Our protagonists today are the Canarian potatoes, also known as papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes). They are one of the most famous and representative dishes of the Canary Islands. These tiny wrinkled potatoes are a must try if you visit the Canaries.
Do you want to know how to make Canarian potatoes at home? Don’t worry because it is quite easy. Moreover, in this post, we will give you all the tips and all the steps you need to follow to prepare this delicious Canarian recipe. Off we go!
Papas arrugadas, the original Canarian potatoes recipe
As we have mentioned before, the Canarian potatoes recipe is quite easy. You just need to get all the ingredients and follow the instructions. It takes around 25 minutes in total. Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram of small potatoes in their jackets — from the Canary Islands if possible (we strongly recommend you Papa Negra from Tenerife or Papa Bonita from Gran Canaria).
- Water (tap water is enough).
- 4 or 5 tablespoons of sea salt.
- Half a lemon.
Instructions (how to cook Canarian potatoes)
- First of all, take the small potatoes and wash them thoroughly. Scrub all the dirt from their skin, but don’t peel them! This is how they get their wrinkled look.
- Then, place the washed potatoes in a pot. Cover them with water and add 4 or 5 tablespoons of sea salt and half a lemon. Let them boil for about 20 minutes until they are tender enough. To check if they are tender or not, you can try poking the potatoes with a sharp knife.
- Finally, pour off most of the water and return to heat. Keep moving the potatoes around till the pot gets dry and see how they get wrinkled as the water evaporates. You will see how the salt appears on the potatoes. It is a kind of magical!
Did you know how Canarian potatoes get so salty originally?
The truly authentic and the original way to prepare papas arrugadas is by boiling the potatoes in seawater. This recipe came out from necessity. The fresh water used to be often short in the Canary Islands — so locals had to prepare Canarian food with the resources that they had. This way, they boiled the delicious Canarian potatoes in seawater.
Happily, their experiment due to lack of resources turned out to be a real success! Nowadays, wrinkled potatoes are considered the best potatoes in Spain!
Canarian potatoes? Better with mojo sauce
This recipe is typically served with mojo sauce. Just in case you don’t know mojo sauce, you should know that it is a delicious sauce typical from the Canary Islands. So, if you decide to prepare Canarian potatoes at home, we strongly recommend you to serve them with this delicious Canarian sauce.
In our blog, you will find all the information you need about how to make mojo sauce.
This sauce is the perfect complement for any Canarian recipe. You will see that there are two different types of mojo sauce — red mojo sauce and green mojo sauce. On the one hand, red mojo is flavoured and coloured with pimentón (paprika), red pepper, chili, and cumin. On the other hand, green mojo uses coriander or parsley and green peppers.
But don’t worry, you will also find step by step the recipe to both of them in our blog!
Best Canarian spots to eat Canarian potatoes
Canarian potatoes are typically served at restaurants and bars in Gran Canaria as tapas or as a side dish. Just in case you are planning to visit Gran Canaria and you are thinking about trying our delicious Canarian potatoes, we have compiled a list in order to help you to decide which place you like the most.
Bochinche el Chato
This is one of people’s favourite spot. Bochinche el Chato is a restaurant and bar located close to Playa de las Canteras in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. It is very good rated by people due to its great quality home-cooked meals and for its low prices.
Canarian potatoes at the Spanish restaurant Bochinche el Chato are said to be one of the best recipes of wrinkled potatoes in the whole island. Don’t hesitate to go and try their Canarian food.
Tapas Bar CaPaco
Now we are moving to a tapas bar — Tapas Bar CaPaco is located very close to Playa del Inglés, in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria. This is also a very good rated place and one of people’s favourites.
Its name means in Spanish something like “at Paco’s home”. We don’t really know Paco or how does he prepare papas arrugadas at home, but the ones prepared at the restaurant are terrific. So, we also encourage you to try this lovely place and its delicious food in its cosy ambiance!
El Toro Grill Restaurant
We continue moving to Europa Shopping Centre. At this mall, we will find El Toro Grill Restaurant. It is located in Puerto Rico, Gran Canarias — and it is rated as one of the best restaurants in the area.
This place counts on great service, a very good ambiance, an amazing food quality and it is not expensive at all. Moreover, as you are interested in wrinkled potatoes, you must know that some say that El Toro Grill Restaurant serves the best Canarian potatoes ever.
Don’t you believe it? You will have to try them yourself to find out!
La Travesía de Triana
La Travesía de Triana is a restaurant located in the well-known passage of the Lagunetas, in the area of Triana, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. This small typical Spanish bar is a nice place to enjoy the best tapas, among which you will find delicious Canarian potatoes.
About food, this is not a place where you will find sophisticated tapas, dishes from other countries or colorful presentations. Nevertheless, it is a great place to enjoy a delightful fresh beer or a glass of wine at a good price together with some tasty and traditional homemade Canarian potatoes.
So, if you are walking around Triana it is a good option to quench your thirst and your hunger while you enjoy cultural tourism with your family or your friends.
Colombus Restaurant
Our last, but not least, recommendation is Colombus restaurant, a cute spot located very close to Playa del Inglés, in San Bartolomé de Tirajana. It is a village and a Spanish municipality in the south-eastern part of the island of Gran Canaria, in Maspalomas, in the province of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
This restaurant is highly rated due to its great quality in terms of food, price, and ambiance.
The staff here is brilliant too, and its handmade food is delicious, including their star dish, the Canarian potatoes. Apart from that, people say that they serve a great amount of food. So if you want to try abundant and delightful food, this is your restaurant!
But these are just some of the best places that you will find on the island depending on where you are accommodated. If you are interested in getting all the information related to the amazing island of Gran Canaria, don’t hesitate to contact us! If you want to travel to Gran Canaria, we are your best ally.
