Bravas Sauce

A smoky, tangy, and rich Spanish-style dipping sauce made with garlic oil, caramelised tomato purée, and sweet smoked paprika.

Inspired by the classic Spanish tapas staple, Patatas Bravas, this version combines garlic-infused oil, richly caramelised tomato purée, sweet smoked Spanish paprika, a pinch of chilli heat, and a bright splash of vinegar. Made from simple cupboard staples with massive flavour—dip it, drizzle it, or swirl it with garlic mayo and devour!

Bravas Sauce, a European recipe
Prep5 min
Cook10 min
Total15 min
Serves4 (Makes 200 ml)
LevelEasy
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Before you start

Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.

Method

  1. 1

    Caramelise Tomato & Garlic Base

    Heat 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat (if using fresh garlic, gently sizzle for 1 minute until fragrant without browning).

  2. 2

    Add 3 tbsp concentrated tomato purée to the oil and fry while stirring continuously for 2–3 minutes until it deepens to a dark brick-red colour and turns sweet and caramelised.

  3. 3

    Bloom Spices & Simmer

    Stir in 1.5 tsp sweet smoked paprika, ½ tsp hot chilli powder, 1 tsp sugar, and ½ tsp fine sea salt, letting the spices bloom in the warm oil for 30 seconds.

The rest of this recipe

There's 4 more ingredients and 3 more steps to go.

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Ivana’s note

Storage Tips:

Refrigerator: Store in a sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheat gently on the stove or serve at room temperature.

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