Skip to content

Perfect Spanish Omelette

📍 Spain
⏱️Prep: 15 min
🔥Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
🍽️4 servings
Difficulty: Medium

The Spanish omelette — tortilla española — is one of Spain's most beloved dishes: potato slices slow-cooked in olive oil until tender, then bound with egg in a pan to produce a custardy, just-set interior. Whether to include onion is a debate without a right answer, but here it goes in, gently sweated until sweet. Simple in ingredients, demanding in technique.

🛒 Ingredients

4 servings
  • 800g potatoes
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 medium onions
  • 200ml olive oil
  • Salt

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

  1. Peel and slice potatoes 3mm and onions into julienne strips

  2. Poach together in oil over low heat for 25 minutes — do not fry, confit

  3. Drain the oil well — save for another use

  4. Beat eggs with salt, add potato-onion mixture

  5. Let it rest for 10 minutes

  6. 20cm pan with a little oil over medium-high heat

  7. Set for 3 minutes, flip with a plate

  8. Cook for 2 minutes more — the center should remain creamy

💡 Chef's tip

A good Spanish omelette is always slightly raw in the center. If it's dry, it's overcooked.

📝 Our take

Spanish tortilla divides households between the "with onion" and "without onion" camps. This recipe takes a clear stance: with onion, slowly caramelised, and a runny centre. If it comes out dry, send it back.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

A well-chilled glass of Manzanilla or Fino sherry. Cold lager at cellar temperature works just as well.

⭐ Have you tried this recipe?

Select a rating

🍳 Did it turn out well? Share it in the chat!
Share your version, tips or questions with the cooking community.
Enter chat →