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tortilla de patata cut into slices on a cutting board.
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4.99 from 111 votes

Spanish Tortilla Recipe (Tortilla de Patatas)

This easy and authentic Spanish omelette recipe combines egg, potato, onion, olive oil, and salt in what is the best Spanish tortilla you'll try.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time15 minutes
Rest Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack, Tapas
Cuisine: Spanish
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 215.41kcal

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

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 215.41kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.41g | Protein: 7.97g | Fat: 11.05g | Saturated Fat: 2.34g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 163.68mg | Sodium: 106.31mg | Potassium: 558.28mg | Fiber: 2.73g | Sugar: 1.63g | Vitamin A: 240.14IU | Vitamin C: 23.36mg | Calcium: 41.5mg | Iron: 1.72mg