Spanish Omelette (Spanish Tortilla)

Whip up this tasty classic Spanish Omelette in 25 minutes with 4 simple pantry ingredients. This tortilla recipe is delicious served hot or cold and makes a great breakfast, lunch, dinner or tapas.

Spanish omelette (Spanish tortilla) is a popular rustic dish with just a few ingredients: eggs, onion and potatoes.

It's simply a potato omlet, but the beauty of this recipe is that it still packs in an incredible taste.

It’s a family-favourite fridge-raider meal when we don’t know what to cook.

The caramelised onions and potatoes get wonderfully sweet - perfect with the soft yet crispy egg.

Enjoy slices of potato tortilla hot or cold any time of day.

Spanish tortilla is a great recipe to have up your sleeve when you don't know what to cook.

It's quick, easy and most people usually have all the ingredients on hand.

Why you'll love this recipe

Crispy fried slices of potato and onions enveloped in fluffy omelette - bliss!

A traditional Spanish recipe.

You only need 4 simple pantry ingredients.

Ready in just 25 minutes.

A versatile recipe that's great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizer or tapas.

It's a tasty make-ahead lunch that's perfect for lunchboxes or picnics.

It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Other versions

Spanish Omelette is a classic dish that's loved around the world.

There are loads of recipes online with subtle variations, such as recipes by Jamie Oliver, BBC, Cafe Delights and Tasty.

Some non-traditional versions include chorizo, or others have a little smoked paprika or jamon (ham). But typically, it's a potato omelette with or without onion.

As with all regional dishes, there are variations depending on where in Spain the recipe hails. Most controversial is the inclusion of onion. For many, it is an essential addition, while others wouldn't dare add it. I'm firmly in the pro-onion camp as every time I've been to Spain it's been in my tortilla.

This is my traditional Spanish version and I hope you'll love it as much as we do.

Step by step tutorial

This is a very simple recipe. Follow these step by step photos for perfect results. Then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

Peel and slice the potatoes into thick rounds, then rinse in cold water and pat dry. Peel and thinly slice the onions.

Heat the oil in a skillet, add the potatoes and onions and cook until the potatoes are soft - about 15 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.

Carefully remove the potatoes and onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked potatoes and onions. Use immediately, or for the best flavour, set aside for 15 minutes.

Pour the mixture back into a non-stick pan and cook over a high heat for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and cook on low for 5 minutes. Check the edges aren’t sticking.

Place a plate over the pan and carefully invert the omelette, then slide it back into the pan to cook the other side for a few minutes. To test that it’s done, press the centre and cook until it springs back.

For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.

Tips

Chooose starchy/waxy potatoes, rather than fluffy, floury varieties. This means the sliced potatoes stay together and don't crumble. Try Baby / New Potatoes, Charlotte, Anya, French Fingerling, Red Bliss, Creamers, Red Adirondack or Russian Banana.

Often, traditional methods call for frying the potatoes in a LOT of oil. However, I find that you can reduce this down to 5 tablespoon and it all still works perfectly.

There’s still quite a lot of oil in this recipe (5 tbsp), so save it for another recipe after cooking the onion and potato.

If you have time, let the cooked potatoes and onions sit in the egg mixture for 15 minutes before cooking. It infuses the eggs with the flavor of the spuds and onions.

To serve, cut into triangular wedges - as it's served in Spain.

Serving suggestions

This is such a versatile dish. Serve it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizer, snack, lunchbox or as tapas.

Try it with green salad, steamed green veggies, green beans almondine or alongside traditional Spanish Beans.

In Spain, when served as tapas, it's usually cut into small slices and served with cocktail sticks. Perfect with Blistered Padron Peppers and Sopa de Ajo (garlic soup).

FAQs

How long does Spanish omelette keep?
You can serve this dish immediately, or allow it to cool completely and store in the fridge in an airtight container or bag. The omelette will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can you eat Spanish Tortilla cold?
Yes! Enjoy this potato omelette warm or cold. It's portable and delicious unheated so it's a great lunchbox or picnic food.

What is a Spanish Omelette called in Spain?
In Spain, this dish is known as Tortilla de Patatas, Tortilla de Papas or Tortilla Española.

Spanish recipes

If you love this tortilla, you'll also love these other meat-free Spanish recipes:

Spanish Beans
Spanish Rice
Vegan Paella
Pisto

Quick dinner recipes

If you're looking for more quick vegetarian dinner recipes that the whole family will love, try these!

Mushroom Tart
Easy Pea Soup
Lentil Dahl
Halloumi Souvlaki
Vegetable Tagine
Mushroom Fajitas
Halloumi Burger
Sweet Potato Frittata

Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this food blog. I love sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes with you all.
Kate x

📖 Recipe