If you want dinner that smells like sunshine and doesn’t ask much of you, make these Andalusian-style potatoes. It’s basically golden potato wedges simmered in a tomato-pepper-garlic situation until they’re plush inside, lightly crisped outside, and coated in a rich, paprika-forward sauce. Simple, satisfying, and it holds its own next to fish, chicken, or a pile of fresh veggies.
What you need
Medium potatoes, 800 g; ripe tomatoes, 3 (about 300 g); red bell pepper, 1 (about 150 g); yellow onion, 1 (about 80 g); garlic, 3 cloves; olive oil, 3 tbsp; sweet paprika, 1 tsp; ground cumin, 1/2 tsp; salt to taste; a pinch of ground black pepper; a few sprigs of fresh parsley for serving; water or vegetable broth, 150 ml.
How to make it
- Prep the vegetables. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large wedges so they soak up the sauce without falling apart. Score the tomatoes, blanch briefly in boiling water, slip off the skins, and dice. Seed the bell pepper and slice it into broad strips. Slice the onion into half-moons and finely chop the garlic.
- Build the base. Warm the olive oil in a deep skillet or a small Dutch oven. Soften the onion until translucent, then stir in the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add the bell pepper, stir, and cook 3–4 minutes over medium heat.
- Season and simmer. Add the potato wedges, sprinkle in the paprika and cumin, and toss gently so the spices coat everything. Tip in the tomatoes, pour in the water or vegetable broth, season with salt and a pinch of black pepper, and bring to a boil. Drop the heat to low, cover, and let it gently simmer 25–30 minutes. You want the potatoes tender but intact and the sauce slightly thickened.
- Finish smart. About 5 minutes before you think it’s done, taste and adjust the salt or spices. Take it off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5–10 minutes so the flavors calm down and the sauce clings.
Serve it
Shower with finely chopped parsley and serve hot. It pairs cleanly with baked fish or simple chicken fillets, and it doesn’t mind sharing the plate with crisp raw vegetables. If you think you’ve seen every potato trick, this one still has a few moves.