Spanish tortilla is an authentic Spanish recipe that you can eat as tapas, for lunch or a starter.
It is super easy to make with a limited number of ingredients. This recipe is a gluten-free dish. You can eat it with a slice of bread you get a tasty pinchos. Want to learn how you can make tortilla de patatas? Let’s get started.
Tortilla Espanola or tortilla de patatas as it is also called in Spain is a Spanish omelet but different than your regular omelet.
When you visit Spain you will find it everywhere. In the hotels for breakfast, in tapas bars, you can get Spanish tortilla or a pinchos to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner.
You even can get it as a starter for dinner. Besides the name and the round shape, it doesn’t look anything like a flour tortilla.
If you haven’t had a Spanish tortilla before or wondering what it is you can compare it most to an Italian frittata or a filled French omelet. So a real egg recipe.
It is super easy to make. In less than 30 minutes this recipe is done.
I’m sure you will find the main ingredients in your kitchen cabinet because you only need three ingredients eggs, potatoes, onions.
Three tips for making Spanish tortillas
When you are making this Spanish omelet recipe, take the following three tips into account:
- Wash the potatoes with cold water to remove the starch and these can get soft
- Slice the potatoes in thin slices so it can boil evenly in the oil
- Boil the potatoes in good quality olive oil but do not heat the oil to high else you will fry the potatoes instead of boiled
There are many variations that you can make like you will see further down. You can eat it warm, cold and hot.
Tortilla de patatas ingredients
To make a Spanish tortilla you need only a handful of ingredients. Put the following ingredients on your shopping list:
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Eggs
- Olive oil
- Salt
How to make a Spanish tortilla
To make this tortilla Espagnola recipe start with 4 large eggs in a bowl. Whisk thoroughly with a pinch of salt before setting aside.
Cut the potatoes and onion into small slices. Then boil the potatoes and onions in oil. Any kind will do but olive oil or sunflower oil is recommended.
Boil on a low to medium simmer until they are nice and soft. The potato and onion should not get any color.
So stir regularly and keep the temperature low else you will get patata bravas instead of soft potatoes.
This will take about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and onion and save the oil. The oil now has a great flavor and can be used in other dishes.
Give the egg mix one final stir before adding the potatoes and onions. Heat a nonstick pan with some of the drained oil on medium to low heat.
Add the egg mix while swirling the pan on the heat. Keep swirling until the egg sets and try to separate the side of the egg from the pan.
Let the egg sit for about 5 to 6 minutes. Once the egg has set you can turn the Spanish omelet. Slide the tortilla with the baked side on a plate.
Turn the pan and put it on top of the tortilla (like a lid) on the plate. Now turn the pan and plate and let it bake on the stove.
Let the egg sit for another 6 minutes before taking it out of the pan. Cut it into pie piece sizes and serve with some bread, bell pepper or cherry tomatoes.
Doesn’t this look delicious?
Variations
Spanish tortilla is a versatile dish but there are many ways to customize it to your own liking with options like:
- Crushed Garlic
- Serrano ham
- Chorizo
- Pata Negra
- Iberico ham
What to eat with Spanish tortilla
If you want to eat this omelet you can eat it with:
- Avocado tomato salad – tapas and salad is a great combination
- Easy no-knead bread – take some slices of bread and turn it into a delicious pinchos
- Summer salad – Another delicious salad that you can eat with this Spanish tortilla
Store
If you want to save some of this delicious tortilla you can store. Put it in an airtight container in the fridge for about two days but it is recommended to eat it straight away.
See how to make Authentic Spanish Tortilla
Want to see how you can make this tortilla de patatas recipe at home? Watch the video instruction with step by step instructions.
You can easily follow along and see how easy it is to make.
Have fun with this authentic Spanish tortilla recipe!
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Authentic Spanish tortilla

How to make authentic Spanish tortilla is simple with just three ingredients. A great tortilla de patatas tapas dish to eat any time of the day.
Ingredients
- 350 gram potatoes
- 175 gram onions
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup of olive oil
- salt
- 8 inch (20 cm) non stick pan
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and slice thinly
- Peel onion and slice thinly as well
- Heat olive oil in non stick pan until nice and hot
- Add the potatoes and onion to the oil
- Boil (100℃ / 210℉) for about 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes and onion are nice and soft. Turn regularly to prevent mixture from going brown. Keep the heat down to prevent potatoes from frying.
- Drain mixture. Preserve the oil for future use.
- Whisk the eggs and add some salt (not required).
- Add the potato mix and stir some more.
- Heat non stick pan again and add some oil.
- Put tortilla mixture in the pan and swirl the pan. Cook 6 to 7 minutes until the egg mixture is set.
- Take the tortilla out of the pan and put the baked side on a plate. Turn the pan and close it on top of the tortilla as a lid. Turn the plate and pan together to turn the egg in the pan.
- Cook the other side for another 6 to 7 minutes.
Notes
Eat it warm or let it cool.
Nutrition facts
Calories: 290; Fat: 12g; Carbs: 28g; Protein: 15g;
2 Comments
Nicole Branan
July 29, 2017 at 5:08 pmThat looks and sounds so delicious, my mouth is watering! Thank you for sharing, Mireille! 🙂
Mireille
July 29, 2017 at 5:52 pmNicole,
Thank you so much for your nice comment. Spanish tortilla tastes indeed very delicious and easy to make. You should try it ?!