Mexican Potatoes with Chile (Printer-Friendly)

Hearty Mexican potatoes cooked in a flavorful chile sauce, perfect as a side or main.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
02 - 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium roma tomatoes, chopped (optional)

→ Chiles and Spices

05 - 2–3 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
08 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Other

09 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or water
11 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers slightly.
02 - Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in the garlic, chopped chiles, and tomatoes if using. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and the tomatoes begin to soften.
04 - Add the diced potatoes, ground cumin, smoked paprika if using, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together to coat the potatoes evenly in the spice mixture.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth or water. Cover with a lid and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed.
06 - Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or spice level as needed.
07 - Transfer to a serving dish and garnish generously with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve warm as a side or main course.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have sitting in your pantry.
  • The leftovers taste even better the next day when the potatoes have soaked up all that chile sauce.
  • It is naturally vegetarian and gluten free so it works for almost anyone at your table.
02 -
  • Resist the urge to crank the heat to speed things up because the potatoes will brown on the outside while staying hard in the center.
  • Cutting your potatoes into uniform half inch dice is the single most important step for even cooking.
03 -
  • Let the onions cook undisturbed for the first minute before stirring so they develop a slight caramelization that adds sweetness to the finished dish.
  • If your potatoes are cooking unevenly, press the larger pieces against the hot surface of the pan with the back of your spatula to help them along.

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