Vegetables, when cooked the right way, can be both delicious and elegant--and Mallorcan tumbet is a perfect example. It's a simple dish that's similar to French ratatouille or Spanish pisto; it's unclear which version came first! This tumbet recipe the perfect home cooked meal to warm you up on a crisp fall day.
If you love Spanish vegetarian recipes, don't miss these ones for sofrito and Spanish pisto.
Introduction
The first time I stumbled upon the recipe for Tumbet Mallorquin I knew I had to make it. It looked exactly like the amazing vegetable dish I was craving!
If I ever make it to Mallorca, I'll be searching for this dish everywhere from my poolside resort to the tiny beachside restaurants. Even the relaxing Club Mac Alcudia Resort would be bound to have it in the buffet.
I can't wait to visit the Balearic Islands and discover the flavors of Mallorca one day soon, but until then you can find me making the Mallorcan tumbet and pretending I'm there...
Ingredients
Curious what ingredients you need to whip up this Mallorcan tumbet? This vegetarian favorite is made from fresh, simple ingredients--so let's chat about the most important ones!
- Olive Oil: It's really important to use a good quality olive oil in this recipe, since it will help flavor the entire dish. I recommend a Spanish extra virgin olive oil for the very best results!
- Tomato Sauce: You can make your own homemade tomato sauce--which is the way to go for the best flavor--or use a top quality canned version if you're in a hurry.
- Salt: Use flaky salt to sprinkle on top of the tumbet before baking. The larger pieces of salt will stand out more and enhance the vegetables' flavors.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Mallorcan Tumbet
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Heat an inch of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add the garlic cloves with their skins on. Cook for a couple minutes to flavor the oil, then set the cloves aside. (image 1)
- Fry the sliced zucchini in the olive oil for about 3 minutes, then drain on paper towels and season with salt. (image 2)
- Fry the potatoes in the oil for 5-10 minutes, or until they're fully cooked. Drain on paper towels. (image 3)
- Fry the peppers for about 5 minutes, then drain on paper towels. (image 4)
- Fry the onions in the oil for about 2 minutes, then drain on paper towels. (image 5)
- Dredge the eggplant slices in flour and fry in the oil for 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. (image 6)
- You should now have all the vegetables fried separately and drained on paper towels to catch excess grease. (image 7)
- Layer the tumbet by starting with a layer of tomato sauce. Layer the veggies on top in this order: eggplant, zucchini, onion, pepper, and potato. (image 8)
- Spread the rest of the tomato sauce on top and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes. (image 9)
- Let the tumbet stand for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy! (image 10)
Recipe FAQs
Tumbet is a traditional Mallorcan dish that consists of layers of tomato sauce and fresh veggies that have been lightly fried in olive oil. The vegetables are cooked separately, then layered into one beautiful, colorful, and delicious dish.
Tumbet is pronounced TOOM-bet.
Just like French ratatouille or Spanish pisto, Mallorcan tumbet freezes extremely well. I recommend sealing it in an airtight container or freezer bag and freezing for up to 3 months.
Serve
Mallorcan tumbet makes the perfect side dish at dinner, or a vegetarian entrée as well. If you opted to add eggs or cheese, it's even more filling and delicious. Tumbet would taste delicious along with a Spanish roasted chicken, carrillada de cerdo, or stuffed eggplant.
Expert Tips
- The dish is straightforward and simple to prepare, and like many Mediterranean dishes depends completely upon the quality of the ingredients. Buy fresh, seasonal vegetables when possible, fry in extra virgin olive oil, and top off with flaky sea salt for best results!
- When you take the tumbet out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Want to try non-traditional but delicious variations? Sprinkle the tumbet with grated cheese before baking, or crack a few eggs on top after baking and broil them until they're just set.
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Mallorcan Tumbet Recipe
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil to reach 1 inch depth in a skillet
- 8 small potatoes or 4 large ones thinly sliced
- 5 large garlic cloves skins on
- 1 large onion cut in thick strips
- 1 small zucchini sliced
- 1 long Italian green pepper cut into strips
- 1 small eggplant sliced
- all-purpose flour for dredging the eggplant
- 1 small red pepper cut into strips
- homemade tomato sauce or good quality store bought
- flaky sea salt to taste
Instructions
Prepping & Cooking the Vegetables
- Wash and cut the vegetables as described above.
- Heat an inch of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan, then add the garlic cloves with their skins on and cook for a couple of minutes to flavor the oil. Remove the garlic and set aside.
- You are going to fry the rest of the vegetables individually, then drain them on paper towels, so prepare a plate for each vegetable.
- Fry the zucchini slices for about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a bit of salt.
- Fry the potatoes for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain.
- Fry the green and red peppers for about 5 minutes. Drain.
- Fry the onions for about 2 minutes. Drain.
- Dredge the eggplant slices in flour and fry for about 4 minutes, until browned and crispy. Drain.
Assembling & Baking the Tumbet
- Assemble the tumbet, which is similar to making a lasagna. Start with a layer of tomato sauce, then top with the eggplant, zucchini, onion, pepper, and potato.
- Top with another layer of sauce, and a sprinkle of sea salt. You could also add in the garlic cloves (peeled first) if you'd like.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Let the tumbet stand for a few minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Notes
- The dish is straightforward and simple to prepare, and like many Mediterranean dishes depends completely upon the quality of the ingredients. Buy fresh, seasonal vegetables when possible, fry in extra virgin olive oil, and top off with flaky sea salt for best results!
- When you take the tumbet out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Want to try non-traditional but delicious variations? Sprinkle the tumbet with grated cheese before baking, or crack a few eggs on top after baking and broil them until they're just set.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Gaspar
Hi Lauren, great blog, first of all.
Tumbet is a traditional recipe, so multiple versions must exist.
What I've never seen (I'm mallorcan)is the onion slices as a layer.
At home we use small chopped onion only for the tomato sauce. So if next time you want to try, leave the red peppers for the last fry with more garlic, and when almost done, add the chopped onion, laurel leaves, moraduix (similar to oregano, called mejorana in spanish) and when golden add the tomato sauce. You'll make it quicker.
As for the oven...cheese is not traditional.
It's a summer dish, so you can eat it warm or cold, no matter alone or with fried meat or eggs... always some bread for dipping the sauce 😉
Lynn
By tomato sauce do you just mean passata ie pureed tomatoes or a sugo ie tomatoes cooked with onion and/or garlic?
Em
is the red pepper a spicy pepper or a bell pepper?
Lauren Aloise
Bell pepper!
Sel Runn
yes, this is good but to make it spectacular ...just before serving i add grated cheese and once again in the oven til melted and crispy. What a nice finale....let me know if you have tried it this way. Almost a veggie pizza
Pati
I made this last night and it was fantastic! My prep time was a bit longer but all of it was worth it. ... I could not find Italian peppers so I used poblanos.
Lauren Aloise
Yum! Yes - it's a time consuming recipe, but delicious!!
Nerissa
Can i prepare tumbet and cook it the following day?
Lauren Aloise
Definitely!
Siobhan
I live in Mallorca and have tried many versions of Tumbet made by local people. This recipe is very close to my favourite version of Tumbet on this beautiful island.
Lauren Aloise
So glad to hear it! So delicious!
Susan Cobley
A delicious authentic recipe well done. Just close your eyes and let the memories of the food flavours of Majorca come floating back.
Jenna
Made this last night, it turned out great! Frying everything separately takes a while but is worth it in the end!
Cat of Sunshine and Siestas
Kike just made pisto - it was the delicious, but a pain to make! We just got a termomix, so hopefully that can cut down on time, though tumbet sounds even tastier!
Trevor Huxham
You had me at “pisto,” one of my favorite Spanish dishes. This sounds super delicious, kind of like a pisto casserole but with potatoes added! I like the new recipe template you’ve got here—nice and easy to follow ^_^