Batata Harra (Middle Eastern Spicy Potatoes)

Take your weeknight side dish game up a notch with batata harra, Middle Eastern spicy potatoes! Fluffy potatoes, fresh herbs, lime juice, and spices combine to create a mouthwatering skillet potato recipe.  

What is Batata Harra? 

Batata harra is a popular Middle Eastern potato dish that translates from Arabic to “spicy potatoes.” In some countries, batata harra is extremely spicy, thanks to the addition of harissa paste or harissa spice blend. 

But in places like Egypt, where I grew up, you’ll find these skillet potatoes are subtly spicy with just a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, relying more on garlic, fresh herbs, and warm spices like turmeric and cumin for flavor. 

You can think of batata harra as being similar to the popular Spanish tapa patatas bravas, which are fried potatoes smothered in a spicy sauce. I always look for ways to make our food as healthy as possible, so while many batata harra recipes call for frying, I boiled mine, then sautéed them in a little olive oil. This vegan, gluten-free recipe is ready in only 25 minutes!

Ingredients Needed to Make Batata Harra

Batata harra is made with potatoes, spices, and fresh herbs. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Potatoes: You’ll need 6 medium-sized potatoes. Medium-sized potatoes should fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: You’ll need a few tablespoons of good EVOO to sauté the potatoes, spices, and herbs. 
• Spices: Garlic, coriander seeds (or ground coriander), crushed red pepper flakes, and turmeric give these spicy potatoes the right amount of warmth and heat. 
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice brightens up the flavors in this skillet potato dish.
• Fresh herbs: You’ll need chopped cilantro leaves, flat-leaf parsley leaves, and dill. 

How to Make Batata Harra

• Boil 6 medium-sized gold potatoes. Simply peel the potatoes and boil them whole until fork-tender, but not completely cooked through. (They will have a few minutes in the skillet to finish cooking.)
• Cut the potatoes. Drain the potatoes or scoop them out of the water carefully using a slotted spoon. Place them on a cutting board and allow them to cool for a few minutes, then cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Set them aside.
• Sauté the spices. Warm extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons coriander seeds. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding 2 teaspoons of turmeric. If you decide to use 1 teaspoon coriander powder instead of seeds, add it here as well. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime.
• Add the potatoes to the skillet. Toss well to coat them in the spices, then add a cup each of chopped cilantro leaves, parsley leaves, and dill. Sprinkle some kosher salt and black pepper to taste, and allow the potatoes to cook for a few more minutes until completely tender. Once cooked, remove the batata harra from the heat and sprinkle with a bit more red pepper flakes if you want a bit more heat. You can also add more fresh herbs.

Different Ways to Make This Potato Recipe

Potatoes not only adopt the flavors they are paired with, but they also lend themselves to different cooking methods. I prefer to boil and saute them, but feel free to experiment with your own technique.

• Boiling method: This is my favorite way to prepare batata harra. I use significantly less oil than the double-fry method, and I save time by boiling the potatoes instead of roasting them. 
• Double-fry method: Start by deep frying the potatoes without any seasoning, and then move them to a skillet with just a little oil to finish cooking them with herbs and spices.
• Roasting method: Roast the potatoes with some kosher salt and extra virgin olive oil until cooked (crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside), then quickly toss them with herbs and spices while hot. 

What are the Best Potatoes for Batata Harra?

Yukon gold potatoes are a good all-purpose potato, and they are my favorite to use in this recipe. They are creamy and fluffy when cooked, but still hold their shape. 

• All-purpose potatoes, like Yukon golds are the best for batata harra, because they have a medium amount of both starch and water, meaning they are suited to most kinds of preparation.
• Don’t use: Starchy varieties like russet potatoes and waxy kinds like fingerlings or red potatoes don’t have quite the right texture for this recipe. 
• Don’t use: Baby potatoes don’t save much time because you still have to cut them into smaller pieces.

Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions

• Potatoes: My preference in this recipe is Yukon gold potatoes, but another all-purpose potato like red golds, white or purple would be a good option.
• Herbs: I used one of my favorite herb trios: parsley, cilantro, and dill. But you don’t have to use all 3! If you don’t like cilantro, for example, simply skip it and use more parsley.
• For less spice: Reduce the red pepper flakes from 1 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon.
• For more spice: Add up to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in addition to the red pepper flakes or use Harissa paste, which is a blend of several different spices. The flavor is much more complex than red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper alone, and can be quite spicy depending upon the variety you purchase. You can also make homemade harissa as I often do.

What to Serve with Potatoes

I like to serve these spicy potatoes as a simple side dish with other Middle Eastern recipes like Shish Tawook (Middle Eastern Grilled Chicken Skewers) and Fattoush (Crispy Pita and Vegetable Salad) when it’s warm outside, and I’m cooking on the grill.

When the weather cools a bit, and comfort food is in order, I serve batata harra with Kofta Meatballs with Hummus or Middle Eastern Baharat Chicken Thighs.

If you’re up for a big mezze feast, definitely add these skillet potatoes next to other small dishes like:

How to Store Leftovers

Batata harra doesn’t last long in my household, so I usually don’t have leftovers! But leftover spicy potatoes will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Serve leftovers and room temperature, or reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a little extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes until warm. 

More Mediterranean Potato Recipes

Bundle and Save!

Four of our best-selling signature olive oils, perfect for everyday use.