Spanish Tortilla Recipe (Tortilla de Patates)
May 12, 2021, Updated Jul 31, 2025
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Tortilla espanola, known as Spanish tortilla, is a delicious potato omelette that’s so easy to make! Using only 4 ingredients, you can make this classic Spanish tapa at home and enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a little snack!
A few years ago, we took a trip to Spain, and it truly broadened my culinary perspective. We enjoyed tapas at many restaurants, and one dish that was always on the counter was tortilla de patatas, ready to be sliced and served alongside gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) and pan con tomate.
Like many Spanish recipes this Spanish tortilla recipe is a simple yet delightful dish that you can make at home. Read along for all my tips and tricks to make this classic Spanish recipe.
Table of Contents
So, What Is Spanish Tortilla?
Known as a Spanish omelette or tortilla de patates, this dish is a classic Spanish tapa made mainly with potatoes, onion and eggs, cooked in olive oil. That said, some would dispute whether onion belongs in a Spanish tortilla.
We’ve been fortunate enough to try many authentic Spanish tortillas (as well as so much patatas bravas) during our travels in Spain. You can find them in every corner of Spain, from small restaurants to fancy ones. They’re usually served warm or at room temperature. If served for breakfast, you might get a slice of tomato or a piece of bread with it as well.
Tortilla Espanola calls for a good amount of extra virgin olive oil and it’s best not to substitute other types of oil. Traditionally, the potatoes and onions are cooked in about a cup of olive oil. However, after a few trials, I managed to reduce the amount to ¼ to ⅓ cup depending on how thick and starchy the potatoes are. The result is still tasty and the texture is as light and beautiful as the classic version.
How To Make Spanish Tortilla
Start with gathering the ingredients. I recommend using starchy potatoes such as russet or yellow potatoes.
Even though there is a big debate about onions in Spanish omelette, you see many recipes use them. They add a bit of subtle sweetness to the dish and flavor the potatoes very well.
Peel and chop the onions. Peel the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half again to make quarters. Slice each quarter into thin pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Transfer the onions and potatoes to a bowl and drain any excess olive oil.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cooked potatoes and onions to the eggs and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat some olive oil in the skillet. Once hot, pour all the egg and potato mixture into the pan and gently press using a spatula to spread the potatoes evenly and have a smooth top. Cook on medium for a few minutes until the bottom is set and golden brown. This would take about 10 minutes.
Place a large round plate over the pan and hold it firmly in place. With your other hand, grab the skillet handle and quickly but carefully flip the omelette onto the plate (you can do this over the sink to catch any spills).
Return the pan to the heat, then gently slide the tortilla back in to cook the other side. Depending on how firm you like it, this should take about 6 to 10 minutes. Once the bottom is golden brown and cooked through, your Spanish tortilla is ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
As mentioned earlier, tortilla espanola is one of the most popular tapa dishes (small appetizers) in Spain. It’s usually served as a slice at room temperature. You can also serve it for breakfast with some tomatoes or a slice of crusty bread – or even as a light lunch or dinner with a dollop of homemade aioli and a side salad such as Mediterranean salad or simple Greek salad.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe uses ¼ to ⅓ cup olive oil and maybe more if needed. Start with ¼ cup and add a more if you feel the potatoes are not getting tender.
- Try to slice the potatoes as uniformly as possible so they cook evenly. Thin slices (but not paper-thin) work best.
- We’ve seen some tortillas that are firm and fully cooked (like the one here) or less cooked and have runnier eggs. Depending on your preference, you can cook the tortilla for 6 to 10 minutes on each side.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make this dish a day or two before, let it cool completely and wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate it. When ready to serve, let it come to room temperature or heat it in the oven at 250°F for 20 minutes or until heated through.
For this recipe I used a 10-inch seasoned cast iron skillet. If using a larger skillet, the tortilla will end up being thinner and would need less time to cook,. If you want to make sure the tortilla doesn’t stick to the pan, I recommend using a nonstick pan.
This Spanish tortilla makes the best leftover! Let the tortilla cool completely, then either wrap it in a plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Both dishes are made with eggs, the main difference is in the way that they are cooked. While tortilla is cooked on the stove top, frittata is usually starts cooking on the stove top and then finished in the oven.
More Potato Recipes To Try
Vegetarian
Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes Recipe
Mediterranean recipes
The Best Greek Potatoes [Video]
Side dishes
Crispy Parmesan Potatoes
Spanish Recipes
Ensalada Rusa (Russian Salad – Olivier Salad)
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Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla de Patates)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil , plus 2 tablespoons
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 6 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the potatoes and onion in the pan and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are fork tender. Stir occasionally to make sure they cook evenly.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, transfer the potatoes and onions to a bowl and discard the excess oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add in the potatoes and onion and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same skillet. Pour in the potato and egg mixture into the pan and spread the potatoes evenly using a spatula, make sure the top is smooth.
- Cook over medium heat for a 8 to 10 minutes until the bottom is set and golden brown.
- Place a large round plate on top of the pan and hold it firmly. With the other hand, hold the skillet’s handle and quickly but carefully, flip the omelette into the plate (you can do this over the sink to avoid any spilling).
- Place the pan over the heat again and slowly, push the omelette into the pan and cook over medium heat for another 8 to 10 minutes. IF you like your tortilla softer and runnier, cook for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Once the other side is golden brown as well, the Spanish omelette is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Spanish tortilla is usually served as a tapa with other appetizers. However, you can also serve it for breakfast with some tomatoes or even a slice of crusty bread or even as a light lunch or dinner with a dollop of homemade aioli and a side salad such as Mediterranean salad or simple Greek salad.
- This recipe uses ¼ to ⅓ cup olive oil and maybe more if needed. Start with ¼ cup and add a little bit more if you feel the potatoes are not getting tender.
- Cooking time might vary depending on the size of your skillet and how thick the Spanish tortilla is. For this recipe, we use a 10-inch skillet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My husband lived in Spain for a couple years and fell in love with tortillas. I finally used this recipe to make them, and he has DEVOURED them. He says they are almost as good as the ones he had in Spain, and better than the ones he has made. I do use less oil, and last night I sautéed the onions a little before mixing in the potatoes and he said that made it even better. A couple of my picky kids will even eat them! Thanks for the great recipe!
Microwave potatoes win olive oil , saves frying time
This tortilla is just like at my favorite Spanish restaurant! Soooo good.
Wow! Such an easy recipe. I love all your tips and tricks and can’t wait to make it again for an upcoming party. Thanks for sharing!
So good – I absolutely cannot believe it only had four ingredients! All my friends loved it!
I’ve never had a Spanish tortilla, but it is very easy to make and looks marvelous. I am looking forward to trying this for my next Sunday Brunch.
This tortilla totally hit the spot! My family was excited to try something new and it was a great way to use up the eggs we had!
This was a time saver!!! Loved the recipe. I prepared this for my child’s lunch. Made it the night before. Pulled it our of the fridge the next morning and put it in a lunch box and by the time lunch rolled around, it was at room temperature and ready to eat! Huge success and will be on weekly rotation.
So easy to make. Thank you!
Wow, my kids are thrilled with this recipe! I must say this is a great family meal, prepared quickly, and very tasteful. Thank you!
This spanish tortilla is one of our favorite recipes! I’ve made it several times and it always turns out perfectly.