Papas Arrugadas Recipe (Wrinkled Potatoes) (2024)

Papas Arrugadas Recipe (Wrinkly Potatoes)

We're serving up some small plate dishes here in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends, so pull up a chair if you please. If you've been looking for a new dish to add some excitement to your tapas menu, this is a perfect addition.

We're talking Papas Arrugadas, and I think you're going to love them as much as I do.

Papas Arrugadas means "wrinkled potatoes" in Spanish. Essentially, small new potatoes are boiled in salt water that evaporates, leaving the potatoes with a thin layer of salt and wrinkled potato skins.

The dish hails from the Canary Islands, where the potatoes are served with a sauce called mojo, such as mojo verde, mojo rojo, or my favorite, mojo picon, which is an extra hot version.

I love all of the sauces, though I definitely lean toward the hot version, which is entirely shocking, I know.

Make sure you order up a plateful the next time you visit the Canary Islands along with your tour of Canarian cuisine! Or, if you'd like to save yourself a plane ticket, we can make them at home instead.

This recipe works great as a small plate, an appetizer, or even a side dish, though it's so good, you may want to serve them as your main course.

Let's talk about how to make papas arrugadas, shall we?

Papas Arrugadas Ingredients

• Potatoes. Use 2 pounds small potatoes for this recipe, though you can easily scale it to your needs. Fingerling potatoes are good, as are any new potatoes with thinner skins.
• Salt. Use 1/4 cup coarse sea salt for a good salt crust on the skins.
• Water. Use just enough to cover the potatoes so they can be cooked through.
• Mojo Sauce. Papas Arrugadas are often served with either mojo verde, mojo rojo, or mojo picon, which are flavorful pepper sauces. They're also delicious with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a touch more salt. See my recipe for Mojo Picon, or use a store bought version.

How to Make Papas Arrugadas - the Recipe Method

Boil the Potatoes. Clean the potatoes and add them to a large pot, then cover them with water. Add in the salt, set the water onto the burner and bring to a quick boil.

Boil the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are nicely softened.

Form the Salt Crust. Drain the water, then return the potatoes to the same pot. Heat them back to medium-low heat and let the remaining risidual water evaporate from the pot.

You should see a light salt crust form on the potatoes from the process of evaporation.

Serve. Transfer the boiled potatoes directly to a serving platter and serve them with your sauce or sauces on the side.

Or, you can toss them in the sauce to cover them and serve them up that way.

Boom! Done! This is such an easy recipe, isn't it? The perfect side dish or little appetizer. I love them so much.

Make them for your next gathering.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• The potatoes. Use fingerling potatoes, petite Yukon gold, any smaller baby potatoes or new potatoes. You can make this recipe with larger potatoes, but make sure they are cooked all the way through. If you do, I suggest slicing them into more bite-sized pieces before serving.
• The Salt. Use a generous amount of salt water to get a good crust. Try using sea water for a truly authentic experience.

Storage and Leftovers

Store any leftover potatoes in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Do the same for any leftover sauce, though in a separate container.

You can also freeze the potatoes as well as the sauce in separate containers for 3 months.

Try Some of My Other Popular Potato Recipes

• Patatas Bravas
• Twice Baked Jalapeno Popper Potatoes
• Potato Salad Recipe
• Papas con Chile
• Papas con Chorizo
• Papa a la Huancaina (Peruvian Potatoes in Spicy Cheese Sauce)
• Salchipapa
• Baked Cajun Fries
• Aloo Gobi (Indian Spiced Potato and Cauliflower)
• Bombay Potatoes