Looking for an authentic Spanish tortilla recipe? My tortilla de patatas is the classic Spanish omelette recipe made with only 5 simple ingredients! In Spain, tortilla de patatas is the perfect breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner--and now you can recreate it for yourself at home.
Looking for other Spanish dishes that go well with tortilla de patatas? Try ensalada mixta and pan con tomate.
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Introduction
Is there anything more Spanish than la tortilla española? Also called tortilla de patatas, Spanish omelette, Spanish tortilla, potato omelet, and even Spanish frittata, this is arguably Spain's national dish. Most Spanish families I know make it at least once a week, and my mother-in-law makes this when she needs a quick and easy meal.
I lived in Spain for three years before I was brave enough to make a Spanish tortilla of my own. The first time I tried a Spanish tortilla recipe, I spent an hour making a tasty, though partially burnt, tortilla. It wasn't an all-out failure, but it was far from the Spanish omelette of my dreams!
With time and patience, I learned the tortilla tricks and perfected my very own Spanish omelette recipe, and I’m happy to share my version with you! It contains onions, which can be a controversial ingredient among Spaniards, and is left a bit gooey in the middle; you are free to cook it longer if you like. It is delicious, easy to make, and makes the ideal Spanish tapa any time of day.
Ingredients
The beauty of the authentic Spanish tortilla recipe is its simplicity. It has only five ingredients--and onion-haters would argue only four!
- Eggs: Use the best quality you have available to you.
- Onion: I use a large white onion, though you can experiment with other varieties.
- Potatoes: Use waxy potatoes for your tortilla; Yukon Golds work well.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Onion: Feel free to experiment with different types of onion (red, white, sweet, or yellow), or omit them entirely.
- Potatoes: Use any variety of waxy potatoes. Yukon Gold and red potatoes work well in this Spanish tortilla recipe.
- Other Add-Ins: There are plenty of delicious flavors you can add to your tortilla! Try cheese and ham, fresh asparagus and mushroom, or goat cheese and caramelized onions. I have great recipes for a tortilla with ham and peas and another Spanish omelette with zucchini and leeks.
How to Make
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Peel and rinse the potatoes. Be sure to choose a waxy variety, as they won't break down as much during the cooking process.
- Thinly slice them using a sharp knife or mandoline.
- Pat the sliced potatoes dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture. This will help them crisp when they're fried.
- Sprinkle the slices with salt to add flavor.
- Add the sliced potatoes to hot olive oil, making sure the potatoes are fully covered with oil. (Don't worry, you can reuse the oil a few times, so it won't go to waste.) Cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes, being careful not to let them brown too much.
- While the potatoes are cooking, beat the room-temperature eggs in a large bowl until well combined.
- Add the salt. Many people taste the raw egg mixture to adjust the salt level, but if you prefer not to, add a couple of teaspoons for now.
- Thinly slice the onions. This will give the tortilla the right texture and help the onions cook more quickly and evenly.
- When the potatoes are fully cooked, some may start to break apart. That's okay, but don't let them become too broken down.
- Once the potatoes have cooked for 20 minutes, use a skimmer or spider to remove them from the hot oil.
- Place the cooked potatoes in a colander to allow them to cool and drain, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced onions to a separate pan with a bit of olive oil. Cook over a medium heat until they start to caramelize, about 15-20 minutes. Add a splash of water if needed from time to time so that they don't burn.
- Gently stir the onions into the egg mixture.
- Carefully add the potatoes into the onion and egg mixture, stirring gently to keep them from scrambling the egg.
- Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. I know it's tempting to just go ahead and make the tortilla, but trust me on this!
- Gently pour the tortilla batter into a frying pan over medium-low heat. You don't want the pan to be too hot. Gently cook the tortilla for about 6-8 minutes on the first side. You can run a spatula occasionally along the sides to make sure it's not sticking.
- To flip the tortilla, grab a plate that's larger than the frying pan. (See my note below about the two tortilla trick to make this easier.) Put the plate on top of the pan and flip quickly and confidently. It will be runny, but don't worry -- you'll put everything back into the pan to cook the other side!
- Slide the tortilla back into the frying pan and let the other side cook for another six to eight minutes (let it cook longer if you like your tortilla fully cooked through). Then flip back out onto a clean plate. Allow it to cool for at least ten minutes before slicing and enjoying.
Recipe FAQs
Mexican and Spanish tortillas are completely different foods. They both originate from the meaning "circular food".
In Mexico, tortillas are made with either a flour or corn dough, and cooked over fire to make a flat bread that is usually filled with or accompanied by meat or beans.
In Spain, a tortilla refers to an omelette made with beaten egg, to which you can add other ingredients such as potato, onion or spinach. It's cooked in a frying pan, which gives it its round shape.
Spanish tortilla is an extremely versatile food, and something that is eaten in Spain for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack. A variety of Spanish tapas go well with tortilla, as does pan con tomate, or a mixed salad.
Spanish tortilla and Italian frittata are both omelette like egg dishes. The difference is the way that they are cooked.
A Spanish tortilla is cooked in a frying pan on the stovetop and is flipped over halfway through to ensure both sides cook evenly. Sometimes it is served a bit runny or raw. A frittata is usually started on the stovetop, but finished in the oven. It is fully cooked through.
Serve
Most people in Spain eat Spanish tortilla at room temperature. It can be eaten warm, room temperature or cold.
Here's some creative ways to serve this traditional Spanish dish!
- Breakfast: I love starting my day with a slice of Spanish omelette and a piece of toast. I drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on the bread and then place the tortilla on top.
- Snack: It is also incredible when placed into a warm baguette and eaten as a tortilla sandwich-- it is actually the sandwich of choice among Spanish school children and a popular afternoon snack.
- Lunch/Dinner: When I eat tortilla as my main meal I either pair it with a variety of tapas (see suggestions below) or with a healthy salad, like the ensalada mixta.
Store
Leftovers: Let it cool fully, then cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Microwave a slice on high for 15 seconds, or until warm. Alternatively, you can pan fry the slice on the stove with a bit of olive oil. (Note: Many people enjoy it cold or room temperature and don't want to risk the eggs getting rubbery by reheating.)
Expert Tips
- Let the egg, potato, and onion mixture sit for at least 15 minutes. This makes a huge difference to the final result!
- Cook the tortilla over low heat. Too high of heat will make a rubbery tortilla.
- Flip the tortilla quickly and confidently to minimize spillage. You've got this!
- First time making tortilla? Cook two smaller tortillas to make them easier to flip.
- Use great quality olive oil. The potatoes absorb a lot of oil, so choose one that is good quality and has an excellent flavor.
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Spanish Tortilla Recipe (Tortilla de Patatas)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold or red
- salt to taste
- 8 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 large white onion
- extra virgin olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and rinse them under cold water. Slice them thinly (about 5 mm thick) using a sharp knife or mandoline.
- Pat the potato slices dry with paper towels and put them into a large bowl, then sprinkle with salt and mix well.
- Heat a ½ inch of high quality extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium low heat. When the oil is hot, add the potatoes and add more oil if necessary until all are covered.
- Cook the potatoes on low heat for 20 minutes. They may break down a little; this is okay.
- While the potatoes are cooking, beat the eggs in a large bowl and season with some salt.
- Slice the onion as very thinly, and fry it in oil over medium heat in a separate pan until it begins to caramelize, about 10-20 minutes. Add a splash of water now and then to deglaze and prevent burning. Drain off any excess oil and add to the egg mixture.
- Once the potatoes have fried for 20 minutes, remove them with a skimmer or spider into a colander and allow them to cool and drain for at least 5 minutes.
- Once the potatoes have cooled, add the potatoes and onions to the egg mixture and stir well. Let the egg mixture sit for about 15-20 minutes.
- Pour out the frying oil from the potatoes and save it for another use. Place the pan over medium-low heat and pour in the egg mixture.
- Cook over medium-low heat for about 6-8 minutes. Make sure the heat is low enough or the tortilla will cook too quickly and be rubbery. You can run a rubber spatula along the edges to make sure the tortilla isn't sticking.
- To flip the tortilla, take a large plate and put it over the pan and flip quickly. Some uncooked egg mixture will likely slip out, but that's okay. Slide the tortilla back into the pan to cook the other side, and cook for another 6-8 minutes.
- Slide the tortilla out of the pan onto a serving plate and let cool a little before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Let the egg, potato, and onion mixture sit for at least 15 minutes. This makes a huge difference to the final result!
- Cook the tortilla over low heat. Too high of heat will make a rubbery tortilla.
- Flip the tortilla quickly and confidently to minimize spillage. You've got this!
- First time making tortilla? Cook two smaller tortillas to make them easier to flip.
- Use great quality olive oil. The potatoes absorb a lot of oil, so choose one that is good quality and has an excellent flavor.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Jessica Edwards
I normally cook the potatoes in the oil only, this time I followed the recipe and cooked the potatoes into the boiling water for 20 min and my potatoes completely disintegrated. It’s prob my fault because my supermarket only has one type of potatoes. But I’ve never problem with the other method.
Sel Runn
Have been making tortilla forever with my father. He is from the Cantabria area
born & raised. Migrating to the Americas many years ago he kept the traditions alive. In our family we cube the potatoes and for more onion flavor we use the yellow ones. Adding garlic to the mix is wonderful, along with a bit of chili. I have found cubing the potatoes hold up better, of course each family has their way. Here is another tip, covering the tortilla after the flip really helps the rise.