Tortilla Española
Home· Recipes· Spanish

Tortilla Española

Tortilla Española is a distinctive Spanish recipe known for a thick Spanish omelette of tender potatoes, onion and softly set eggs.

Prep15 mins
Cook30 mins
Serves2
DifficultyMedium
Spanish Starter Dairy-freeGluten-freeLow calorieNut-free
Jump to recipe ↓

The story

Tortilla española, also called tortilla de patatas, became established in Spain during the nineteenth century as potatoes turned into an affordable staple. Its precise origin is debated, with stories linking it to Navarre and military provisioning, but it grew into one of the country's most universal home-cooked dishes. The dish is famous for transforming potatoes, eggs and oil into something substantial enough for any meal. The best versions have tender, oil-poached potatoes bound by egg, a lightly browned exterior and an interior cooked to the preferred degree, from softly custardy to firmly set. It is eaten at home, packed into sandwiches, cut into cubes for tapas and displayed whole on bar counters. The question of whether onion belongs in it remains a familiar Spanish debate, showing how strongly people identify with their own household version.

Ingredients

2servings
  • Main
  • 2 piece eggs4 eggs
  • 250 gram potatoes500g potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 0.5 piece onion1 onion, sliced
  • 15 millilitre Olive oilOlive oil [Phase 1 metric normalisation: standard small-batch olive oil amount for serves 2; source-check if oil is central to dish]
  • to taste to taste SaltSalt [Phase 1 metric normalisation: salt remains to taste]

Method

  1. Method

    Fry potatoes and onion in olive oil until soft. Drain and mix with beaten eggs. Cook in a non-stick pan until set, flip and cook the other side. Cool slightly and slice into wedges.

Nutrition

per serving

Calories290
Protein8g
Carbs40g
Fat10g
Fibre4g
Sugar8g
Salt1.1g

Estimated from recipe type and current ingredient text; review before publishing formal nutritional claims.

Spanish

More from this cuisine

A considered mix of classics, regional favourites and dishes with a story worth knowing.

Pan con Tomate Starter
Starter15 mins

Pan con Tomate

Pan con Tomate is a distinctive Spanish recipe known for rustic toasted bread rubbed with ripe tomato, garlic, olive oi…

Galician Empanada Starter
Starter1h 15m

Galician Empanada

Galician Empanada is a distinctive Spanish recipe known for a broad, golden savoury pie filled with tuna, peppers and s…

Gazpacho Starter
Starter2h 15m

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a distinctive Spanish recipe known for a chilled Andalusian soup of ripe tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, bread…

Salmorejo Starter
Starter2h

Salmorejo

Salmorejo is a distinctive Spanish recipe known for a thick Cordoban tomato and bread soup finished with egg and cured…