This air fryer batata harra recipe is a spin on a classic Lebanese side dish, needing only a fraction of the excess oil! Crisp russet potatoes get a delicious makeover with a lemony, garlicky sauce, with the perfect hint of spice. These spicy Lebanese potatoes are the perfect side for homemade shish tawook skewers or air fryer chicken shawarma, and taste even better with homemade toum garlic sauce!
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👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- No deep or shallow frying needed: Batata harra traditionally is made with shallow or deep fried potatoes for that perfectly crisp texture. This recipe gets rid of messy frying, and uses the air fryer instead. You won't notice a difference in texture, or taste!
- A flavorful twist on classic potatoes: There is no shortage of delicious potato sides, like classic mashed potatoes, garlic parmesan smashed potatoes, or even hasselback potatoes. If you are looking for a potato side dish with slightly more pizzazz, this air fryer batata harra recipe fits the bill with the most delicious, spicy sauce on perfectly crispy potatoes!
- No complicated ingredients: Do not be intimidated by the name of this recipe! You likely have everything you need to put this flavorful spicy potato dish together in your fridge or pantry.
- The perfect part of a mezze platter: While these potatoes are a delicious side to your favorite main courses, they also work perfectly with homemade baba ganoush, harissa hummus, and even tzatziki!
🥘 Ingredient notes
- Russet potatoes: Russet potatoes are the ideal potato for this recipe, as they stay light and fluffy while maintaining a perfectly crisp exterior. The starch content of russet potatoes also helps when shaking the boiled potatoes to create the nooks and ridges in the potatoes, as you will see below.
- Fresh garlic: The sauce for these potatoes has very few ingredients, which is why I recommend using fresh garlic cloves over pre-minced. You want the zesty and pungent flavor that only fresh garlic can add to a recipe.
- Tomato paste: If possible, I recommend buying tomato paste in a tube since it will help to prevent spoilage. You do not need a whole can of tomato paste for the sauce.
- Flat leaf parsley: Traditionally, batata harra is finished with fresh, chopped cilantro. I am not a fan of of cilantro, so I opted for flat leaf parsley for the same bright herbaceous notes. If you are going to use parsley, flat leaf is the best option because of its grassy flavor.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
📖 Substitutions
- Russet potatoes: Any starchy potato will work in place of russets. You can use red potatoes or Idahos. You can use yukon golds if that is what you have on hand.
- Water: For an additional layer of flavor, you can swap water for chicken broth.
- Flat leaf parsley: To stay true to the classic recipe, you can use fresh cilantro in place of parsley.
- Red chili flakes: You can use red chili powder, or even Calabrian chilli paste in place of red pepper flakes.
🔪 Variations
- Different herbs: Swap the cilantro or parsley for fresh mint, for a different twist on this classic recipe.
- Feta: Top the finished potatoes with fresh crumbled feta cheese for an extra layer of savory, salty goodness!
- Sumac: Add a dusting of ground sumac to the cooked potatoes, to add that signature tanginess to the finished recipe.
⏲️ Step-by-step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
- Collecting all your ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
- Peel and cube the potatoes: Cut the peeled potatoes into 1-1.5 inch cubes, trying to keep the cuts as uniform in size as possible.
- Mince the garlic & parsley: Finely mince the garlic using a garlic press, microplane, or knife. Finely chop the flat leaf parsley, and set aside.
Add the cubed potatoes to a large pot with a generous amount of salt. Fill with water until the potatoes are completely covered, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender, and can easily be smashed down with a fork with little pressure. Drain the potatoes, and return to the pot.
Vigorously shake the drained potatoes in the pot until the exterior of the potato cubes have roughened up. [photo 1]
Transfer the shaken potato cubes to an air fryer basket, and spray generously with cooking oil spray. Air fry for 20 minutes at 400°F, shaking the air fryer basket occasionally until the potatoes are golden brown. [photo 2]
While the potatoes are in the air fryer, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil.
Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, and dry spices to the skillet. Stir vigorously, ensuring that the mixture does not burn, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the water and lemon juice to the skillet, and simmer the sauce mixture for 5 minutes to cook out the raw tomato paste flavor. [photo 3]
Add the air fried potatoes to the skillet with the sauce, and toss to coat all of the potato cubes with the sauce. Finish with chopped parlsey, and serve. [photo 4]
💭 Expert Tips
- Give the potatoes time to boil: Do not rush boiling the potatoes. You want the potatoes to be tender enough that the shaking process adds little ridges that will crisp up in the air fryer. If the potatoes are not cooked enough, you will not achieve the same result.
- Watch the heat: If the heat of your skillet is too high, the garlic, tomato paste, and spices will burn quickly. Keep your heat on the lower end, and if things brown too quickly, add your water in right away.
- Skip boiling: If you'd prefer to skip the boiling process, soak the cubed potatoes for 20 minutes and pat dry before adding to the air fryer.
- Sheet pan: This recipe can be made in the oven on a sheet pan. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a greased sheet tray inside the oven. Add the potatoes to the heated sheet tray to get a crisp exterior.
🍽 Make Ahead & Storage
To prep in advance, you can boil the potatoes 1-2 days in advance of serving. Let the boiled potatoes cool completely, and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge until you are ready to air fry the potatoes.
If you have leftover potatoes, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep for 2-3 days for the best quality.
To reheat, use the air fryer or oven until the potatoes are warmed through and crispy on the outside again. I do not recommend reheating these potatoes in the microwave, as it can make the potatoes soggy.
⭐ Recipe FAQs
Fresh herbs add a layer of freshness and brightness to these potatoes, that dried herbs lack. In a pinch, you can definitely use dried herbs, but whenever possible, I suggest fresh!
Garlic is one of the main ingredients in batata harra, so you will miss out on one of the key elements of the dish. If you do omit the fresh garlic, I recommend adding a dash of garlic powder at the very least.
For the best texture and flavor, I recommend using fresh potatoes. Frozen potatoes may release excess moisture during cooking, affecting the overall texture.
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Air Fryer Batata Harra (Spicy Lebanese Potatoes)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Russet potatoes - peeled, cubed into 1-1.5" pieces
- 2 teaspoon Sea salt
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 6 cloves Garlic - finely minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon Red chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ cup Water
- 1 Lemon - juiced
- ¼ cup Flat leaf parsley - finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the cubed potatoes to a large pot with a generous amount of salt. Fill with water until the potatoes are completely covered, and bring to a boil over medium heat.4 Russet potatoes, 2 teaspoon Sea salt
- Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender, and can easily be smashed down with a fork with little pressure. Drain the potatoes, and return to the pot.
- Vigorously shake the drained potatoes in the pot until the exterior of the potato cubes have roughened up.
- Transfer the shaken potato cubes to an air fryer basket, and spray generously with cooking oil spray. Air fry for 15-20 minutes at 400°F, shaking the air fryer basket occasionally.
- While the potatoes are in the air fryer, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.2 tablespoon Olive oil
- Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, and dry spices to the skillet. Stir vigorously, ensuring that the mixture does not burn, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the water and lemon juice to the skillet, and simmer the sauce mixture for 5 minutes to cook out the raw tomato paste flavor.1 tablespoon Tomato paste, 6 cloves Garlic, 1 ½ teaspoon Red chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika, ⅛ teaspoon Cinnamon, ½ cup Water, 1 Lemon
- Add the air fried potatoes to the skillet with the sauce, and toss to coat all of the potato cubes with the sauce. Finish with chopped parlsey, and serve.¼ cup Flat leaf parsley
Video
✱Recipe Notes
- Give the potatoes time to boil: Do not rush boiling the potatoes. You want the potatoes to be tender enough that the shaking process adds little ridges that will crisp up in the air fryer. If the potatoes are not cooked enough, you will not achieve the same result.
- Watch the heat: If the heat of your skillet is too high, the garlic, tomato paste, and spices will burn quickly. Keep your heat on the lower end, and if things brown too quickly, add your water in right away.
- Skip boiling: If you'd prefer to skip the boiling process, soak the cubed potatoes for 20 minutes and pat dry before adding to the air fryer.
- Sheet pan: This recipe can be made in the oven on a sheet pan. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a greased sheet tray inside the oven. Add the potatoes to the heated sheet tray to get a crisp exterior.
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