Patatas aliñadas is one of those dishes that doesn’t necessarily impress at first glance. It’s the type of recipe that is completely unforgiving when made with mediocre ingredients, and quite possibly one of the reasons many people return from Spain without truly understanding Spanish cuisine. But when made right, patatas aliñadas is one of Spain’s most delicious and refreshing dishes, the perfect Spanish tapa under the warm Spanish sun.
The secret to this patatas aliñadas recipe is to use very high quality ingredients. The dish is typical of Cadiz, where some of the world’s best tuna is produced. Spain is also home to what is arguably the best olive oil in the world, making it difficult to go wrong!
Patatas Aliñadas Recipe (Spanish Potato Salad)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of new potatoes medium size
- 2 white onions small dice
- Water
- Fresh parsley diced
- Extra virgin olive oil preferably a spicy kind like an Andalusian picual
- 4 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
- Sea salt
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- 2 cans of high quality Spanish tuna
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes well, put them into a large pot and cover them with water
- Cook over high heat and add a tablespoon of sea salt right when the water boils
- Allow the potatoes to boil until just tender (when they can be skewed through with a toothpick/fork). This should take about 25 minutes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, dice the onion and the parsley
- When the potatoes are just cooked through, take the pot off the heat and keep the potatoes in the hot water for another 30 minutes
- Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in a strainer for another 20 minutes, until they're cool enough to handle
- Remove the skin with your hands or with the help of a knife
- Cut the potatoes into thick discs and put them in a glass bowl
- Add the onion and parsley and 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt
- Next add the vinegar and finally the olive oil
- Adjust for salt and on top add the (drained) can of tuna as well as the sliced hard boiled egg
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Have you ever tried patatas aliñadas in Spain? Where?
To see other dishes that are typical of the Cadiz province, check out my Cadiz Gastro Guide!
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Jeneva Canlas Takasawa
Hi Lauren! I hope you don’t mind if I asked for a recipe of the famous calamari sandwich in Madrid. It’s sunny today in Seattle, yay!!!!!!!!!
Querino De Freitas
I love potatoes ,, this dish can be had even in winter..on of your followers did’nt think so…Querino
mark klemick
we spent october in Cadiz, enjoying the relaxed homey atmosphere and remarkable food all over town. thanks very much for your clear recipe for patatas aliñadas. this is such a great example of an incredibly simple preparation that. done properly, can be just exquisite. we enjoyed these several times at the bar in El Faro. they are so wonderful that one’s eyes just roll back in your head. just thinking about them makes me salivate, like pavlov’s dogs. thanks again!
Lauren Aloise
Hehe! Happy you enjoyed!
Elizabeth Dickson
Will defiantly be trying your Spanish potato salad recipes looks so appetizing.,
Theresa Schu
I learned a slight variation of this recipe from my wonderful Spanish neighbours in Chipiona more than forty years ago. That version had the potatoes and hard boiled eggs diced vice sliced, but the addition was sliced pimento-stuffed green olives. It is an oft-requested summer lunch staple among my family members. I’m enjoying this and other recipes on your site. Thank you.
Lauren Aloise
Yum! Sounds so good. Thank you for reading Theresa!
sylvie
It’s too cold by us at the moment to cook this lovely Spanish speciality. I’ll try it within 2 or 3 months : )
Lauren Aloise
Haha! Oh no! I guess I’m lucky, Madrid is chilly but afternoons are sunny and warm enough! Thanks for reading!