Spanish Tortilla Española (Potato and Onion Omelette)

Name: Spanish Tortilla Española (Potato and Onion Omelette)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) waxy or all-purpose potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick; 1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced; 1 cup (240 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: most for poaching, 1 tablespoon reserved for the flip; 6 large (300 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 1¼ tsp (7 g) fine sea salt, divided: ¾ teaspoon for potatoes, ½ teaspoon for eggs

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A classic Spanish potato and onion omelette with tender, olive-oil-poached potatoes set in a creamy, just-set egg center and a golden crust. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: 1 tortilla (9-inch/23 cm), 6 wedges

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Steps

Before you start

Choose an 8- to 9-inch (20-23 cm) nonstick or well-seasoned skillet with sloped sides; this size gives a tortilla about 1½ inches (4 cm) thick.
Find a flat plate or lid slightly larger than the skillet for flipping, and set it nearby before you start.
Slice the potatoes thin and evenly (about ⅛ inch/3 mm) so they cook at the same rate.
The olive oil is strained and can be reused for cooking; don't discard it.

1
Slice the vegetables
- Peel the potatoes, halve lengthwise, and slice into ⅛-inch (3 mm) half-moons.
- Halve and thinly slice the onion.
- Place both in a large bowl and toss with ¾ teaspoon of the salt.
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Ready when: Slices are even in thickness and evenly coated in salt.
Tip: Don't rinse the potatoes; their surface starch helps bind the tortilla.
2
Poach in olive oil
- Pour about ¾ cup (180 ml) of the olive oil into the 9-inch skillet, keeping 1 tablespoon aside.
- Heat over medium heat for about 2 minutes until a potato slice dropped in sizzles gently.
- Add the potatoes and onion, spreading them out.
- The oil should come about halfway up the layer.
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Ready when: Gentle bubbling around the slices, without vigorous frying.
Tip: Add the extra oil if the pan looks dry, but never let the potatoes brown hard.
3
Cook until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cook for 18 to 22 minutes, turning the slices gently every 3 to 4 minutes with a spatula, until the potatoes are completely tender and the onions are soft and translucent.
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Ready when: A potato slice breaks apart easily when pressed with the spatula, with little to no browning.
Tip: Turn gently so the slices stay mostly intact; some breaking is fine.
4
Drain the oil
- Set a fine-mesh sieve over a heatproof bowl and tip in the potato mixture.
- Let it drain for 5 minutes, pressing lightly.
- Save the oil for another use.
- Wipe the skillet clean.
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Ready when: Potatoes look glistening but are not dripping.
Tip: Hot oil: use a heatproof bowl and handle carefully.
5
Whisk the eggs
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt for about 30 seconds until uniformly yellow with no streaks of white.
- Gently fold in the warm potato mixture, breaking up clumps without mashing.
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Ready when: Potatoes are evenly coated and the mixture looks loose and custardy.
Tip: Don't skip the rest; it helps the tortilla hold together.
6
Cook the first side
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the reserved oil in the clean skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Pour in the egg mixture and spread it level.
- Cook for 3 minutes, then reduce to medium-low.
- Shake the pan and run a spatula around the edge, tucking the sides, for 5 to 6 more minutes.
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Ready when: The edges are set and golden, the bottom slides freely when shaken, and the center is still soft and wobbly.
Tip: If the bottom browns too fast, lower the heat.
7
Flip the tortilla
- Place the flat plate over the skillet.
- Holding the plate firmly, invert the skillet over a sink or work surface in one confident motion so the tortilla drops onto the plate.
- Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of reserved oil to the skillet, then slide the tortilla back in, uncooked side down.
- Tuck the edges with a spatula to round them.
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Ready when: The tortilla slides back in whole, with a golden top.
Tip: Wear oven mitts and flip over the sink in case of drips.
8
Finish the second side
- Cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes for a juicy, slightly runny center (jugosa), or 5 to 6 minutes for a fully set center.
- Slide onto a serving plate.
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Ready when: The second side is golden; the center is just set and an inserted knife shows creamy, not liquid, egg for jugosa, or comes out clean for fully set.
Tip: The tortilla keeps cooking from residual heat as it rests.
9
Rest and serve
- Rest the tortilla on the plate for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cut into 6 wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Slices hold their shape with a creamy center.

Good to know

Tips

Poach, don't fry: bubbles should be gentle, otherwise the potatoes brown and turn crisp instead of silky.
A nonstick or well-seasoned pan makes the flip much easier.
For jugosa results, pull the tortilla while the center still jiggles slightly; it will firm up as it rests.
Reuse the strained olive oil for sautéing; it is full of onion and potato flavor.

Make ahead

"Cook the tortilla up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving; it is traditionally eaten at room temperature."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: wrapped airtight up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended because the potatoes turn grainy. To reheat, warm wedges in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or eat cold or at room temperature."

Substitutions

yellow onion → Spanish sweet onion or 3 shallots. Gives a slightly sweeter flavor. Omit the onion for a classic 'sin cebolla' version, and use an extra 4 oz (115 g) potato.
extra-virgin olive oil → Light olive oil. Milder flavor and cheaper for poaching; extra-virgin is more traditional.
waxy or all-purpose potatoes (such as Yukon Gold) → Red or white waxy potatoes. Avoid very starchy russets, which fall apart.
fine sea salt → Kosher salt, 1½ teaspoons total (Diamond Crystal). Coarser grains are less salty by volume.