Papas Arrugadas — Canary Islands Wrinkled Potatoes with Spicy Mojo Sauce

Papas arrugadas are a traditional dish from the Canary Islands, Spain. The star of the show is the spicy mojo sauce — so addictive, you’ll want to spread it on bread or drizzle it over fish with cornmeal!

⏰ Prep & Cook Time: ~45 minutes

🍽️ Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

For the Potatoes:

1 kg small potatoes (preferably all about the same size)
2 tbsp coarse sea salt (about 30 g)

For the Spicy Garlic Mojo (Mojo Picón):

5 garlic cloves
1 tbsp spicy chili paste in oil
1/2 roasted bell pepper (optional, to tone down extreme chili heat)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of coarse sea salt
50 ml olive oil
1-2 tsp sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

Instructions

Make the Mojo Sauce:
In a mortar, crush garlic with a pinch of coarse salt until you get a smooth paste. Add smoked paprika and cumin, mix well with the pestle. Add the chili paste and stir with a spoon. Slowly drizzle olive oil in while stirring until you get a sauce that drips slowly from the spoon. Adjust with vinegar.
Tip: Let the sauce rest at room temperature for a few hours to develop deeper flavors.
If too spicy, dilute with mashed roasted red pepper gradually until desired heat. If too thick, add a little more oil.
(You can also blend in a food processor for a smoother sauce.)
Cook the Potatoes:
Choose small potatoes of uniform size to cook evenly. Wash thoroughly, scrubbing with a wire sponge if you like, but do not peel.
Place potatoes in a pot and add just enough water to cover them (about 800 ml). Add the sea salt to the water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently until potatoes are tender (check with a fork; mine took about 20 minutes).
Dry & Salt-Crust Potatoes:
Increase heat to high and let the water evaporate completely (about 15 minutes).
Once water is gone, reduce heat to low and let potatoes dry in the salty crust. Turn them gently to dry evenly for about 5 minutes until the salt crust dries and flakes off easily when rubbed.
Serve:
Remove potatoes from the pot. Serve hot with the spicy mojo sauce. When eating, gently rub the skins to remove excess salt — leave only as much as you like.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Serve these wrinkly potatoes warm alongside grilled fish, roasted meats, or as a tapas starter with plenty of mojo sauce for dipping. Perfect with fresh bread to soak up the sauce!

📝 Final Thoughts

Papas arrugadas are a simple yet flavorful way to enjoy potatoes with a beautiful salty crust and a punchy, garlicky chili sauce. This dish showcases the magic of minimal ingredients and traditional cooking techniques that bring out big flavors. Give it a try for your next dinner party or casual meal!