What kind of potatoes are used in Mexico?

The most commonly used potatoes in Mexican dishes are the red and white new potatoes and the thin-skinned alpha , though some areas in Central Mexico also grow and sell a tiny potato called the papa cambray.

Where did Mexican potatoes come from?

Although the presence of wild potato plants in Mexico indicates that the country lies within the potato's area of origin, it was not grown there until the 16th century, when Spanish explorers brought cultivated varieties from South America , where it was considered the major sustenance food of the Andes.

Do Mexicans eat a lot of potatoes?

Potatoes are also common in Mexico prepared much the same as they are in the U.S.: Baked, or as french fries, or the ever-popular potato chip. Always with a Mexican flair, usually in the form of extra spicy seasoning or sauces added.

What is the Mexican potato looking thing?

The jicama plant grows mostly in Mexico and Central America on a long vine. But the part you eat is the root. On the outside, jicama looks like a light brown beet . Inside, it looks and feels like a raw potato, but doesn't taste like one.

What country has 4000 types of potatoes?

Today you can find over 4,000 varieties of native potatoes grown in the Andean highlands of Peru . They come in every shape and colour, including blue, yellow, red, pink and even bright purple Peruvian potatoes.

What is the vegetable called Mexican potato?

Jicama—also called Chinese yam, yam bean root, Mexican potato, fon goot, or sicama—is a root vegetable native to Mexico and Central America. It's often described as a cross between a potato and an apple .

Did potatoes come from China?

Originated from the Andeans and characterized by its high nutritional value and wide adaptability, the potato is one of the most globally important crops today.

Where did potato come from in China?

Potatoes were introduced to China during the late Ming Dynasty , which lasted from 1368 to 1644. The first record of potatoes in China is from the early 17th century when they were brought to China by European missionaries and traders.

What is the most eaten thing in Mexico?

Corn is the main base of Mexican cuisine . Corn, chili, and beans were the “holy trinity” of food for Mesoamerican civilizations. In fact, corn is the source of great Mexican dishes such as 'enchiladas', 'huaraches', 'machetes', 'tlacoyos', 'sopes', 'molotes' and 'quesadillas'.

What is the most eaten food by Mexicans?

Corn as a staple Corn is the most eaten staple among Mexican consumers . It is the base ingredient of tortillas, a type of slim flatbread and, one of the most representative and widely consumed food products in the country, used for the preparation of tacos, quesadillas, and other dishes.

What is Mexico's most favorite food?

Tacos . It's the most popular Mexican dish globally. Usually served with fillings like steak, chorizo, offal, etc.

Does Mexico produce potatoes?

The presence of wild potato plants in Mexico indicates that it lies within the potato's area of origin . However, some evidence suggests cultivated varieties were brought there by Spanish conquerors during the 1500s.

What are the most popular potato chips in Mexico?

In Mexico, people often eat Sabritas. Snackers enjoy twists on internationally-known flavors like Sabritas Adobadas, Tostitos Salsa Verde, and Ruffles Queso . Snack lovers in Mexico also eat chips like Rancheritos.

Does Mexico import potatoes?

Mexico imports Potatoes primarily from: United States ($87.3M) and Brazil ($129) . The fastest growing import markets in Potatoes for Mexico between 2021 and 2022 were United States ($27.1M) and Brazil ($129).

Are Mexican potatoes starchy?

Potatoes are considered starchy vegetables because they're high in carbohydrates.

How To Make Mexican Spicy Potatoes | Authentic Mexican Recipe (2024)

JUMP TO RECIPE

Learn how to make Mexican spicy potatoes to serve alongside your favorite meal, whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner! This recipe for “Papitas de Galeana” is tossed in a homemade spicy sauce made with chile de Arbol peppers and the addition of an Asian twist: Kikkoman teriyaki sauce. All you need is 7 ingredients to make this whole dish!

How To Make Mexican Spicy Potatoes | Authentic Mexican Recipe (1)

I recently made a batch of papas Mexicana to add to some tacos, but I was really craving something a bit spicier. I usually top it off with some chile de arbol salsa, but I felt inspired to do something else with the peppers...

And that's how this recipe came to be!

This spicy potatoes recipe has very few ingredients but is loaded with flavors. It’s an easy way to prepare new potatoes and make an excellent side dish to accompany steak, chicken, or shrimp. The spicy dressing is made with basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen with a few dashes of teriyaki sauce.

How To Make Mexican Spicy Potatoes | Authentic Mexican Recipe (2)

This, of course, is not completely a traditional Mexican recipe, but it is inspired by how they cook potatoes in Mexico. It is so good and so easy to prepare that I wanted to post the recipe here so you could enjoy it, too!

In This Post

History Behind New Potatoes
Mexican Spicy Potatoes Recipe
How To Make Mexican Spicy Potatoes: Step By Step Tutorial
More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Just be warned: Once you make them, they will disappear fast!

History Behind New Potatoes

“New Potatoes” in Mexico are also known as “Papitas de Galeana”, which means “Little Potatoes from Galeana”. It refers to the town of Galeana, Nuevo Leon, where this type of potato is grown. Besides these delicious potatoes, the town of Galeana is also known for its numerous tourist attractions.

Probably the best-known attraction is the Cerro del Potosí (Potosi's Mount), the highest mountain in the whole state of Nuevo Leon, which rises over 3,600 meters above sea level. On the Rayones-Galeana highway lies “El Puente de Dios” (God's Bridge), a majestic natural archway that lies on top of a small creek. El Pozo del Gavilán is an enormous, deep natural cenote, where diverse species live. The Laguna de Labradores, in the capital, is a small lake connected to the Pozo del Gavilán.

If you ever venture into this area of northern Mexico, I invite you to enjoy these attractions, and of course, these delicious “Papitas de Galeana”.

And now, here’s the recipe for this easy, mouthwatering potato recipe!

Mexican Spicy Potatoes Recipe

Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this potato recipe...

New potatoes: these small potatoes will keep their shape and their sweetness enhance the spiciness of the whole dish. They will have a crispy texture.
Water: I usually only add one cup of water for the number of potatoes in this recipe.
Vegetable oil: you can use canola or vegetable oil. If you prefer to use olive oil, use extra virgin olive oil.
Kikkoman teriyaki sauce: low sodium is ok.
Lime juice: use fresh lime juice instead of the bottled version.
Arbol peppers
Cilantro
Salt to taste

Please note:For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

Cooking Tips:

For this recipe, you can really use any kind of potato you want. Just make sure to cut the potatoes into 1-¼ in. pieces.
I don’t remove the seeds from the peppers because I like a good amount of spice on the potatoes. You can reduce the number of peppers if you prefer a milder taste.
To garnish these spicy potatoes, I highly recommend Mexican crema or crumbled queso fresco!

How To Make Mexican Spicy Potatoes: Step By Step Tutorial

To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.

Prep The Potatoes

Make sure to scrub and wash the potatoes before you start cooking them.
Place them all in a large stockpot, add a cup of water, and cover the pot tightly.

Note:If the potatoes you have are too big, cut them in half or into bite-size pieces.

Cook The Potatoes

Place the stockpot on the stovetop and heat to medium-low.
Cook for about 25-30 minutes.
Check from time to time to prevent the potatoes from over-cooking. Let the potatoes cook until they are tender and a paring knife can be inserted easily.

Make The Spicy Sauce

While the potatoes are cooking, add the oil, teriyaki sauce, lime juice, and arbol peppers into a blender. Blend it all together until you have a very smooth sauce.

Dress The Potatoes And Serve

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain all of the excess liquid and return the pot to medium heat.
Drizzle some of the oil over the potatoes and turn the heat to medium-high. This step will add a little bit of crispiness to the potatoes!
After 2 minutes, stir in the spicy sauce and toss.
Finally, make sure to garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, to enhance the dish just before serving.

How To Make Mexican Spicy Potatoes | Authentic Mexican Recipe (4)

How To Make These Mexican Potatoes Ahead Of Time

This is a dish that you can make ahead of time by cooking the potatoes beforehand and just warming up with the dressing before serving. It is excellent to take to potlucks and parties since it can be warmed up in the microwave!

What To Serve With These Spicy Potatoes

The good thing about these spicy potatoes, if that you can serve them alongside some chicken milanesas and a fresh side salad.I highly recommend trying them with a bite of carne asada. Yum!

Want to keep your dinner vegetarian? Try serving these potatoes with tomato, avocado, and corn salad.

How To Make Mexican Spicy Potatoes | Authentic Mexican Recipe (5)

More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for spicy Mexican potatoes, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

Crispy Chorizo And Potato Tacos
Creamy Poblano Potatoes
Potato Patties With Cheese
Swiss Chard And Potato Soup
Pambazo Mexicano

I hope you make this recipe for spicy Mexican potatoes! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!

¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

📖 Recipe

Mexican Spicy Potatoes

Mely Martínez

Spicy Potatoes, This recipe has very few ingredients but is loaded with flavors. It’s an easy way to prepare new potatoes and makes an excellent side dish to accompany steaks, chicken, or shrimp.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Basic Recipes

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 241 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 1 ¼ Pound of new potatoes*
▢ 1 cup of water
▢ 4 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
▢ 2 Tablespoons Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
▢ 2 Tablespoons Lime juice
▢ 4 Arbol peppers stems removed**
▢ 4 Tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
▢ Salt to taste

Instructions

Wash potatoes and place them in a large stockpot. Add one cup of water and cover the pot tightly. If the potatoes are too big, cut them in half or into bite-size pieces. Turn heat to medium-low and cook for about 25-30 minutes. Check from time to time to prevent the potatoes from over-cooking. Cook until potatoes are tender and a paring knife can be inserted easily.
While the potatoes are cooking, place 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 Tablespoons of Kikkoman teriyaki sauce, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and the Arbol peppers into a blender. Process it until you have a very smooth dressing.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain all excess liquid and return the pot to medium heat. Drizzle the other 2 tablespoons of oil over the potatoes and turn the heat to medium-high. This step will add a little bit of crispiness to the potatoes. After 2 minutes, stir in the dressing and toss well. Just before serving, garnish with chopped cilantro.
This dish can be made ahead of time, by cooking the potatoes beforehand and just warming up with the dressing before serving. It is excellent to take to potlucks and parties since it can be warmed up in the microwave.

Notes

* You can use another type of potatoes, cut into 1-¼ in. size.
**I don’t remove the seeds, in order to add spiciness to the potatoes. You can reduce the number of peppers if you prefer a milder taste.
Mexican Cream or Queso Fresco are also great options for garnishing.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 357mgPotassium: 626mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 159IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!