Patatas Bravas Bowl is my take on the dish I fell in love with in Madrid, built into a full meal. Crispy roasted russet potatoes, topped with spiced ground beef, a Madrid-style brava sauce, and a creamy garlic yogurt aioli. Served over fresh spinach with chives on top. Bold, satisfying, and completely Spanish Mediterranean from start to finish!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Patatas Bravas Bowl
🕒 Ready In: ~ 40 minutes
👪 Serves: 6 servings
🍽 Calories: ~ per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Potatoes, ground beef, sweet paprika, hot paprika, spinach
👌 Difficulty: Easy
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Crispy roasted potatoes without a deep fryer. Seasoned russets roasted at 425F until golden and crispy on every side.
The spiced ground beef takes it from tapas to a full bowl. Seasoned with paprika, tomato paste, and a cornstarch slurry that gives it a slightly saucy glossy finish.
Ready in 40 minutes. Potatoes in the oven, beef on the stovetop, sauces done in between. Everything finishes at the same time.
Patatas Bravas Bowl Video
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Ingredient Notes
Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes have the highest starch content of any common potato variety, which is what gives you that deeply crispy exterior and fluffy interior. If you love crispy roasted russets in a bowl situation, my Lebanese Potato Bowl uses the same variety for the same reason.
Sweet and Hot Spanish Paprika: Sweet paprika gives the sauce its deep red color and its warm, smoky backbone. Hot paprika adds the heat that gives patatas bravas their name. Bravas means brave or spicy in Spanish, and without the hot paprika, this is just a paprika sauce. Use Spanish pimentón specifically if you can find it. The flavor is significantly more complex and deeper than regular supermarket paprika. My Mediterranean herbs and spices guide covers Spanish paprika in more detail if you want to explore further.
Ground Beef: One pound of ground beef cooked in olive oil with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and beef bouillon, finished with tomato paste cooked until darkened, and bound with a cornstarch slurry and a splash of water. The slurry creates a slightly saucy glossy finish that sits beautifully on top of the potatoes rather than being dry and crumbly.
The Garlic Yogurt Aioli: The Greek yogurt keeps it lighter and tangier than a pure aioli. Cool, creamy, and garlicky against the warm, smoky brava sauce and crispy potatoes. The contrast between the two sauces is what makes this bowl taste like a proper Spanish tapas experience.
Fresh Spinach: Fresh spinach adds a clean brightness and a nutritional backbone to what is otherwise a very rich bowl. It wilts slightly from the warmth of the potatoes and beef, and that slight wilt is exactly right. Arugula works equally well if you prefer a peppery note.
Pro tip
The Secret to Perfect Potatoes
Space the potatoes out on the sheet pan. Every single piece needs direct contact with the hot oiled pan and room for the heat to circulate around it. Two sheet pans if necessary rather than crowding one.
Substitutions & Variations
No ground beef? Ground lamb is a beautiful substitute and has a deeper slightly gamier flavor that pairs beautifully with the Spanish paprika profile. Ground chicken works for a lighter version with an extra tablespoon of olive oil to compensate for the lower fat content.
Want to make it more traditional? Skip the ground beef entirely and serve the crispy potatoes with just the brava sauce and garlic yogurt aioli as a proper tapas dish.
No hot paprika? A pinch of cayenne works as a substitute in a smaller quantity. Start with a quarter teaspoon and adjust to taste. The heat level of cayenne is significantly more intense than hot paprika so go carefully.
FAQ
Yes and frying gives you an even crispier result. Heat vegetable or avocado oil to 350F and fry the cubed potatoes in batches for 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with salt.
The paprika was probably added while the pan was too hot, and it burned. Always take the pan off the heat before adding paprika. Even 30 seconds on a hot pan is enough to burn it.
Yes! The brava sauce keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a small splash of broth if it has thickened too much. The garlic yogurt aioli keeps for up to 4 days in the fridge and is actually better after a day, when the garlic has had time to bloom into the sauce.
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⭐️ Recipe
Patatas Bravas Bowl
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 4 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for the pan
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
Spiced ground beef
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon beef bouillon
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- ⅓ cup water
Brava sauce
- ½ white onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- Dash of red wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
Garlic yogurt aioli
- ¾ cup full fat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup Kewpie mayo
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For serving
- 6 cups fresh spinach about 1 cup per bowl
- Fresh chives chopped
Instructions
Roast the potatoes
- Preheat your oven to 425F. Peel and cube the russet potatoes into roughly equal sized pieces. Add to a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt until every piece is evenly coated. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil across one or two large sheet pans. Spread the potatoes in a single even layer with space between each piece. Do not crowd the pan. Roast at 425F for 25 to 30 minutes until deeply golden and crispy all over. Check them at the 20 minute mark and if any pieces are sticking add a small drizzle of olive oil.4 lbs russet potatoes, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt
Cook the ground beef
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and spread into an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until a golden sear develops on the bottom. Break into crumbles and continue cooking until fully browned and any liquid has evaporated.1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 lb ground beef
- Add the beef bouillon, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to coat evenly. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly until it darkens. Add the cornstarch slurry and the water and stir to combine. Simmer for to 3 minutes until the beef is slightly saucy and glossy. Remove from the pan and set aside.½ tbsp beef bouillon, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, 1 tbsp tomato paste, ⅓ cup water, 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Make the brava sauce
- In the same pan (cleaned), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.½ white onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the sweet paprika and hot paprika and stir immediately to combine with the onion and oil. This is critical. Paprika burns instantly on high heat and burnt paprika is bitter and unrecoverable. Adding it off the heat prevents burning.2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp hot paprika
- Return the pan to medium heat. Add the flour and stir to coat everything evenly. Cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly until the flour is lightly toasted and the mixture smells nutty.2 tbsp all purpose flour
- Pour in the chicken broth gradually, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add a dash of red wine vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar.1.5 cups chicken broth, Dash of red wine vinegar, Salt to taste
- Transfer to a blender and blend on high for 60 seconds until completely smooth and silky. Return to the pan and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
Make the garlic yogurt aioli
- Whisk together the Greek yogurt, Kewpie mayo, grated garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve so it is cold when it goes on the warm bowl.¾ cup full fat Greek yogurt, ½ cup Kewpie mayo, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, Salt and black pepper to taste
Assemble
- Add about one cup of fresh spinach to the bottom of each bowl. Top with a generous portion of the crispy roasted potatoes. Add the spiced ground beef on top. Drizzle the warm brava sauce generously over everything. Follow with a drizzle of the cold garlic yogurt aioli. Finish with fresh chopped chives. Serve immediately.6 cups fresh spinach, Fresh chives
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!