• بطاطا حارة •
Easy to make and quick to disappear, these Spicy Lebanese-Style Potatoes, known as Batata Harra, are a flavorful appetizer, side dish, or party snack.
These potatoes are hot, spicy, and flavorful—a filling side dish idea. In Lebanon, these potatoes are sometimes prepared by deep-frying and it is absolutely delicious that way. But for the sake of convenience, I prefer to prepare them by roasting in the oven. They come out great—browned and crispy! Why not serve these alongside some hummus, tabbouleh, or muhammara?
This recipe makes enough to fill a sheet pan. If you need more than that, double it, but be sure to use two pans. If you crowd the potatoes onto one pan, they won’t bake and crisp properly. And for the cilantro detractors: fear not, you can easily substitute parsley, if necessary.
- 2lbs (around 1kg) of potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 5 Russet potatoes)
- 1½ Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic, minced (or 2 cloves if you love garlic)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper for medium, 1 teaspoon for hot
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (or more, to taste)
- 2 heaping Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- squeeze of lemon juice
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Peel potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces (of a similar size). Toss them in a bowl with the 1½ Tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon sea salt to coat the pieces evenly. Scatter the potatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, making sure they are all in one layer and evenly spaced. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. You don't need to turn or flip the potatoes.
- When the potatoes are done, leave them on the baking sheet and set them aside. Make the Seasoning Oil by combining the olive oil and the minced garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. You want to fry the garlic to get the raw taste out but you don't want to brown it. So only fry for about a minute then remove the pan from the heat.
- Put the cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper into the saucepan while the oil is still warm to bloom the spices. Stir them around for about a minute then use a spatula to scrape all of it--the oil, garlic, and spices--onto the roasted potatoes. Toss the potatoes to let the seasoned oil coat them completely. Sprinkle on the extra salt and the finely chopped cilantro and toss again to combine. Serve hot or warm, with a squeeze of lemon, if you like.
Love the colour 🙂
Yeah! So vibrant!
I adore batata harra, but I’ve never even considered making it for myself. Thanks for this recipe!
Yes, please do try it. Not hard at all!
I made it today and it turned out very nice. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome Ana. Enjoy!
Hi,
What can replace coriander since i cant find it anywhere in my town ? 🙁
Hi Jelena! If you can’t find coriander, try adding a pinch of ground fennel or allspice instead. If you can’t find those either, or you don’t want to search for them 😀 , you can just add a little more cumin and paprika, maybe 1/4 teaspoon more of each.
Also, if you can’t find cilantro, you can substitute parsley very easily. Enjoy!
I have long wanted to make these the way that my mother’s Lebanese friend used to, but never got them quite the way that I wanted to. I see now that I was missing a spice!
Thanks so much, its an amazing recipe. I bought them to a dinner party last night and they lasted less than 5 minutes.
That’s great to hear Amirah! It really isn’t hard to make and everyone gobbles them up! 😀
Delicious! Great recipe. Using parchment paper or a Silpat made all the difference on the texture. These get inhaled every time I make them. If I’m in a hurry, I mix the spices with the potatoes, which make the taste much mellower, but still good. Blooming the spices and tossing the roasted potatoes as the recipe suggests, though, is best!
Great! Yes, I just love using parchment paper for everything. You’re right, I think someone who maybe wants a more mellow spice level can just toss them with the potatoes before baking. Glad you are enjoying them!