Canarian Potatoes Recipe - Tapas Recipes | Happy Healthy Motivated (2024)

Published: Jan 27, 2012 · Modified: Feb 22, 2024 by Nicola · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

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Papas arrugadas is a hugely popular dish in the Canaries served with the mouthwateringly-good red and greenmojo sauces. And a small pot of creamy aioli, if you're lucky. Whether you eat them on their own with the previously mentioned sauces or use them as a crowd-pleasing side dish to go with something awesome like Adeje chicken, everyone loves Canarian potatoes. And when you find our just how quick, easy and cheap they are to make at home - you'll be eating them at every meal!

Here's some fun trivia for you. "Papas arrugadas" literally translated into English as either "wrinkly potatoes" or "wrinkly popes". Since no sane person would order that in a restaurant, they're usually called "Canarian potatoes" instead. So in the extremely unlikely event that topic ever comes up in a pub quiz, you're sorted!

If you've ever had Canarian potatoes before, you probably think they're so simple to make that you don't need a recipe. Throw them in a pan with a bit of water and salt and you're good to go, right? Not really... The trick to making the best ever Canarian potatoes is to get the ideal water to salt ratio. this way the potatoes are wonderfully salty and almost crispy on the outside. While the insides are heavenly soft and almost fluffy.

After quite literally years of trial and error, I've found just the right amount of salt and water to make the perfect Canarian potatoes. This recipe serves 2 people generously, but you can easily decrease or increase the ingredients to suit you.Just remember that if you change how much water you use, you've got to change the amount of salt, too.

Have you ever visited the Canary Islands and fell in love with them so much you'd like to move there? Check out my Moving to Tenerife book! It's a detailed guide book full of everything you need to know about moving to Tenerife and the Canaries in general. It includes how to get a job in Tenerife, how to become a resident in Tenerife and some basic Canarian phrases to help you get by in everyday life.

📖 Recipe

Canarian potatoes

5 from 13 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Canarian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 400kcal

Ingredients

8 Canarian potatoes (you can substitute small new potatoes)
500 ml water
5 tablespoons sea salt

Instructions

Thoroughly scrub each of the potatoes and place them into a large saucepan full of water over a high heat.
When the water comes to a boil, stir in the salt. Place a lid on the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high and leave the potatoes to boil for 20-25 minutes. Check on the potatoes every 5 minutes and stir.
When you think the potatoes are cooked, carefully prick one with the tip of a knife to make sure. If it's full cooked, there will be no resistance.
See Also
Vegan Corn Chowder Recipe - Elavegan Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No Yeast) - My Gorgeous Recipes Giant veg rosti | Vegetable recipes | Jamie Oliver recipe Cranachan, A Lovely Scottish Dessert (Recipe for US Kitchens)
Drain the water from the pan and turn off the heat. Return the pan to the hob and leave the potatoes to dry. When the skins are shrivelled and the potatoes are grey and covered in salt crystals, they're ready.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal

More Healthy Side Dishes

The Most Amazing Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Baked Zucchini Fries
Easy Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary
Lightened-Up Brussels Sprouts Gratin

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Lizzy
January 28, 2012 at 2:53 am
Such a unique recipe! My salt loving family would love these 🙂 Have a lovely weekend~
Reply
David Crichton
April 09, 2013 at 10:24 am
Hi Nicky, I'm intrigued? Are you an American living in the Canary Islands? I've just been to Lanzarote for the last two days with work.
On a work visit last year I discovered these Canarias Potatoes and absolutely loved them. Your results look perfect. Do you have recipes for the mojo sauces?
Dave.
Reply
- Nicky
  April 15, 2013 at 10:56 am
  Hi Dave,
  I'm British and live in Tenerife - you almost got it! 🙂 I'm so happy you like my potatoes - they're one of my favourite side dishes. I made some mojo this weekend and plan on posting the recipes on Friday, so keep an eye out.
  Reply
phil mcguire
January 15, 2014 at 11:13 am
hi from phil, i lived in tenerife a few years ago and fell in love with the canarian quisine,after coming back to uk we regularly have a tenerife night with home made sangria and usually roast shoulder of lamb done in the style of ristorante fortuna in los cristianos,i just arrived back from holiday there where my interest has been re kindled, your mojo and papas arrugadas recipes will be getting tried this week however the potatoes will have to be whats available here, i just wondered if you knew the recipe for adeje chicken as done by ristorante otelo, ive tried for years to recreate it, close but not good enough, anyway i just was told they marinade the chicken in mojo before frying in really hot oil hence me looking for a mojo recipe and finding yours, im sure loads of people would like to know how its done, anyway many thanks for the recipes and i look forward to your reply, cheers phil.
Reply
Nicola Quinn
January 16, 2014 at 5:05 pm
Hi Phil,
Thanks so much for stopping by. Your Tenerife night sounds amazing - what a great idea! I hope you enjoy my mojo recipes when you give them a go.
The fact that you mentioned Adeje chicken from Otelo is a huge coincidence - I was just talking about it today. Believe it or not I've never experienced Adeje chicken first hand, but I've heard oodles of good things about it and plan to visit as soon as I can.
I'll send you an email after I've been to the restaurant and let you know if I managed to persuade them to reveal their recipe! If not, I'll post my own version of it so you can give it a go.
Sorry I couldn't give you an answer straight away!
Nicky
Reply
Alan
June 06, 2014 at 4:25 pm
Planned to go to Otelo`s in feb,But it`s such a long way up that hill lol .As by chance we found Otelo 2 on the beach by Fannbe.We just had to try it.
Was very busy but the food was ok, Next time will make the trek up hill.
I had a little peak through a window into the kitchen,They seem to boil the chicken in stock, Then when its done chuck in the deep fryer for a couple of mins .
Reply
Alan
June 06, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Love the canarian pots.
Can we use small english pots ? I know we can but would they taste the same.
Reply
- Nicola Quinn
  June 08, 2014 at 7:15 am
  Hi Alan,
  I've made these Canarian Potatoes with new potatoes before and you can hardly taste the difference, so go right ahead! 🙂
  Reply
Lucy Tilney
August 12, 2017 at 9:25 am
Hello, I've enjoyed your recipe for the mojo sauces very much. So delicious and so easy. As in so many dishes, it's the combination of vinegar, oil and garlic which is the secret, like gazpacho.
In your Canadian potatoes recipe, there is this line "When the water begins to boil, add the salt and stir. Keep an eye on the potatoes and sit them every five minutes." Should it say 'stir them every five minutes'?
Reply
- Nicola
  August 14, 2017 at 6:39 am
  Hi Lucy! I'm so glad you like my recipe 🙂 And thanks so much for pointing out the misspelling in the Canarian potatoes post! You're 100% right - it should definitely stay "Stir them every five minutes." I'll fix that asap. Thanks again!
  Reply
Gail
September 09, 2021 at 11:43 am
Made the green mojo sauce which was delicious thankyou, the Canarian potatoes tasted great but wearnt wrinkly I followed your recipe exactly, do I need to cook them longer?
Reply
- Nicola
  September 13, 2021 at 1:40 pm
  I'm so glad you liked the mojo sauce, Gail! And I'm sorry the potatoes didn't come out wrinkly. It could be that your potatoes were slightly larger than the ones in the recipe and you needed more salt for the wrinkled effect. Next time, try adding a bit more salt and see how it goes 🙂
  Reply
Mick
September 16, 2021 at 4:15 pm
Hi Nicky,
Thanks for the recipe. As I'm making them tonight I just wanted to check, when you say "Return the pan to the hob and leave the potatoes to dry." - should I have the potatoes left in the pan on the hob at this point with no heat until they're shriveled?
Thanks,
Mick
Reply
- Nicola
  September 24, 2021 at 1:16 pm
  Hi Mick,
  No problem at all! I realise this reply is probably a bit late, but yes - that's exactly what I mean. Return the pan to the hob with the potatoes in so the skin dries out. 🙂
  Reply
TERRY
March 23, 2022 at 7:13 pm
Green Mojo Sauce
2 large green bell peppers roughly chopped
½ cup fresh chopped coriander or parsley
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 slice of bread torn into small pieces
Red Mojo Sauce
2 large red bell peppers roughly chopped
6 cloves of garlic minced
4 small chillies chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 slice of bread torn into small pieces
Reply
terry
March 23, 2022 at 7:16 pm
sorry blend till smooth and thick
Reply

Canarian Potatoes Recipe - Tapas Recipes | Happy Healthy Motivated (2024)

FAQs

What variety are canarian potatoes? ›

DNA analyses reveal extant Canarian potatoes are a mixture of tuberosum and andigena genetic types. Using DNA extracted from European potato specimens preserved in herbaria it has been shown that the tuberosum type appeared in Europe around 1700 and persisted until the end of the nineteenth century.

Learn More Now ›

What are the black potatoes in Tenerife? ›

Negra potatoes are known as Canary Black potatoes on the Canary Islands and are one the most prized potatoes to use in the dish papas arrugadas, also known as wrinkled or crumpled potatoes.

Keep Reading ›

How do you eat papas arrugadas? ›

Serving suggestions. Papas arrugadas are normally served with “mojo”, which means dip, or occasionally with alioli as a starter by itself or a side with the main course. There are three types of mojo to serve with them, mojo verde (green dip), mojo rojo (red dip), and mojo picón (spicy dip).

Discover More Details ›

What is the most delicious potato variety? ›

The Yukon Gold potato is one of the most popular potato varieties because it falls into the all-purpose category. Yukon Golds have thin gold skin that doesn't need to be peeled before mashing, and their creamy flesh has a sweet, buttery flavor.

See Details ›

What are Obama potatoes? ›

The Obama is an early potato variety that harvests between 90 to 110 days. The recommended minimum planting distance is 30 cm in the rows and 55 cm between the rows (a larger distance can provide additional protection against disease).

Read On ›

What are Viking potatoes? ›

Viking potatoes are an all-purpose potato that is best suited for cooked applications such as baking, boiling, and frying. Their high moisture content makes them ideal for roasts, salads, and casseroles, but when cooked, the purple and red hues may fade into a purple-brown.

Discover More ›

What is the rarest type of potato? ›

It is grown on the French island of Noirmoutier, located off the coast of the Loire region in the Atlantic Ocean. Due to its limited availability, unique taste and high demand, the Le Bonotte potato holds the record of being the world's most expensive potato.

Keep Reading ›

What is the big black thing in potatoes? ›

This condition is not a disease and is not harmful. From time to time, if potatoes are held in very warm conditions with little air, the tuber pith void can develop into a condition called blackheart, causing a decayed, black center.

Explore More ›

What does papas mean in potatoes? ›

One of the words for 'potato' in Spanish is 'la papa,' used in the Western hemisphere. In Spain, the synonymous 'la patata' is used. The word 'la papa' is of Quechua origin, since potatoes are native to the Americas.

Get More Info Here ›

What is typical Canarian food? ›

Traditional Canarian food can be described in two words: simple and delicious. With the emphasis on freshness, everyday Canarian dishes comprise grilled meats or fish (tuna, parrot fish, vieja, swordfish, sea bass), soups, stews and vegetables - many of which are surprisingly hearty.

What is the history of the Canarian potatoes? ›

Canarian potatoes, or "papas arrugadas" as they are locally known, have been a staple in the Canary Islands for centuries. It is believed that the potatoes were introduced to the archipelago by Spanish conquistadors returning from the New World during the 16th century.

View Details ›

Where are Canarian potatoes grown? ›

In fact, except in South America, these ancient varieties can only be found in the Canary Islands. Between 600 and 800 ha are devoted to their cultivation. Approximately 95% of this area is on the island of Tenerife, with much smaller areas on the islands of La Palma and Lanzarote (Ríos et al.

What are the Spanish potato varieties? ›

Potato varieties that perform well in Spain and Portugal are Soprano and Lady Amarilla. Both varieties have large market shares.

What type of potato is Solanum tuberosum? ›

Solanum tuberosum, commonly known as white potato or Irish potato, is considered the most important noncereal crop worldwide, and among all crops, it represents the 4th most produced, only behind wheat, corn, and rice.