Spanish tortilla is a Spanish omelette that is made with finely sliced onions and potatoes that are fried in extra virgin olive oil. You may also see Spanish tortilla referred to as tortilla espanola or tortilla de patatas. It’s great to make this Spanish Tortilla a few hours or even the day before as it’s traditionally served cold or at room temperature. While there is a bit of an art to cooking this Spanish tortilla recipe, there is no need to be afraid! Especially if you follow all my cooking tips.
What is a Spanish tortilla?
A Spanish tortilla is a Spanish omelette that is made with potatoes and onions that are fried in extra virgin olive oil. It can be served for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even as a delicious snack. While this recipe requires very minimal ingredients, there is an art to cooking the perfect and a traditional Spanish tortilla. It needs to be dense, tender yet still gooey in the middle and lightly browned on the outside.
What you need for a Spanish tortilla
This recipe only requires a few ingredients which is why I like to stress buying high quality produce if possible.
Potatoes – use waxy potatoes if possible such as Yukon Gold potatoes. But any type of potato will work in this recipe!
Onions – I like to use brown onions but you could also use red onions for a sweeter taste.
Eggs – since this dish relies so heavily on eggs, try and buy high quality ones if possible.
Extra virgin olive oil – this recipe calls for a lot of olive oil so it’s important that it is extra virgin! I like to use a heavy olive oil with a robust and fruity flavour but you could also use a light olive oil if you prefer the taste to be a bit more on the mild side
Cooking your tortilla
As I said earlier, there is a little bit of an art to cooking a Spanish Tortilla.
potato and onion filling – firstly, you are going to need thinly sliced potatoes and onions. You can either use a mandolin or sharp knife. The finer your potatoes are sliced, the more tender they will be when fried in olive oil. Tender potatoes give Spanish Tortilla it’s unique velvety texture. The onions also need to be finely sliced. This will help them caramelise when they are fried in olive oil.
choosing the right oil – it’s very important that you use extra virgin olive oil in this recipe! I know a lot of olive oil is used but don’t worry as none of it will go to waste! Reserve the leftover oil that the potatoes and onions were fried in. It will have a lovely potato and onion infused flavor.
egg mixture – don’t over-whisk the eggs and salt them before you cook them! This will ensure the retain their moisture.
the flip – this is the scariest part of cooking a Spanish tortilla. Ensure you are using a pan that is not heavy. such as a cast iron pan and flip it onto a plate that can sit within the pan. This will make this quite intimidating task much easier!
the pan – lastly, the pan you use is very important! I recommend a nonstick skillet that is light in weight so it’s easy to flip and the tortilla does not stick to the pan.
What to serve with Spanish tortilla
We love to eat Spanish tortilla on its own as its such a filling and nutritious meal yet there are many side dishes you can serve it with! A lovely light salad would work best such as my tomato and burrata salad, tabbouleh salad, rockmelon and prosciutto salad or some garlicky green beans.
You could also add the below ingredients to elevate this dish:
- Crispy prosciutto
- Broccoli for some greens
- Feta for some zest
Leftovers
If you have any leftovers, you tortilla will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight Tupperware and serve cold or slightly warmed up in the microwave or in a pan that is lightly drizzled with olive oil.
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Spanish tortilla
Ingredients
- 2 lb waxy potatoes 1kg
- 3 onions finely sliced
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and onions, cut in half and then slice into thin moon shapes.
- In a large deep dish pan on a high heat, bring the olive oil to heat and then add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened and slightly caramelised. They will continue to brown once we add the potatoes to the pan. Add the potatoes to the oil and cook for 10 minutes or until slightly soft. Some of the thinner potatoes will break apart which is okay. Strain the potatoes and onion through a fine mesh strainer over a bowl to catch the olive oil. We will need a little olive oil for this recipe but reserve the rest for future cooking. Allow the potatoes and onion to slightly cool.
- While the potatoes cook, whisk the eggs and season with a generous amount of salt and pinch of black pepper.
- Add the potatoes and onions to the eggs and gently stir through with a spatula. Be sure to not over whisk or stir. Cover with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
- In a non stick deep pan on a medium heat, add a 1 – 2 tablespoons of the reserved olive oil and bring to the heat. Add the egg mixture, level out with a spatula and cook for 3 – 4 minutes or until slightly bubbling around the edges. Cover the top of the pan with a large plate, hold firmly and flip the tortilla onto the plate. Slide the tortilla back into the pan and cook for an additional 3 – 4 minutes. Once it is cooked, place the plate back onto the pan and flip the tortilla onto it.
- Leave to rest for 5 minutes and then slice up and serve immediately or when slightly warm. You can also eat this the next day when cold.
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