Batata Harra is a Lebanese spicy potato dish. Very popular in the Middle East, you can easily make it at home with ingredients that you already have in your kitchen. The result is melt in your mouth potatoes tossed in spice, garlic, and cilantro!
What is Batata Harra?
Batata Harra literally translated to “spicy potatoes” in Arabic. It’s a dish that almost always makes an appearance on Lebanese restaurants’ menus and a very popular Middle Eastern appetizer. Also often found under the name “Lebanese potatoes”, or “spicy potatoes”.
Potatoes are either deep-fried or roasted until crispy from the outside, but fluffy on the inside. Then tossed in a spicy cilantro garlic sauce, and finished off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. So here’s an authentic batata harra recipe that you’re going to love!
The Ingredients
To make this simple potato dish, you will need the following ingredients:
How to Make Batata Harra
Traditionally, the potato cubes are deep-fried until crispy, then they’re drained from excess oil on paper towels. And then, they’re shallow fried with garlic, spices, and fresh cilantro leaves.
To make this recipe a little healthier and easier to make, I go for roasting (as many people do in the Middle East).
To make batata harra, peel, wash, and cube the potatoes into ¾ inch pieces.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread out the potato, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast until fork-tender, and golden brown and crispy (about 40 minutes flipping halfway through).
As the potatoes are being roasted, make the sauce. Heat olive oil, saute minced garlic, then add in the paprika, red chili flakes, and cilantro leaves. Fry for a minute then remove from heat.
When the potatoes are ready, toss them in the garlic cilantro mixture and serve. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. And there you have it, perfectly cooked and seasoned spicy potatoes!
Top Tips for Lebanese Potatoes
- Choose the right type of potatoes – any potato that works well for roasting, works well in this recipe. I recommend Russets or Yukon Golds if you’re in the US, Maris Piper or King Edward if you’re in the UK, and Dutch Cream in Australia.
- Choose the right type of oil – if you go for the frying method, fry in a high smoke point oil such as corn, peanut, grapeseed, or vegetable oil.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet – if the potato cubes are too close to each other, or are put in layers, they will steam rather than roast, and won’t crisp up.
- For extra crispypotatoes – turn them in the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time.
- Adjust heat level to your preference – you can add more or less chili flakes, you can even use fresh minced chili, cayenne powder, or chili powder if you like.
Serving Ideas
Batata Harra is usually served as a part of a mezze feast. Serve it along with hummus, ful mudammes, Baba Ganoush, Muhammara, Tabouleh salad, falafel, and freshly baked pita bread.
It’s also great when served with barbecued or grilled meats and chicken.
Have leftovers? Serve in warm pita pockets for a quick spicy potato wrap, or wrap in tortillas for potato tacos.
Have it for breakfast, just crack a couple of eggs, and there you have it, spicy potatoes and eggs for breakfast!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dried cilantro to make the sauce for Batata Harra?
I recommend that you use fresh cilantro leaves as the freshness of the cilantro adds a lot to the flavor. But it can definitely be substituted with dried cilantro.
Can I make Lebanese Potatoes ahead of time?
I don’t recommend making it ahead of time as the potatoes won’t be as crispy, and the crispiness is what makes these potatoes so special. But you can definitely make the cilantro sauce ahead of time, and toss in the potatoes once they’re roasted.
Other Unique Potato Recipes
- Southern Smothered Potatoes
- Greek Briam Vegetable Bake
- Vegan Potato Cakes with Carrot and Rice
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
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Batata Harra
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Total Time: 55 minutes mins
Author: Diana
Print Rate Recipe
Batata Harra is a Lebanese spicy potato and cilantro dish! Very popular in the Middle East, you can easily make it at home with ingredients that you already have in your kitchen.
4 servings
Batata Harra is a Lebanese spicy potato and cilantro dish! Very popular in the Middle East, you can easily make it at home with ingredients that you already have in your kitchen.
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) potatoes about 5 potatoes – peeled and diced into ¾-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Cilantro Sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic crushed or minced
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ lemon juiced
Instructions
Roasting Method:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and toss well.
Roast in the oven for 40 minutes flipping halfway through or until the potatoes are crispy on the outside, and fork-tender.
Frying Method:
Pat dry the potatoes before frying them. In a large pot or pan, heat oil to 350°F (180°C).
Add the potatoes to the oil, and fry for about 15 minutes or until they're golden brown.
Remove from oil, and drain on a paper towel.
Toss in Cilantro Sauce:
To a pan, add olive oil, garlic, and chili flakes and cook for a minute over low-medium heat or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the paprika and fresh cilantro, followed by the cooked potatoes.
Toss until the potatoes are well coated, remove from pan and serve in a serving dish.
Garnish with extra fresh cilantro, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the potatoes before serving. Serve hot.
Notes:
- Choose the right type of potatoes – any potato that works well for roasting, works well in this recipe. I recommend Russets or Yukon Golds if you’re in the US, Maris Piper or King Edward if you’re in the UK, and Dutch Cream in Australia.
- Choose the right type of oil – if you go for the frying method, fry in a high smoke point oil such as corn, peanut, grapeseed, or vegetable oil.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet – if the potato cubes are too close to each other, or are put in layers, they will steam rather than roast, and won’t crisp up.
- For extra crispypotatoes – turn them in the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time.
- Adjust heat level to your preference – you can add more or less chili flakes, you can even use fresh minced chili, cayenne powder, or chili powder if you like.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 135kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 297mg, Potassium: 52mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 455IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
This recipe first appeared on Little Sunny Kitchen on May 16, 2017. It was updated in October, 2020 with new images and more info. The recipe remained the same.
