Spanish Potato Omelette (Tortilla de Patatas)
Tortilla de patatas is Spain's beloved home-style dish made with just potatoes and eggs. The potatoes are cooked gently in olive oil, then folded into beaten eggs and pan-fried into a thick, hearty cake. Simple ingredients, yet tender inside and golden outside — delicious warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Potato1
- Egg3
- SaltTo taste
- Olive oilGenerous amount
Directions
- 1
Slice the potato thinly. You can dice it into small cubes, but thin slices cook faster.
- 2
Put the potato in a bowl and season with salt.
- 3
Add olive oil and toss so the potato is well coated. Extra virgin is nice, but regular olive oil works too. The key is to use enough so it pools at the bottom of the bowl — you'll cook the potatoes as if frying them in oil.
- 4
Microwave the potato for 5 minutes.
- 5
Meanwhile, beat the eggs in another bowl and season with a pinch of salt. A little pepper is nice too. Mix well.
- 6
Take out the potato and check how done it is. It's ready when a fork slides in easily or it crumbles softly. If it's underdone, stir it top to bottom and microwave about 3 more minutes.
- 7
Once the potato is cooked, break it into smaller bits with a spoon or fork. Don't mash it fully — leave a little texture. This also cools the potato a bit so the eggs won't set instantly when added.
- 8
Pour the beaten eggs over the potato, mix well, and check the seasoning one last time with salt. Since you already salted both the potato and eggs, you won't need much.
- 9
Pour the potato-egg mixture into a frying pan and spread it evenly. Since you added plenty of olive oil to the potatoes earlier, no extra oil is needed. Keep the heat medium — not high, or the bottom will burn while the top stays underdone.
- 10
When the bottom is set and the shape holds, lower to low heat and cook a bit more. (As in the photo, if you nudge the edge and no runny egg flows out, it's time to switch to low heat.)
- 11
In Spain, they flip it by placing a lid or plate larger than the pan on top, turning it over, then sliding it back into the pan. If you're not confident, just cover with a lid and wait about 5 minutes until the top sets.
- 12
It's delicious even a little underdone! I prefer it slightly underset, so the inside melts in your mouth, rather than fully cooked and firm.
Tips
Enjoy it on its own or with a little ketchup on the side. Savor this Spanish-style omelette!