Batata Harra (Spicy Lebanese potato skillet)

Crispy and perfectly spiced potato salad. This is a potato side dish inspired from the Middle Eastern Batata Harra recipe. A spicy potato salad bursting with flavors and brightened up with lemon juice. Finishing it up with some feta cheese was an excellent addition to this quick potato salad.

Who does not like fried potato?

I honestly do not know :). I grew up in a home eating only homemade fried potatoes. Frozen fries were not even a thing when I was little. My mom used to make the best fries in the whole world and then she even made the best of the best version out of it.
When I met my husband and he got a taste of my mom's special fried potatoes, he just said these are so delicious and his face still brightens up every time I make them.

This is the best potato salad I have ever had. I am not a huge fan of the traditional potato salad with mayonnaise and all so this one fits my taste buds needs to the max. Batata Harra which translate literally to spicy potato is a dish that is made with fried potato flavored up with garlic, fresh herbs and lemon/lime juice. This Lebanese style potato salad is a must try. I've tweaked it to add my mom's special fries touch and finished it with a sprinkle of feta cheese which was a pleasure to have for this dish.

Batata harra FAQs

Can you make potato salad the day before?

In the traditional American style potato salad you can make the salad the night before. Actually some resources even ask for it as the flavors develop and the salad gets better. In our case here we will most probably lose the crunch. So I would suggest that you boil the potato and refrigerate until next day.

Do you cut potatoes before boiling?

Yes my mom used to do that. You see mama's trick was cutting potatoes in half and sometimes thirds, boil them then shallow fry. We did not have these kinds of baby potatoes. So if you have big ones then definitely cut them before boiling.

Should Batata Harra be served hot or cold?

Actually I served mine room temperature. I did not wish to place them in the fridge as this might get them less crispy.

Variations

If you look up Batata Harra on the internet you'll find many recipes and variations. I am sharing with you here my little tweak on the recipe which worked great for my family. Some people use parsley with or without the cilantro, others add cumin, dry mint and also fresh mint leaves. Turmeric instead of paprika, others just use a dash of cayenne pepper or a sprinkle of chili flakes. Many cube potato and deep fry them instead, but here I loved making it my mom's style by boiling the potato then lightly frying them in a couple of tablespoons of oil.
I loved having this dish as a side or an appetizer but you can turn it into a meal with some add-ins like:

• Keep it vegan and add bell pepper, onions, jalapeno, or add some sweetness with corn.
• Cubed leftover chicken.
• Bacon.
• Cheese.
• Browned ground beef.
• Taco meat.

How to make spicy potato salad

Here is a step by step guide to make this easy, less than 30 minutes side dish.

• I've used baby potatoes, but you can use whatever potato you like. If using big potatoes, make sure to cut them into smaller equal size chunks. Boil for 10-13 minutes or until they are tender but firm to the touch when poked with a fork. Set aside to cool down then peel.
• In a skillet over medium heat, add oil then lightly fry the potatoes until golden brown.
• Remove potato from pan then add more oil garlic and diced chili. Saute for a minute until fragrant.
• Add potatoes back then season with paprika and salt.
• Add lemon juice and coriander, saute then turn heat off.

Serve garnished with green onions and feta cheese or feel free to add any add-ins as I discussed before. Can be served right away or room temperature. Leftover makes a great lunch for next day but it will lose some of its crispness. Still tasty though.

Serve it with...

• Kofta.
• Chicken kebabs.
• Grilled trout.
• Shawarma.
• Shish Kebabs.

More ideas for a great salad bar

Want to make a fantastic salad bars? or probably a meze platter for your guests. Try these with these recipes with this potato salad, they go great together.

• Tabouli.
• Tzatziki salad.
• Mediterranean chickpeas salad.
• Eggplant green salad.
• Arugula BBQ salad.
• Couscous salad.

Related Recipes

• Make the most delicious Sifha with pillowy dough topped with sweet, spiced ground beef mixture. Perfect for a pizza night.

Spicy Potato Salad

A super easy and simple spicy potato salad inspired by the famous Middle Eastern dish called Batata Harra. If you make this recipe, please don’t forget to rate it and share a picture on the comments below.