# Spanish Potato Tortilla

> The potatoes in a tortilla are **poached in the oil, not fried** — low heat, enough oil to cover them, 25 minutes until soft without colouring. Frying over high heat gives crisp potatoes, and that is not a tortilla.

**Spanish Cuisine · 60 min · 6 servings · 320 kcal per serving**

The Spanish tortilla is one of the best-known tapas, eaten hot or cold at any hour. Potato, onion and egg — three ingredients. What defines it is the texture: set on the outside with a soft, creamy centre.

## Ingredients


### Base
- 800 g — peeled potatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 حبات — onions, sliced
- 6 حبات — eggs
- 1.5 cups — olive oil
- 1.5 tsp — salt

## Method

1. **Slice** — Cut the potatoes into thin slices (3 mm) and slice the onion. Thinness makes them cook evenly.
2. **Poach in oil** — Heat the oil in a pan over **low heat** and add the potatoes, onion and salt. The oil should almost cover them. Leave **25 minutes** to soften without colouring, stirring gently now and then.
3. **Drain** — Drain the potatoes and onion in a sieve, keeping the oil (it stores and is reused).
4. **Rest in the egg** — Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, fold the warm potatoes through them, and leave **10 minutes** — the potatoes drink the egg, and that is the secret to it holding together.
5. **First side** — In a clean pan with two spoonfuls of oil over medium heat, pour in the mixture. Draw the edges inwards with a spoon for the first two minutes, then leave it **6 minutes** until the edges set and the centre stays soft.
6. **Flip** — Set a flat plate over the pan, flip it in one decisive movement, and slide the tortilla back in with the raw side down.
7. **Second side** — 5 minutes more, tucking the edges inwards with a spoon so the shape stays neatly round. The centre must stay moist.
8. **Rest** — Leave it 5 minutes before cutting. Eaten hot or at room temperature.

## Tips

- The potatoes poach in oil over low heat — they do not fry. Frying ruins the texture.
- The 10-minute rest in the egg is essential — the potatoes absorb it and bind.
- Flip in one decisive movement. Hesitation breaks it.
- A soft centre is the goal. If you prefer it firm, add two minutes a side.

## FAQ

### With onion or without?
The most famous cooking argument in Spain. The onion version is sweeter and softer; without it the flavour is cleaner. Both are authentic — try both and choose.

### Why does my tortilla fall apart when I flip it?
The edges had not set enough, or the pan is not non-stick. Wait until the edges are fully set, and use a good non-stick pan.

### That is a lot of oil — is it right?
Yes — the potatoes poach in it rather than absorbing it all, and the oil is strained and stored for reuse. The finished dish is moderately rich.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/spanish-cuisine/spanish-potato-tortilla
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-12