Portuguese Potatoes with Spicy Onion Sauce are the perfect simple side dish. Tender potatoes topped with a spicy onion sauce loaded with garlic and hot pepper paste!
Portuguese Potatoes with Spicy Onion Sauce (Cebolada) – Recipe
Potatoes with Cebolada (Portuguese Spicy Onion Sauce) are not your average boiled potatoes by any means. My Mom never just serves boiled potatoes. She will always take them up another notch, as is the case for these. These potatoes pair perfectly with grilled or fried fish (Recipe Linked Here).
This recipe is versatile so you control the spice level, by increasing or decreasing how much pimenta moida (hot pepper paste) you use.
Once the onion, garlic and hot pepper paste is sautéed in the olive oil and then topped up with the white wine, it creates a delicious spicy onion sauce. Then the sauce is poured onto the potatoes that immediately absorb all the delicious flavors.
Just like that, the once bland boiled potatoes are now packed with flavor! They are even more delicious the next day….if there are any leftovers that is.
What is in Portuguese Potatoes with Onion Sauce (Cebolada)?
- These potatoes are one of those simple yet incredibly delicious side dishes that comes together in a flash with just a few simple ingredients
- Any potato you have on hand can be used. My family likes peeling the potatoes for this dish but you can leave the peels on
- The spicy onion sauce is loaded with sliced onions and garlic. Salt, paprika and pimenta come together to season the sauce with white wine and fresh chopped parsley
- Pimenta is a Portuguese hot pepper paste made by grinding hot peppers into a watery paste. It is a classic ingredient in Portuguese cooking. It can be found in most grocery stores and specialty grocery stores. If you cannot find this you can substitute with your hot sauce of choice
How to Make Portuguese Potatoes with Onion Sauce (Cebolada)
Full printable recipe at bottom of page
1 In a large pot, add potatoes and enough water to cover them by about 2 inches. Putting the potatoes in the water before it boils allows them to cook more evenly. Bring to a boil on medium-high and cook until the potatoes are cooked through (fork tender), approximately 10 – 15 minutes.
2 In the meantime, in a large frying pan add the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic until softened.
3 Add in the salt and paprika. Sauté for 1 minute. Add in the hot pepper paste and continue cooking for another minute.
4 Add the wine and bring to a simmer until the onions are fully cooked. If you prefer the sauce more watery, add in more wine or a few tablespoons of water until desired consistency.
5 Stir in the fresh chopped parsley. Season the sauce to taste, add more hot pepper paste for more spice and/or salt as desired.
6 Once the potatoes are cooked through (fork tender), drain and return to the warm pot. Set aside for a minute until potatoes dry.
7 Add the potatoes to a serving platter and top with the onion sauce.
Garnish with more parsley. Enjoy!
Looking for More Easy Side Dishes?
Try some of my favorites that you are sure to love!
- Sweet Chili Chicken Wonton Tacos – cute and little wonton tacos shaped with a mini muffin tin! Stuffed with sweet chili seasoned chicken and a simple Asian slaw.
- Asparagus Bacon Tortellini – this creamy side dish is perfect for asparagus season! Loaded with bacon and peas it’s a must try.
- Mexican Street Corn Dip – a twist on Elotes this dip is a fun and fresh appetizer or side!
Enjoy!
– Sab
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission.
Potatoes with Cebolada (Portuguese Spicy Onion Sauce)
Equipment
- 8" Square Baking Dish or serving platter of choice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ to 2 lbs potatoes, cut into large cubes
- 4 large onions, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 4 tbsp pimenta moida, Portuguese hot pepper paste
- ½ cup white wine
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a large pot, add potatoes and enough water to cover them by about 2 inches. Putting the potatoes in the water before it boils allows them to cook more evenly. Bring to a boil on medium-high and cook until the potatoes are cooked through (fork tender), approximately 10 – 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, in a large frying pan add the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic until softened.
- Add in the salt and paprika. Sauté for 1 minute. Add in the hot pepper paste and continue cooking for another minute.
- Add the wine and bring to a simmer until the onions are fully cooked. If you prefer the sauce more watery, add in more wine or a few tablespoons of water until desired consistency.
- Stir in the fresh chopped parsley. Season the sauce to taste, add more hot pepper paste for more spice and/or salt as desired.
- Once the potatoes are cooked through (fork tender), drain and return to the warm pot. Set aside for a minute until potatoes dry.
- Add the potatoes to a serving platter and top with the onion sauce.
- Garnish with more parsley. Enjoy!
luisa
Saturday 19th of November 2022
thats the was way my grandmother and mother used to make the boild pa totes
Antony
Tuesday 30th of November 2021
These bring back memories of my moms cooking. Looks just as great!