Lebanese Spice Potato aka Batata Harra in Arabic is one of the most popular side dishes in the Middle East. This vegan side dish is nothing but a Mediterranean twist on roasted potatoes. A healthy yet simple recipe that does not require any special ingredients to make. These vegan, gluten-free spicy baked potatoes are such a versatile side dish that comes together in under 30 minutes or maybe less!
What is Batata Harra or Lebanese Spiced Potato
Batata Harra is an Arabic phrase for “spicy potato”. These Lebanese spicy potato chunks are quite a famous side dish in middle eastern countries.
Traditionally this spicy skillet Lebanese potatoes recipe uses deep-fried potato chunks and then tossed in a flavorful mixture of fresh cilantro, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper.
Some like to cook batata harra with spicy peppers and some prefer it without it, it is a versatile dish that you can think of both as a side or even as a great roasted potato salad.
Lebanese spicy potato dish is a naturally gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free dish. It is one of the best budget-friendly side dishes as it only requires one main ingredient, which is potato. The rest is some regular kitchen staples and fresh herbs.
Why this recipe is a must-try
- Easy potato side dish (it’s vegan, gluten-free, and a healthy plant-based side dish)
- Easy one-pan side dish
- A perfect balance of different flavors and textures
- Soft, slightly spicy and so comforting
- Easily customizable & pretty versatile
- Ready in 30 minutes and a perfect meal prep-friendly
Ingredients for Labenese spicy potato | Batata Harra
- Golden potatoes: Wash and peel the potatos, and cut them into cubes that are easy to handle with a fork.
- Garlic: use 2-3 freshly minced garlic cloves
- Red pepper: you can use crushed red pepper or chopped pimentos.
- Fresh cilantro and parsley: chopped cilantro and parsley add a real burst of flavor
- Turmeric: use warm spices like ground turmeric for extra flavor.
- Olive oil: for roasting the potatos and the spices
- Lemon juice: Finish the dish with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice, it adds an amazing zing to the batata harra
4 preparation methods for Labenese spicy Potatos:
There are mainly 4 ways you can make batata harra or the middle eastern spicy skillet potatoes; Choose whichever method you prefer it will yield the best results.
- Double Fry (Traditional Method): Traditionally batata harra is prepared by double frying the potatos chunks or cubes. In this method, you’ll need to deep fry the potato cubes with any seasoning or coating. And then shallow fry the potato cubes with olive oil, minced garlic, crushed red pepper, and chopped cilantro.
- Roast then toss with the seasoning: Roasting the potato cubes using a conventional oven, you can also roast the potatoes with some seasoning like salt, pepper, and olive oil. When they are golden brown and crisp on the outside, then toss them with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, and herb mix.
- Boil, then shallow fry: This is method cuts the roasting time and comes together in under 10 to 15 minutes. In this method, you’ll need to boil the potatos for about 10 minutes to partially boil them. Then shallow fry the potato cubes with the fragrant sauce that is olive oil, minced garlic, warm spices, red pepper flacks, coriander seeds, and fresh herbs. This helps to reduce more fat and extra calories as compared to deep-frying them.
- Air fry and then shallow fry: This is the method I mostly prefer for making my version of batata harra. Using an air fryer, roast the potato cubes with only salt, black pepper, and a little bit of olive oil. Roast (mostly takes 8 to 10 minutes) the potatoes until they are golden and crispy on the outside. And then shallow fry them in olive oil, minced garlic, red pepper, and turmeric. Air frying the potato cut the oil consumption and still gives the same result.
How to make Lebanese Spicy Potatos (Batata Harra):
To make the batata harra recipe a little bit healthier and quicker, I go for either air frying or roasting the potato cubes.
- To make the Lebanese spicy potato recipe, peel and wash the golden potatoes and cut them into small cubes approx ¾ inch pieces that are easy to handle with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C), line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread them out on the baking dish. Drizzle some olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast in the oven.
- While the potatoes are being roasted in the oven, you can prepare the sauce. Heat some olive oil in an iron skillet and minced garlic cloves with red pepper flakes and ground coriander seeds over low to medium heat. Saute for 2 minutes and add the turmeric powder.
- Once the potatoes are ready, add them to the sauce and gently toss them together to coat the potato cubes evenly, Do not over mix, else you’ll end up with mashed potatoes. Cook them on low flame for about 3 minutes or until the potato cubes absorbed the herb mixture.
Tips to make the best Lebanese Spicy Potatoes
- Make sure to wash the potatoes properly with cold water to get rid of excess starch present in the potatoes. The starch that’s naturally present in the potatoes can cause them to stick together during the roasting or air frying process.
- Choose the right kind of oil for frying: if you are going for frying the potato cubes then make sure to use any high smoke points oil such as vegetable oil, peanut oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Don’t have parchment paper? Just heat the pan before adding the potato cubes to it. To make it easier, just place the pan in the oven while it is preheating.
- Do not overcrowd the pan or the air fryer basket: Make sure to place the potato cube on the baking sheet in a single layer. If your potato cubes are too close to each other or you place them in layers, they will steam rather than roast and will end up like soggy potato cubes.
- Do not flip the potatoes more than once: Flipping the potatoes while roasting may mess up the outer texture and the crispness of the cubes. So leave the baking sheet undisturbed until they are golden brown on one side before flipping them once halfway through.
What To Serve With Batata Harra
Batata harra is a beautiful dish to serve as a part of a mezze platter! You can serve it with falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, tabouleh salad, and chicken kofta. It can also be served as a side dish with a protein like chicken kebabs, chicken breast, and any other protein.
If you wish to make a vegan bowl – you can serve it with cilantro rice, crispy tofu, and freshly chopped onions and tomatoes – makes a bowl of wellness!
You can have it for breakfast or brunch! Just crack some eggs and you have got, spicy potatoes and eggs topped with fresh veggies like onion, cucumber, and cilantro with a dollop of greek yogurt for breakfast!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the best potatoes to use for Lebanese Spicy Potatoes?
I love using golden or Yukon potatos to make Lebanese spicy potato recipes. They get nice and fluffy on the inside and taste great. But if you can’t find Yukon or golden potatoes, russet or Maris Piper or King Edward will also work.
Can you make batata harra ahead of time?
I would highly recommend making the batata harra recipe fresh because if you are rotating or deep frying the potatos they will lose their crispy texture as they cool. But you can make the fragrant sauce and it stays well in the fridge for about 3 weeks.
But if you are making this recipe for a meal prep then it will easily last in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days and can be rewarmed or eaten cold as a roasted potato salad.
Can I use dried herbs?
I would recommend using fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, as the freshness of freshly chopped herbs elevated the flavor. But you can also substitute the fresh cilantro with the dried ones.
More Potato Recipes
- Air Fryer Potatoes
- Vegan Potato Curry
- Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Potato Chips
Perfect as a side dish or appetizer, Batata Harra is a simple and satisfying way to spice up your mealtime routine. Try it once, and you’ll be hooked!
If you’ve tried this recipe Lebanese Spicy Potatoes / Batata Harra recipe or any other recipe on MagentaStreaks, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it.
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