Tortilla Espanola: How to Make the Omelet that Spain Made Famous

Get ready to fall in love with tortilla Espanola. I love eggs. Add potatoes, I love it even more. Tortilla Espanola is the quintessential Spanish tapa that I think people are most familiar with. But if you’re not, it’s pretty much a potato frittata or omelet with lots of olive oil.

Served warm, or often room temperature, tortilla Espanola is commonly found at breakfast but widely offered on menus for an appetizer or tapa throughout Spain. This popular dish is said to have become popular in a time of war in the late 1800’s which makes sense. It’s simple, nutritious, and pretty easy to make. It only requires a few ingredients; eggs, potatoes, onions, and lots of olive oil. That’s the secret to a perfectly browned crust and an egg dish that doesn’t stick!

So next time you are looking for the perfect breakfast or appetizer recipe look no further that tortilla Espanola!

Ingredients:

6 eggs, beaten

3 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 onion, sliced

1/2 cup of olive oil, extra points if it hails from Spain

Instructions:

1. In a 10″ frying pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and start sauteing the onions for 3-5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the potatoes and add them to the pan with the onions with another 2 tablespoons of oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally for 15 – 20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.
3. Once the potatoes and onions are cooked, remove from heat and cool slightly for about 5 minutes.
4. Add salt to the beaten eggs and fold in the potato and onion mixture.
5. Back in your frying pan, add the rest of the oil and allow it to heat up for a minute before adding in the egg and potato mixture in an even layer.
6. Resist the urge to stir and just let it cook for about 10 minutes. Once it the egg begins to brown on the edges, cover the egg mixture to allow the top to cook.
7. Once the eggs are cooked through, place a plate over the top of the pan and flip the tortilla Espanola onto the plate. Cut into wedges and enjoy!