Like rice, they’re versatile and affordable—but potatoes might just win in the creativity department.

Mashed, baked, fried, mixed, or shaped—there’s almost nothing they can’t do. And let’s be honest: it’s all delicious!

Patatas a la Importancia. Flavorful, Egg-coated potatoes.

One lesser-known dish worth discovering is Patatas a la Importancia (see recipe link below). It might look a little unusual at first glance, but it’s every bit as tasty as the classics.

A couple of other recipes I want to highlight are:

1. Patatas a lo Pobre (Poor Man’s Potatoes), From: Andalusia
   What it is: Sliced potatoes slowly cooked with onions, garlic, and green peppers in olive oil—sometimes with a fried egg or chorizo on top.
   Why it’s loved: It’s simple, hearty, and packed with flavor. The slow-cooking makes everything meltingly tender.
2. Guiso de Patatas con Bacalao (Cod and Potato Stew), from: Basque Country, Navarra
   What it is: A saffron-tinted stew of salted cod, potatoes, peppers, garlic, and olive oil. Why it’s loved: It mixes the earthiness of potatoes with the bold umami of cured fish—classic Lenten fare.

Potatoes really are the chameleons of the kitchen. Did you know Spain played a major role in their arrival in Europe?

Preparing a Rioja potato dish (patatas a la Riojana).

It’s hard to imagine Spanish cuisine without the potato, but it actually didn’t arrive here until the 16th century.

Spanish explorers brought it back from their expeditions in the Andes, where the Incas had been cultivating it for generations. For Europe, though, it was something entirely unfamiliar.

The first potato plants likely made their way to Seville in the early 1570s. At the time, they were seen more as botanical oddities than food.

There's a record from 1573 showing that the Hospital de la Sangre in Seville (The Hospital de las Cinco Llagas) was using potatoes—one of the earliest known examples of them being eaten in Spain.

Still, they didn’t catch on right away. For a long time, potatoes were grown in small amounts, sometimes for livestock, sometimes just out of curiosity.

It wasn’t really until the 18th century, when Spain faced repeated food shortages and failed harvests, that people began to take them seriously.

That’s when reformers and agronomists began promoting the potato as a reliable, nutritious crop—something that could help feed people when other staples failed. Slowly, it started appearing in rural gardens and farm plots.

Over the years, it found its way into more kitchens—and eventually into the heart of Spanish cooking. Today, it’s hard to picture a plate of tortilla or patatas bravas without it.

Scrambled potatoes

Who hasn’t heard of tortilla Española, patatas bravas, or papas arrugadas? These iconic Spanish potato recipes are beloved across Spain—and beyond.

Each dish is prepared in its own special way:

• Tortilla Española: A hearty Spanish omelet made with potatoes and eggs. Simple, filling, and incredibly satisfying.
• Patatas Bravas: Crispy fried potatoes topped with a spicy tomato-based sauce. Perfect for tapas night.
• Papas Arrugadas: “Wrinkled potatoes” from the Canary Islands, typically served with a punchy mojo sauce.

These are crowd-pleasers for a reason—but for me, the tortilla Española takes the crown. Sometimes, the simplest things really are the best. Plus, it's packed with energy—ideal for active travelers or anyone who needs a filling meal on the go.

Potatoes are affordable, and in many places, they’re even cheaper than rice. That’s great news if you’re cooking on a budget but still want flavor-packed meals.

No matter where you live, trying classic Spanish potato recipes is a delicious way to bring a little bit of Spain into your home. There’s something for everyone—whether you like them crispy, soft, spicy, or savory.

Farmers have relied on potatoes for centuries as a source of long-lasting energy. And for modern-day food lovers or travelers, these dishes still do the trick.

Personally, I love my potatoes oven-baked or fried (Belgium’s influence, clearly!). But however you prefer them, these recipes are sure to impress.

If you love potatoes, it’s time to explore some of Spain’s finest. You just might discover a new favorite!

*****

Edu's Classic Potato Recipes

Patatas a la Importancia (potatoes in sauce)

Patatas a la Riojana (Rioja potatoes)

Revuelto de Patatas (scrambled potatoes)

Patatas Bravas (wild potatoes)