Batata Harra

These Spicy Lebanese Potatoes are crispy potato cubes tossed with garlic, cilantro, chili, and lemon juice. They are naturally vegan and budget friendly. In Lebanon they sit on the mezze table next to hummus and tabbouleh.

Serve them as a side with Lamb Shish Kebab, or with Baked Sea Bass in Foil, or let people scoop them up with warm Bazlama. This easy Batata Harra Recipe covers three ways to cook them: baked, air fried, or deep fried.

Jump to:

• What is Batata Harra?
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients You'll Need
• 3 Different Ways to Prepare Batata Harra
• How to Make Batata Harra?
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• What to Serve with Batata Harra?
• Recipe Variations
• Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Batata Harra

What is Batata Harra?

Batata harra means spicy potatoes in Arabic. It is a Lebanese dish, and you will find versions of it across the Levant and in Lebanese restaurants everywhere. Garlic and chili bring the heat, and cilantro and lemon juice finish it.

The dish needs no special ingredients and no special equipment. If you cook a lot of potatoes, my Kumpir (Turkish Loaded Baked Potatoes), Boulangere Potatoes, and Potato Borek are worth a look too.

Why This Recipe Works

• You control the heat. Use less chili for a mild plate, or add more if your table likes it hot.

• Everything comes from the pantry: potatoes, garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, and a lemon.

• One dish covers three diets. It is vegan, gluten free, and dairy free as written.

• Bake, air fry, or deep fry. The same garlic and cilantro toss works over all three.

• I like them better than plain roast potatoes, and they take barely any extra work.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Potatoes - Waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, Charlotte, Anya, or red potatoes work best for this dish, as they hold their shape well during cooking and stay creamy inside under the spicy coating.

• Olive oil -It is a key ingredient in Batata Harra as it helps achieve the dish's characteristic crispy texture and rich flavor.

• Red pepper paste - Red pepper paste, also known as Biber Salçası in Turkish is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine and is a great addition to the spiced herb sauce.

• Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavoring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to Batata Harra. You can adjust the amount to your taste.

• Cilantro /coriander - The leaves and stalks of fresh cilantro/coriander freshen the dish up against the chili.

3 Different Ways to Prepare Batata Harra

There are three ways to cook the potatoes, and the garlic and cilantro toss stays the same in all of them.

Oven-baked

For the oven, toss the potato cubes with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Roast them until crispy.

Once the potatoes are done, toss them with the sauce of olive oil, garlic, cilantro, chilies, lemon juice, and red pepper paste. This and the air fryer are the two methods I use most.

Air-fried

In the air fryer, the seasoned cubes cook until crispy and tender. Toss them with the same sauce at the end.

This method uses less oil, and the potatoes still come out crispy.

Deep-fried

This is the traditional way to make batata harra. Deep fry the potatoes until crispy, then toss them with the sauce.

It uses the most oil, and it gives the crispiest result. Restaurants usually cook it this way.

How to Make Batata Harra?

You need a few pantry ingredients and one tray. Here is the oven method step by step:

Preheat your oven to 200° C - 390° F. Peel, wash and cube the potatoes into 2 cm - ¾ inch pieces. Place them on a baking sheet lined tray, without overlapping each other.

Drizzle the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.

Then, roast the potatoes in the oven until they are golden brown, crispy, and fork-tender. This should take about 40 minutes, flipping them halfway through for even cooking.

Prepare the sauce while the potatoes are roasting. Finely chop the garlic and place a pan over low heat.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the chopped garlic.

Gently sauté the garlic over low heat, without burning it. Stir in the red pepper paste, chili flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Finally, add the chopped cilantro/coriander to the pan and remove it from the heat.

Once the potatoes are cooked, toss them in the garlic and cilantro mixture.

Finish with a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice and garnish with more cilantro leaves.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Use waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, Charlotte, or red potatoes. They hold their shape better than starchy russets.

• Cut the potatoes into even pieces so they cook at the same speed.

• Give the potatoes space on the tray. A crowded tray steams them instead of crisping them.

• Adjust the chili to your taste. Start small, you can always add more at the end.

• Use fresh cilantro, leaves and stems both, and add it at the end, off the heat.

• Soak the cut potatoes in cold water for 10 minutes and dry them well before cooking. Washing off the starch makes them crisper.

• For the crispiest result, parboil the cubes for 5 minutes, dry them, and then roast or fry them.

• Preheat the tray or the pan before the potatoes go on. A hot start browns them faster.

• Add the lemon zest to the warm oil and keep the juice for the end. The zest carries more of the lemon taste than the juice.

What to Serve with Batata Harra?

Batata harra works on its own as an appetizer or a side dish. It also sits well next to other Lebanese and Mediterranean plates:

• Mediterranean Hummus Dip - A cool chickpea and tahini dip. It calms the chili in the potatoes.

• Mutabal (Roasted Eggplant Dip) - A smoky eggplant dip with tahini and yogurt. Scoop both with the same bread.

• Lebanese Falafel - Fried chickpea balls. Put them on the same mezze table and lunch is done.

• Grilled meats - Serve the potatoes as a side to Chicken Shish Kebab, Adana Kebab, Chicken Kofta, Harissa Chicken, Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs, or Lamb Kofta.

• Lebanese Tabbouleh - A parsley and bulgur salad. The sharp, fresh salad balances the hot potatoes.

Leftovers are great for breakfast too. Reheat them in a pan and crack a couple of eggs on top, or roll them into a warm pita with pickles for a quick sandwich.

For a bigger table, browse my mezze and dips, appetizers, and side dishes for more ideas.

Recipe Variations

Every family makes batata harra a little differently. You can leave out the red pepper paste or swap it for tomato paste. My Homemade Tomato Paste works well for that.

Some cooks add onion or green peppers to the pan. Others change the spices and use cumin, paprika, or sumac. A teaspoon of crushed coriander seeds in the warm oil adds a citrus note that suits the lemon.

Regions in Lebanon have their own versions too. In Tripoli, in the north, pomegranate molasses goes in and makes the dish sweet and sharp.

In the coastal city of Tyre, fresh mint replaces the cilantro.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

Batata harra is at its best straight from the pan, while the potatoes are still hot and crispy. If you want to get ahead, make the garlic and cilantro sauce a day early and keep it in the fridge, then cook the potatoes fresh and toss them just before serving.

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a hot oven or the air fryer, not the microwave, so they crisp up again.

I do not recommend freezing this dish. The texture suffers once the potatoes thaw.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious potato side dish recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making these spicy Lebanese Potatoes - Batata Harra as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂