Tortilla Española - Spanish Omelette

Tortilla de Patatas - Spanish Egg and Potato Omelette

This authentic Spanish dish is perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks. My recipe is based on one by the celebrity Spanish Chef Omar Allibhoy.

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You can watch Omar Allibhoy's video on YouTube.

The Spanish tortilla is a thick omelette with eggs, potatoes and onions.

However, in Mexico, a tortilla is a kind of flat unleavened bread 😉 you know, the kind that's used as wraps.

Spanish tortilla variations

This Spanish dish is very versatile and quick to make. The tortilla (or Spanish omelette) can be served hot or cold and is a great way of using up all kinds of ingredients.

Add any leftover vegetables, crumbled or grated cheese, jarred red peppers (well drained from oil), or cooked chorizo sausage for a tasty but not-so-classic tortilla.

You might also like Jamie Oliver's Potato and Chorizo Spanish Omelette recipe.

Ingredients for Spanish tortilla

• waxy potatoes 

• onion

• extra virgin olive oil

• 6 free-range eggs 

• sea salt

How to make Spanish tortilla

Crack the eggs into a bowl and season - don't whisk or beat the eggs and set aside.

Add the oil to a small 25cm (10 inch) frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the onion.

It may sound like a lot of oil, but it's necessary for a proper tortilla - Omar's recipe uses 500ml.

Now add potatoes to the onions. They should bubble in the oil.

Maintain a bubbling and cook, until the onions are starting to caramelise, and the potatoes are lovely and tender, about 15 minutes, stirring just two or three times.

Remove the pan from the heat when the onions are nice and caramelised and the potatoes are cooked through.

Drain potatoes and onions of excess oil. Omar keeps the oil to use another day - but I can't bring myself to do that! 😐

Add the drained potatoes and onions mixture to the eggs.

Still don't beat the eggs, instead mix the eggs and potatoes and then season with the salt. 

Cover with foil and leave for 15-20 minutes and you should find the mixture is less runny than it first was.

Wipe your frying pan with a piece of kitchen paper dipped in oil. Transfer the potato onion and egg mixture into the frying pan, place it over medium-high heat and cook.

Leave on high heat for a minute or two. Then lower the heat for about 2 minutes.

Use a fish slice to check it is not sticking. Then lift and loosen the sides of the tortilla slightly.

Carefully, but firmly, put a dinner plate over the top of the pan and flip the pan over so the tortilla is now on the plate. 

Then gently slide the tortilla back into the pan and cook again on high heat for 1 minute, then lower the heat for 2 minutes.

By now, your tortilla should be lightly browned on the second side and tender in the middle. It should have a bounce when pressed with your fingers.

Once more put a dinner plate on top and again, using a bit of pressure on the plate, and flip onto your serving plate. 

Cut it into wedges - the centre should be nice and moist.

Equipment

You will need a small 24cm non-stick frying pan (10-inch) 

Top tip! If you're planning on buying one, it's worth spending a bit extra and going for a frying pan that can go into the oven like the one in the Amazon link above.  

It isn't vital, but a colander for rinsing the potatoes would be good, although you could just rinse them in a bowl, drain well then dry with a few sheets of kitchen paper towel.

You'll also need a fish slice.

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

Tortilla de Patatas, recipe, Spanish egg and potato omelette, Tortilla espanola recipe,

lunch, dinner, snack

Spanish

Yield: 4-6

Author: Omar Allibhoy

Tortilla Española - Spanish Egg and Potato Omelette

Perfect for breakfast, lunch dinner or snacks. Delicious, warm or cold.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinInactive time: 15 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Ingredients

• 400g waxy potatoes (I used Charlotte potatoes) peeled and sliced to 3mm thickness
• 1 large onion - peeled and sliced
• 225ml (8 oz) tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 medium-sized free-range eggs
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Make the tortilla

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl and season - don't whisk or beat the eggs and set aside.
2. Add the oil to a small 25cm (10 inch) frying pan over medium-high heat then add just the onion. Cook for a minute, then add the potatoes to the onions. They should bubble in the oil.
3. Maintain a bubbling and cook, until the onions are starting to caramelise and the potatoes are lovely and tender, about 15 minutes stirring stir just two or three times.
4. When the onions are nice and caramelised and the potatoes are cooked through, remove the pan from the heat.
5. Drain potatoes and onions of excess oil. Omar keeps the oil to use another day - but I can't bring myself to do that. 😐
6. Add the drained potatoes and onions mixture to the eggs.
7. Still don't beat the eggs, instead mix the eggs and potatoes and then season with the salt. Cover with foil and leave the mixture for 15-20 minutes and you'll find the mixture isn't as runny as it first was.
8. Wipe your frying pan with a piece of kitchen paper dipped in oil. Transfer the potato onion and egg mixture into the frying pan place it over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute, then lower the heat for about 2 minutes.
9. Use a fish slice to check it is not sticking. Then lift and loosen the sides of the tortilla slightly.
10. Carefully, but firmly, put a dinner plate over the top of the pan and flip the pan over so the tortilla is now on the plate. Then gently slide the tortilla back into the pan and cook again on high heat for 1 minute then lower the heat for 2 minutes.
11. By now your tortilla should be lightly browned on the second side and tender in the middle. It should have a bounce when pressed with your fingers.
12. Once more put a dinner plate on top and again, using a bit of pressure on the plate, and flip onto your serving plate. Cut it into wedges - the centre should be nice and moist.
13. Serve hot or cold with a simple green salad.

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