Tortilla (or Spanish Omelette) has always been one of my favorite dishes, since I was a child. It’s a typical Spanish recipe, probably one of the most famous in our country. We call it “tortilla de patatas” (potato omelette in English) and it’s made of eggs, potatoes, olive oil and salt, and some people add onion too. This is a vegan version and it’s so delicious, you won’t even notice the difference!
Traditional Spanish Omelette is made with potatoes fried in olive oil, it’s really yummy, but it’s not very healthy, so we’re gonna share with you the traditional recipe and a healthier version, that only requires two tablespoons of oil.
Here in Spain we always use olive oil for cooking, but you can also use whatever oil you like. I love olive oil, I couldn’t live without it!
We’ve used gram or chickpea flour with cold water instead of eggs, it’s really cheap, simple and easy, and it tastes amazing. There are other alternatives to substitute the eggs but this is our favorite. This recipe is gluten, soy and dairy free and it’s also vegan, requires 6 ingredients, or 5 if you don’t want to add onion (but I really recommend it!). Have you ever tried tortilla or Spanish Omelette? It’s really tasty, you’re gonna love it!
Tortilla (Spanish Omelette). Vegan and Gluten Free
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Vegan, Spanish
Tortilla (or Spanish Omelette) is a typical Spanish recipe, probably one of the most famous in our country. This is a vegan version, so delicious!
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 800 grams or 28 oz potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
- 1/2 onion
- 16 tablespoons gram or chickpea flour
- 16 tablespoons water (+ 1 cup or 250 milliliters water if you make the healthy version)
- Salt to taste
- Dash of black salt or Kala Namak (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and wash them. Cut them in half lengthwise. Then, slice the potatoes in pieces approximately 3 mm or 1/8″ thick. Peel and chop the onion into small pieces.
- At this step, you’ll have to choose one version. Healthy version: In a non-stick frying pan, place one or two tablespoons of olive oil and when the oil is hot, add potatoes, onion, salt to taste and 250 milliliters or 1 cup of water and bring it to boil. You may need to turn down the heat slightly, so the potatoes do not burn. Cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Stir occasionally. Remove the potatoes and onion from the pan with a slotted spoon. Traditional version: In a non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat, add potatoes, onion and salt to taste. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. Cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Stir occasionally. Remove the potatoes and onion from the pan with a slotted spoon.
- In a bowl, place 16 tablespoons of gram flour and 16 tablespoons of water, add salt and beat by hand with a fork. Pour in the potato onion mixture. Mix all together.
- Place one or two tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and heat on medium heat. Pour in the potato onion mixture and cook over medium heat for about five minutes. Place a plate over the tortilla and turn it around and cook the other side for about another 5 minutes. Turn the tortilla again if required until it’s totally cooked.
- Add black salt to get a truly authentic egg-like taste.
Notes
Follow steps 1, 3 and 4 in both versions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 4.8 g
- Sodium: 27.8 g
- Fat: 8.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.9 g
- Fiber: 7.2 g
- Protein: 9.4 g
Can I use spelt flour?
Hi Jordan! I don’t think it’s going to work, sorry!
Love this recipe so much. Thanks for sharing!!
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Hi Francesca! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it!
I am a Spanish teacher in the USA and I have a student with lots of allergies, including eggs. We are doing a unit on Spain at the moment and I really wanted to bring in tortilla but I want him to be able to eat it! I found you by googling egg free tortilla española and I am DYING to make this later this week! I am so excited by the reviews and the photos, I am so happy to have found your blog! Thanks in advance 😀
Hi Nicole! Thank you so much for your comment 🙂 Hope you guys enjoy it!
This is such a lazy American question…but we can buy pre-shredded potatoes, or frozen chunky potatoes too. Would either work? They are more like russet potatoes so drier/fall apart more. Or would something like a golden potato work better? Thanks and I’m kinda embarrassed to even ask!!!
Hi Alison! I’ve only made this recipe using fresh potatoes, so I’m not sure. I think frozen chunky potatoes should work, but I haven’t tried it myself, sorry!
The only issue with frozen potatoes would be that it would have a lot of water content so your omelette might not hold its shape. Pre-shredded potatoes should be fine.
Hi Nr! Thanks a lot for your comment 🙂
Would you clarify “placing a plate over the tortilla and turning it around?” Does that mean flip it? Won’t the topside be uncooked? I’m not reading that correctly.
Hi Sam! Yes, you have to flip it and cook the other side 🙂
I made this using Amisa chick pea flour as well as gram flour. The difference is one of taste but the regular chick pea flour is better for this dish. I also used nutritional yeast to give a slightly cheeses/nutty flavour. This is a great recipe and will make it again.
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Hi Tony! Thanks a lot for your comment 🙂
I am not a brilliant cook but I made this as I miss my tortilla española. It turned out amazingly like the real thing but no eggs. My version was a a little drier than I would like but probably over cooked or is there a trick to getting it less dry?
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Hi Ian! SO glad you liked it 🙂 This omelette is drier, but cook it less time next time. Have a nice day!
This was so good! I made it as part of a larger tapas meal with gazpacho and eggplant with molasses, and I think it was my favorite. Mine looked a little more rustic and smaller (I only wanted enough for two people, so I did about six TBSP chickpea flour) but it was really really good. Will definitely make again.
Oh and I did it the “healthy” way and have no regrets!
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Hi Christine! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 Have a nice day!
I love this recipe, it’s fantastic, thank you so much for sharing!!!
★★★★★
Hi Francesca! You’re so welcome 🙂
The potatoes and onions should be cooked on very low heat or the potatoes will harden.
Hi Randy! Medium or medium-low is also okay 🙂 There are so many ways to make this recipe. Have a nice day!
Hello! I want to make this today and was wondering… does the olive oil add flavour to the thing?? or is it a personal preference (and you don’t use a particularly strong olive oil?) Just asking because I buy from a local producer and the olive oil has a reeally strong olive flavour…. So I could dilute it, or altogether use vegetable oil… what would you recommend??
thanks for the recipe!!! can’t wait to make it for my grandpa!! (he loves tapas and since I became vegan I haven’t been able to go with him to any spanish places)
Hi Dani Tessa! You could use any oil you have on hand, but in Spain we usually use extra virgin olive oil to cook because we love the taste 🙂 You’re so welcome!
Hello Iosune! a wonderful tortilla recipe. I will try this recipe tonight.
Hi Jessica! Thanks a lot 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Kara! Thanks a lot 🙂 You can share 1 picture and the link, but not the recipe. Thanks a lot!
Absolutely love your creative idea with tortilla spanish omelette! Can I post it on my blog? Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
The first time I tried making Spanish cakes, it was great, it was the most delicious dish I ever made. Thank you
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Hi Kha! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Cooking this for the first time today on Christmas Day, a very cold day in London. Let’s see how it turns out! 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Hi Kevin! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂 Have a nice day!
If I made this on Friday would it last until Sunday in the fridge or is it better to cook it near Sunday?
Hi Theresa! Best when fresh, you can keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days 🙂
This was absolutely delicious and have now made it a few times. I just need to work out how to turn it over without breaking it!
★★★★★
Hi Angela! Thanks a lot. So glad you liked it 🙂
That tortilla spanish omelette is so Instagrammable and adorable! As you know I made it a short while ago and it was lovely! Thx for sharing!
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Hi Robin! Thank you so much, so glad you liked it!
I tried this tonight…delicious. Thank you!!
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Hi Alicia! Thank YOU for giving this recipe a try 😉
This is an amazing recipe. I can definitely reccomend making it with a non-stick pan. It makes the turning of the tortilla soooo much easier!
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Hi Mel! Thank you so much 🙂 Have a nice day!
Definitely, your tortilla spanish omelette vegan and glutenfree is awesomeness! This is a great recipe, as you know I made it a short while ago and it was lovely, in fact have made it again since. Thanks for sharing!
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Hi Bella! Thank you so much 🙂 Have a nice day!
Tried this recipe today after having eaten a great vegan tortilla at Buena Vida restaurant in Tenerife (I think they use a similar recipe). I didn’t have any black salt, but it tasted great without it.
Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
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Hi Martin! You’re so welcome 🙂 Yes, vegan omelettes in Spain are usually made with chickpea flour. So glad you liked it!
Sooooo good! Made this recipe nearly exactly as stated above. I went halfway between the healthy & traditional version in terms of the amount of olive oil. I also added an entire onion instead of half.. but holy moly does taste like the real thing! Didn’t have black salt but it’s still so frickin good! Will definitely remake..
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Hi Nayan! So glad you liked it 🙂 Try it with black salt if you can, it’s even better!
The first time I made this, I second-guessed the ingredients and it was very good, but a little challenging to execute. The second time (today) I followed it to the letter (except that I added some nutritional yeast because I didn’t have black salt), and it was even better! My tip: If you are doubling the recipe, you can cook he potatoes in the same amount of oil and water for the healthy version, BUT make sure that you make 2 individual tortillas or it won’t get done all the way through. I made that mistake the first time.
The chickpea flour adds extra protein too. A very great and appropriate egg substitute.
I used a cast iron pan because that’s all I had. It as heavy, but I followed the video for flipping and it came out (almost) perfectly.
This recipe is perfect! I will be adding this one to my permanent recipe collection.
Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Hi Sarah! You’re so welcome, I’m so glad you liked it. Thank YOU for your valuable comment 🙂
LOVE THIS!! Lived in Zaragoza as a preteen. Our neighbor taught mom to make these. Thought I had to give them up to go vegan. Just made it and truly don’t miss the eggs. Same familiar smell as it cooked, tasted even better! Gracias!
Hi Carriann! De nada 🙂 So glad you liked it!