‘Tortilla de Patatas con Cebolla’ Spanish Omelette with Onion. This dish has to be our all time family favorite. This particular recipe has been developed over years. Yes years! 20 years to be precise. I first tried ‘tortilla’ whilst on my first tapas crawl in a bar on ‘Calle de la Cava Baja’ in Madrid. After eating way too much we ended up in ‘Pez Tortilla’ where we had one of the most delicious ‘tortillas’ I have ever had – onions are caramelized until tender and sweet and the inside of the ‘tortilla’ is ‘jugosa’ which means oozing with rich egg that is warm but runny. It still did not rival my Mother-in-Law’s version! I love watching her make a ‘tortilla de patatas con cebolla’. This is a dish that just seems to appear as if by magic in all home kitchens throughout Spain.  My version here is ‘jugosa’ and on that perfect edge of just cooked that oozes bright yellow as you cut into it. Bread is absolutely necessary. And lots of it!

Spanish Omelette with Onion

Spanish Omelette with Onion

  • Cook Time: 10 min to prepare 55 min to cook
  • Persons: 8
  • Difficulty: Medium

  • Ingredients
  • 12 fresh eggs
  • 6 medium potatoes
  • 3 large onions
  • 2 cups of extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tpsp salt
  1. Instructions
  2. Start by beating all the eggs in a large bowl with 1 tpsp of salt. Set aside.
  3. Peel, wash and slice the onions and potatoes into roughly half inches slices.
  4. Heat oil in wide pan to medium/high and fry the potatoes with 1 tpsp of salt for around 15 minutes. Keep them moving. You do not want crispy exterior. You want to soften them in the oil.
  5. Using a bowl and a sieve drain the excess oil off the potatoes. Return the oil to the pan and start cooking the onions with 1 tpsp of salt.
  6. Heat the oil again to medium and heat the onions until caramelized for around 20 minutes. Keep them moving and don’t brown them. Again you want to soften them slowly to release their natural sugars.
  7. Using a bowl and sieve drain the excess oil off the onions. (This oil can be reused another time so don’t throw it out.) Leave onions to cool off for 5 minutes.
  8. Add the potatoes to the egg mixture and mix well.
  9. Add the onions to the mixture and mix well.
  10. Leave mixture to sit for 10 minutes. Then add 2 tpsp of oil to the pan and heat to medium.
  11. Add your egg mixture and cook for around 3 minutes.
  12. Now its time to flip the tortilla. Take off the heat. Over a sink and using a plate (bigger than the circumference of the pan) place it on top of the pan with the egg mixture inside. 
  13. Flip the tortilla round and then slide the tortilla off the plate back into the pan. Cook for a further 3 minutes.
  14. Turn out again by flipping onto a clean plate. Leave to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Top Tips

  • If you like a tortilla that is completely cooked inside then cook for around 5-6 minutes on each side.
  • If you are not a fan of onions then add a further 2 potatoes and make an equally delicious ‘tortilla de patatas sin cebolla’ Spanish Omelette without onions.
  • A ‘tortilla’ is frequently served in Spain with ‘alioli’ garlic mayonnaise. However, if you are eating this for breakfast (as it’s often eaten in Spain) then hold off the mayo! 
  • A ‘tortilla de patatas’ is perfect for a tapas or cocktail party. You need to make the ‘tortilla’ center well cooked and then slice into squares. Pierce each square with a cocktail stick. Such an easy pass around tapas to go with an elegant cocktail. 

Spanish Omelette with Onion – Tortilla de Patatas con Cebolla

Our favorite supper – ‘Tortilla de Patatas con Cebolla’ Spanish Omelette with Onion. Sweet onions and tender potatoes served in a rich and luscious egg sauce that forms in the inside of the omelette. This is ALWAYS worth the effort and the wait.