Batata harra is a traditional Lebanese recipe that gives you delicious spicy roasted potatoes every time. It’s typically served as a side dish or as part of a mezze platter. We’ll share our favorite version but the great thing about this dish is it’s flexible and you can adapt the ingredients to suit your taste.
Table of contents:
How to Make Batata Harra (Lebanese Spicy Roasted Potatoes)
Ingredients
(6 Side Servings)
- 35 oz /1 kg of potatoes
- 1 tablespoon of hot smoked paprika
- 3 large cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 small bunch of cilantro leaves (chopped)
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of hot chili flakes
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 lemon in wedges (for serving)
Equipment
- Baking sheet/tray
- Parchment/baking paper
- Large skillet/frying pan
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Tongs
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Garlic press
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F / 235°C.
- Cut potatoes into smallish cubes then place on some parchment paper on your baking sheet.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over your potatoes and sprinkle with some salt and pepper (to taste).
- Roast potatoes in the oven for around 20 minutes, then remove and rotate them using tongs. Put them back in the oven for 10-20 minutes (until they’re golden brown).
- While you’re waiting for the potatoes to finish cooking, make the spicy sauce. Start by heating the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in your skillet on medium-high heat, then add the minced garlic and stir.
- After about 1 minute, add the paprika, chili flakes, and half of the cilantro. Stir it all through and remove from the heat after 1 minute.
- Once cooked, remove the potatoes from the oven and add them to your skillet to stir the sauce through so they’re evenly coated.
- Serve with the remaining cilantro sprinkled over the top and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
What to Serve with Batata Harra
The beauty of this dish is how versatile it is — you can pair it with many mains or include it as part of a mezze platter. It can work as a side when served with meat, fish, and veggie mains. Why not try it as a side for za’atar with eggplant and artichoke hearts (vegan), chicken with za’atar, baked fish fillets, or one-pan Greek chicken thighs with roast veg?
If you’re looking to make a mezze platter or small dishes to share, it works well with baba ganoush (also from Lebanon), Greek-style chicken souvlaki, tabbouleh, or meatballs. These are just some suggestions, you’ve probably already got some ideas of what you might like to serve your batata harra with.
Ingredient Substitutions
Like we mentioned at the start, this dish is really flexible and works many ways. Since potatoes naturally don’t have loads of flavor, you can pair them with so many herbs and spices. It’s common to find batata harra served with parsley and cilantro, so if you’re not a fan of cilantro just use parsley instead.
If you don’t like your food too spicy or have someone in the family who doesn’t, cut down on the chili flakes and you can use sweet paprika instead of a hot variety. And if you love spicy food, feel free to up the heat level to suit your liking. You can also add cayenne pepper to this dish on top of the chili flakes and paprika.
FAQs and Cooking Tips for Batata Harra
How long does it take to cook batata harra?
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 30-40 minutes
- Total time: 35-45 minutes
How spicy is this batata harra recipe?
If you’re used to eating spicy food from time to time, the quantities we use in this recipe won’t be extra spicy for you. It has a comfortable level of heat so it’s still got that spicy quality but doesn’t overpower the dish.
If you’re not used to spice, start with less because you can always add more after but can’t take it away! On the flip side, if you pour hot sauce over everything and love your food to really have a punch to it, we’d recommend you add more.
Is batata harra vegetarian or vegan?
Batata harra is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. It’s also naturally gluten-free.
Is batata harra healthy?
Yes, batata harra is a healthy recipe. The only thing to watch out for is how much salt you add to the potatoes. Otherwise, all of the ingredients are good for you, from the healthy olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil for the most nutritional benefits) to the Mediterranean herbs and spices it calls for.
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 224 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 12.1g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat 1.7g | 9% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 17mg | 1% |
| Total Carbohydrate 27.9g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber 4.8g | 17% |
| Total Sugars 2.2g | |
| Protein 3.4g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 29mg | 2% |
| Iron 1mg | 8% |
| Potassium 783mg | 17% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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