I'll never forget the first time I tried tortilla de patatas while living in Sevilla for six months while getting my Spanish major in college. There was an unusually rainy month when I was there, and my host mother served me tortilla de patatas for dinner one night when I was particularly cold and wet from walking outside. It was everything I needed in that moment: warm, comforting (as eggs and potatoes always are), and somehow one of the best things I had ever eaten.
If you haven't had tortilla de patatas before, it's reminiscent of a frittata texture, but is full of thinly sliced potatoes layered throughout cooked eggs-all coming together in one pan on the stovetop. It's hearty, made with pantry staples, and equally delicious enjoyed plain as it is sandwiched by freshest bread you can find.
Spanish Tortilla Basics
Okay, so this recipe is incredibly simple, but making Spanish tortilla actually requires a bit of finesse; namely, flipping the tortilla can be somewhat of a challenge (read: I may or may not have destroyed many of these). Some mistakes (let's call them tests, because I'm totally a recipe tester) I've made:
- Too many potatoes and onions and not enough eggs. Okay, so sometimes I get a little crazy in the kitchen and pretend like I whip out perfect ratios. Sometimes I can, but most of the time I goof up. If the eggs can't support the weight of what's in them, they would stay bound together and your tortilla will break.
- Overcooking the eggs. This can be tough depending on the cooking utensils you have, or even your stove-type. You don't want the eggs to be raw, but you also do not want them overcooked. It can be tempting to let them cook for a really long time since you have to flip the tortilla, and you don't want egg liquid at the top when you're ready for that step. However, you do want to end up with a consistency closer to custard-y rather than overcooked.
- Not using enough oil. A nonstick pan will certainly help with this, but you do need enough oil in the pan when it comes time to flip the tortilla. You also need enough to fry the potatoes and onions with them getting browned or crispy. I'm guilty of both: burnt onions and breaking the tortilla because part of it stuck to the pan.
- Stirring the potatoes too much. It's okay to stir them a bit to ensure even cooking, but try not to break them up. You want them to be in thin, flat layers when they cook into the eggs.
Next, let's quick talk about the flip.
The Flip
Part of Spanish tortilla's uniqueness is in its preparation: entirely on the stovetop. Because of this, you need to flip the tortilla in order to finish cooking the eggs.
Basically, you'll reach a point in the recipe where you've poured your whisked eggs over the onions and potatoes in the pan on your stovetop. You'll allow that to cook until the eggs are almost cooked through on the top, but there's still a little circle of liquid-y egg in the center. The trick is to slide the tortilla out onto a large plate (liquid-y part still face-up), then hold the pan upside down over the plate (allowing it to touch the tortilla, pressing the tortilla up against it), and flip it back over with the tortilla in it. That's it! Then you let it finish cooking for a minute or two. DONE. Spanish tortilla.
You can cut it into slices and serve immediately, or you can chill it and serve plain or on sandwiches throughout the week. I love both ways <3.
📖 Recipe
Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Española)
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Tortilla de patatas is a simple, hearty, comforting recipe that comes together on the stovetop. You can serve it warm or chilled, alone or on a sandwich.
Ingredients
- ⅓-½ cup olive oil (enough to fry the potatoes)
- 1 small yellow onion, quartered and thinly sliced
- 4-5 medium-sized Yukon gold potatoes, halved and thinly sliced
- 8 eggs
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Fry potatoes & onions. Heat the olive in a skillet over medium heat until just shimmering. Meanwhile, combine onions and potatoes into a bowl to mix, then place them into the sauté pan. Cover, reduce heat and cook until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork (about 25 minutes), but are not browned. If you choose to stir once or twice throughout, do so carefully to keep the potatoes in tact. Once cooked, transfer onions and potatoes to a large bowl.
- Whisk eggs. In a separate large bowl, whisk eggs together with salt and pepper. Pour eggs over onions and potatoes and stir a couple times to combine.
- Cook tortilla. If more olive oil is needed, or if you have a pan that sticks easily, add another tablespoon or two to the pan. Gently transfer the egg and potato mixture to the skillet and, also gently, spread the mixture out so it sits in the skillet evenly. All to cook until eggs just start to set. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the eggs are almost set, shaking the pan occasionally to keep the tortilla loose (about 15-20 minutes).
- Flip. When the eggs are just set (mostly cooked through except for maybe a little liquid at the top), run a rubber spatula around the outside of the tortilla to help loosen it. Gently slide the tortilla out onto a dinner plate, pan-side down (the part that wasn't touching the pan before should be facing up). Carefully flip the tortilla back into the skillet and cook for two more minutes.
- Cool & serve. Remove from heat, and transfer tortilla to serving plate. Allow it to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Flipping technique. The technique I like to use when I flip is holding the bottom of the plate in one hand and placing the skillet face down over the tortilla, pressing the tortilla up against the plate. Then, as I flip, I maintain that pressure of the tortilla against the plate as I flip it over, and nothing spills out everywhere (goals).
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
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