TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA RECIPE
Buenos Dias.
For dinner tonight I’m making one of my all-time favorite dishes. It’s my go-to dinner recipe when I want to make something quick, easy and delicious, with ingredients I always have on hand. It’s my Tortilla Española Recipe, or Spanish Tortilla.
I can just hear you saying to yourself: “That doesn’t look like a tortilla.” Well, in Spain it sure is. As a native of Southern California, I grew up in close proximity to Mexico. Mexican cuisine is a staple in the diets of most Californians. So, like many native Californians, you’re not alone in thinking that the only things called tortillas look like this:
But to a Spaniard, a Tortilla looks like this:
If you were to ask for corn tortilla chips in Spain, most Spaniards wouldn’t have the foggiest idea what you’d be talkin’ about.
You see, there is absolutely no resemblance what-so-ever between Mexican Food and Spanish Food. Mexican food involves the use of a lot of items made from corn, Mexican tortillas being one of those things. In Spain, and for that matter in most of Europe, corn is reserved for animal feed and is rarely consumed by humans. So, don’t expect to order tacos or enchiladas or quesadillas on your next trip to Spain. You can, however, expect to find Tortilla Española on every street corner…..
because Tortilla Española is practically the national dish of Spain. You can find it on the menu in every bar and restaurant. It is served sliced in wedges as a main dish, or cut into small pieces and served as an appetizer in Tapas Bars.
It is really yummy. I haven’t encountered a single person who doesn’t like Tortilla Española. So, let me show you how to make an authentic Tortilla Española. I have seen a lot of recipes out there where it is obvious the chef has never eaten a Tortilla in Spain, and hasn’t got a clue how to make it properly. The method I’m going to show you here is exactly how my Spanish Grandmother made her Tortilla Española Recipe, and let me assure you, every Grandmother in Spain has made Tortilla Española hundred’s of times!
My Spanish Grandmother Adella & My Father Luis
You only need a few ingredients; potatoes, onions, bell peppers, garlic, eggs and olive oil. To make a large Tortilla, I peel and slice about 8 medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes. Sorry, I didn’t get a photo of how I slice the potatoes but I use a small pairing knife to cut them into irregularly shaped, small, thin slices. Add about 2 cups of good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a large, 13″ non-stick frying pan. Heat the oil on medium high and add the sliced potatoes. The oil should just about cover the potatoes. Sprinkle on a generous pinch of kosher salt and coarse ground pepper.
Fry the potatoes until they are fully cooked and beginning to turn golden brown. Not everyone lets their potatoes get a bit crispy like this, but I think it adds depth of flavor and texture, so I do.
At this point you will need garlic. I love tons of garlic in my Tortilla Española. I think it is the key to a great tasting Tortilla, but you can let your taste buds dictate how much to use. I use about 10 fresh garlic cloves, diced. Some Spaniards use none. I personally think that would be a travesty!
Add the garlic to the frying pan and gently mix them into the potatoes. Cook for a few more minutes until the garlic wilts but does not brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes and garlic from the pan, transferring them into a bowl. Most of the olive oil should remain in the frying pan.
Peel and slice 2 medium sized brown onions in half, and then cut them into 1/4″ slices.
Next, remove the seeds from 2 whole bell peppers and slice them into 1/2″ strips. Cut, the strips in half lengthwise. You can use red, green or yellow bell peppers, or a combination of colors. Now, there will be those that will tell you that a truly authentic Tortilla Española does not include the addition of bell peppers. That is probably true; however, the addition of peppers adds such a wonderful flavor to the Tortilla that it is simply a shame not to add them.
Add the bell peppers and onions to the frying pan you had used to fry the potatoes. Continue frying using a medium low heat, until the peppers and onions are wilted and soft and starting to brown and caramelize. This will take about 20 minutes.
In the photo below I used a combination of green and yellow peppers. The choice is yours and may depend on what you have on hand.
Once the onions and peppers are caramelized, remove them from the frying pan using a slotted spoon. The slotted spoon will help you to remove the vegetables while leaving that delicious olive oil behind. Transfer the vegetables into the bowl of potatoes that was previously set aside.
Next, crack 12 whole eggs into a mixing bowl. Using a whisk, beat the eggs until well incorporated.
Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to the eggs and give them another mix. Then, pour the beaten eggs into the fried vegetable mixture.
If I happen to have some hard Spanish (not soft Mexican) Chorizo on hand, I will often slice some up, fry it in a separate pan and add it to the Tortilla. The problem for me is that Spanish Chorizo is hard to come by in my neck of the woods. So, for me, it’s a luxury item. When I have it, I like to add it to my Tortilla because it adds great depth of flavor. Again, to a true aficionado, the addition of Chorizo would be a departure from the standard, authentic Tortilla Española, but it is a delicious departure.
Next, gently mix the eggs into the potatoes, peppers, onions and chorizo, that is if you are lucky enough to have some Spanish Chorizo. Now, return to the frying pan that you set aside with the reserved oil. Discard all but enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat it up. Once heated, pour in the egg & vegetable mixture and reduce the heat to medium low.
Now, hopefully, you have a flat lid or a large plate of some sort that will fit completely over your frying pan. I found this lid at a garage sale and covet it because it is perfect for making Tortilla Española. Place your lid over the Tortilla and let it cook on low heat until the eggs start to become firm and the Tortilla holds the shape of the pan. DO NOT MIX OR DISTURB THE TORTILLA AT THIS POINT. Simply check on it from time to time. Using a spatula, lift up one corner to observe the bottom of the tortilla. Once it achieves a golden brown color, it is ready to be flipped.
Sorry folks, but now comes the tricky part. It’s the part that takes a little practice. It’s the part when you have to quickly, and carefully, and hopefully expertly flip your Tortilla over. You do this using the flat lid that is covering your tortilla. Because I don’t have 4 hands, I could not shoot a photo of me actually flipping the Tortilla, so you are just going to have to visualize the process. Holding the handle of the frying pan with one hand, place your other hand on top of the lid. You may wish to use a hot pad so as not to burn yourself, and you may wish to do this over the sink to avoid dripping oil on the stove. Quickly invert the frying pan so that the tortilla is transferred from the pan into the lid.
Now, the beautifully browned tortilla is up-side-down on the lid. Carefully slide the tortilla back into the frying pan and continue cooking until it is browned on both sides and the egg is cooked.
Remove the tortilla from the frying pan and slice it into wedges. Serve it with a green salad and enjoy every last bite.
PS: I know the process in this tutorial may look a bit labor intensive. However, once you make this a few times, you will find that it really is easy and quick to make. It is a delicious and healthy meal that is sure to become a go-to dinner in your household as well. An added bonus is that it is very inexpensive to make! Leftovers are great the following day.
PSS: If you are serving fewer people you may wish to cut this recipe in half. If you find that cooking this large recipe in a large, heavy pan is too tricky, you can divide the egg/vegetable mixture in half and cook two smaller tortillas. For novices this is the easier option.
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- Half Size Tortilla
PSSS: Williams-Sonoma sells a double-sided Frittata Pan here that is two pans with interlinking handles. This makes it easy to flip the Tortilla over. It seems like an expensive way to do it, but thought you might be interested in this as an alternative to a lid.
If you make your own Tortilla Española, please leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it!
- 2 Cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and sliced into small, thin pieces
- Kosher Salt & Coarse Ground Pepper to Taste
- 10 Cloves Garlic (or less if you prefer), Diced
- 2 Large Brown Onions, Peeled & Cut into ¼" Slices
- 2 Bell Peppers, Any Color, Cut into ½" Slices and halved
- 2 Hard, Spanish Chorizos, Sliced Thin & Fried Separately (Optional)
- 12 Large Eggs, Beaten
- Pour the olive oil into a large, nonstick frying pan and heat on medium high.
- Add sliced potatoes to the hot oil, sprinkle on salt & pepper to taste.
- Cook until tender and beginning to brown.
- Add the diced garlic and cook until tender, not brown.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes & garlic from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
- Most of the olive oil should remain in the frying pan.
- Add the sliced onions and bell peppers to the heated frying pan and cook until they begin to brown and caramelize.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions & peppers from the frying pan and add them to the bowl containing the fried potatoes.
- Again, most of the oil should remain in the frying pan.
- Add cooked Chorizo to the vegetables if desired.
- Beat 12 eggs. Mix in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of coarse ground pepper.
- Pour the beaten eggs over the potatoes and peppers and gently mix to combine.
- Pour this egg and vegetable mixture into the heated frying pan.
- Cover and cook without mixing until the eggs begin to harden and take the shape of the pan.
- Using a spatula, loosen the tortilla from the sides of the pan.
- Invert the tortilla over onto the lid and slide it back into the frying pan.
- Continue cooking until golden brown and the eggs are cooked.
- Remove from the pan and slice into wedges.
- Enjoy!
All opinions expressed in this post are my own. All photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.
