Spanish Tortilla Española – Potato and Egg Omelette

About This Recipe

Tortilla española is the great everyday dish of Spain — a thick, round omelette (not a wrap) made from potatoes and eggs, slowly cooked in olive oil until the potatoes are completely tender and the egg just set. It is served at room temperature as a tapa, packed into sandwiches (bocadillo de tortilla), eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any other time of day. It is the definitive Spanish comfort food and one of the most beloved dishes in the world. The key debate in Spanish tortilla is whether to include onion or not — this is a genuinely divisive question in Spain, with passionate defenders on both sides. The onion camp argues it adds sweetness and depth; the no-onion camp argues it dilutes the pure potato-egg flavour. This recipe includes onion, which is the more common home-cook version. The other critical element is the flip: the tortilla must be flipped midway through cooking, traditionally onto a plate, then slid back into the pan — a moment that terrifies novice cooks but becomes natural with practice. A perfect tortilla should be golden outside and slightly runny ('jugosa') in the centre — not completely set like a frittata. The interior should be barely cooked, with the egg still glistening.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 600 gwaxy potatoes(peeled and thinly sliced)
• 2medium onions(thinly sliced)
• 8eggs
• 200 mlgood olive oil
• 1.5 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Confít the potatoes

   Heat olive oil in a 24cm ovenproof pan over medium-low heat. Add potatoes and onions. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 25–30 minutes until potatoes are completely tender and slightly golden. They should cook gently, not fry rapidly.

   This is a confít, not a fry — gentle heat and patience are the keys.

2. 2

   Beat the eggs

   Beat eggs with salt in a large bowl. Drain potatoes (reserving the oil). Add potatoes and onions to the eggs. Mix well and leave 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Cook first side

   Return 3 tbsp reserved oil to the pan over medium heat. Pour in egg-potato mixture. Cook 5–7 minutes until edges are set and base is golden but centre is still runny.

4. 4

   Flip

   Place a large plate over the pan. Quickly and confidently flip the tortilla onto the plate. Slide back into the pan, uncooked side down. Cook 2–3 more minutes — the centre should remain slightly soft.

   Confidence is everything in the flip. Hesitation causes accidents. One decisive motion.

5. 5

   Rest

   Slide onto a serving plate. Rest 10 minutes before cutting — it continues to cook from residual heat.

Variations

• •

  Tortilla sin cebolla: the no-onion version favoured in some regions — a purer potato-egg flavour.

• •

  Add roasted red peppers and chorizo for a more substantial variation.

Storage

Keeps 3 days at room temperature. Excellent cold in sandwiches (bocadillo de tortilla).

Frequently Asked Questions