Spanish Omelette

According to my children, the Spanish Omelette is "The Best Omelette in The World".  Made with egg, potato, onion and olive oil, enjoy hot or cold at any time of the day. 

When my youngest was a toddler he really didn't care for egg-based meals such as omelettes and frittatas. This frustrated me as I often made them as a quick and easy dinner option.

It wasn't until I served a Spanish Omelette, also known as a Spanish Tortilla, that he began to accept eggy foods. Like many toddlers, he loved his carbs and I really believe that it was the high ratio of potatoes in this dish, that won him over. 

This is just another example of why we should never give up on serving our children something they have previously refused. Keep trying and find different ways to present food. Hopefully, this Spanish Tortilla will win over your kids too. 

Spanish Omelette Ingredients

To make a Spanish Omelette you will need:

• Potato - You can't make a Spanish omelette without the humble potato. Thinly slice 600g (1.3lb) of potatoes, but don't go paper-thin (if using a mandoline) as the potatoes can stick together and won't cook properly. 
• Onion - People have strong opinions to whether onions belong in a tortilla or not. I personally like the sweetness and flavour they add. Thinly slice one onion.
• Olive Oil - This is used to cook the onion/potatoes and to cook the omelette. Only 3 tablespoon of oil is required for this recipe, a lot less than traditional recipes (which use at least a cup of oil). This makes it a little healthier for our kids 🙂 
• Eggs - 5 or 6 depending on the size of your eggs. 

Cooking Equipment

You will need:

• A non-stick skillet.  I've tried making this in a cast iron and aluminium pan and unfortunately the eggs stuck to the pan. My pan was 28cm (11 inches) in diameter (this is the smallest non-stick pan I own). You can use a smaller pan, the smallest being around 23 cm / 9 inches, which will give you a thicker tortilla. 
• A lid for cooking the potatoes/onions.
• A large plate is needed to flip the tortilla.  

How To Make Spanish Omelettes

1. Cook the potatoes and onions. Thinly slice the potatoes and onions, Heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, over medium heat, and add the potato & onion slices. Reduce heat to low, cover and allow to cook for 30 mins (checking and flipping occasionally).
2. Combine the cooked potato and onion with the egg. Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl and once the potato and onions have finished cooking add them to the eggs. 
3. Cook the bottom of the omelette. Add 1tbsp of oil to the pan and then pour the egg mixture into the pan. Cook over medium heat for around 3 minutes, or until the bottom of the omelette is lightly golden, set and coming away from the sides. The top of the tortilla will still be a bit wet, which is fine. 
4. Flip. Carefully place a large plate, or flat surface big enough to cover your pan (I used a round chopping board), over the top of the pan, then flip the pan and the plate together. If the bottom is properly cooked then the tortilla should end up on the plate in one piece (with a little bit of runny egg leaking out)
5. Cook the other side. Return the pan to the heat and slide the tortilla back into your pan to cook the second side, cook for a further 2-3 mins until the bottom is also lightly golden.

To Add Veggies or Not to Add Veggies...

If there is an opportunity to add extra veggies to a kids' meal then I am usually all for it. If you have leftover veggies then they can definitely be thrown into this omelette. Pictured above, I have added peas and bell pepper (capsicum). 

However, I generally don't add extra veggies to this recipe (gasp!) as I feel it holds together much better without them and I'm of the opinion that simple is best with this recipe. Instead, I serve the omelette alongside some veggies or salad. 

What to Serve with Spanish Omelettes

• Spanish Omelettes are delicious served hot or cold and are perfect for packing into lunch boxes or for picnics.  Serve plain, sprinkled with fresh herbs or topped with a little mayo or aioli.
• Enjoy tortillas at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cut into wedges and serve with salad or vegetables, as part of the main meal, or cut into bite-size pieces (perfect for babies or toddlers) and serve as part of a tapas-style lunch. 

Short on Time? Try This Spanish Omelette Hack...(the kids will love it!)

I couldn't write this post without mentioning a Spanish Omelette quick hack. If you are short on time and don't have the 30 mins to soften the potatoes then you can actually replace them with........potato chips (crisps)!

I mean, what kid isn't going to get behind adding potato chips to their meal?! It may even be a great way to encourage fussier eaters to try a dish that they would normally turn their nose up at.

Add around 115g (4oz) of thick potato chips to the beaten eggs and allow the mixture to soak into the chips. Then follow the remaining recipe as it is. Easy! 

Storing Spanish Omelettes

• Refrigerating: Store the omelette in an airtight container for up to three days. Serve chilled, bring to room temperature or gently reheat.
• Freezing: I generally don't freeze Spanish omelettes as I am not keen on the texture after freezing, however it is safe to freeze. If you wish to freeze then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (so no air is touching the omelette), store in a freezable container and freeze for 2-3 months. 

You May Also Like

• Vegetable Fritatta
• Mini Crustless Quiches
• Egg Curry
• Spanish Style Quinoa
• Scramble Egg for Babies

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4.43 from 7 votes

Author: Amy

Spanish Omelette

Made with egg, potato, onion and olive oil the Spanish Omelette (tortilla) can be enjoyed hot or cold, at any time of the day. Cut into wedges or little bite-size pieces (perfect for little ones)

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Serves:6

Hover over "serves" value to reveal recipe scaler

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

• ▢
  Non-stick Frying Pan (Anywhere between 23-28cm/9-11 inch in diameter)

Ingredients

• ▢ 500g (1.1lb) Potato
• ▢ 1 Onion (SEE NOTE 1)
• ▢ 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
• ▢ 6 Eggs

Instructions

• Peel the potatoes and cut them in half. Place the potatoes cut side down and thinly slice. (SEE NOTE 2)
• Peel onion, cut in half and thinly slice
• Heat 2tbsp of the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, over medium heat. Add the potato and onion slices, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 20-30 mins, until the potato slices, have cooked through, giving them a gentle stir every 10 mins.
• Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, season and whisk. (do not add salt if cooking for baby / young child). Once the potatoes and onion have finished cooking add them to the eggs. (SEE NOTE 3)
• Add the remaining 1tbsp of oil to the same pan used to cook the onions and then pour the egg mixture into the pan. Cook over medium heat for around 3 minutes, or until the bottom of the omelette is lightly golden, set and coming away from the sides. The top of the tortilla will still be a bit wet, which is fine. 
• Carefully place a large plate over the top of the pan (SEE NOTE 4), then flip the pan and the plate together. If the bottom is properly cooked then the tortilla should end up on the plate in one piece (with a little bit of runny egg leaking out)
• Return the pan to the heat and slide the tortilla back into your pan to cook the second side, cook for a further 2-3 mins until the bottom is also lightly golden.

Recipe Notes

1. Onion is optional but does provide good flavour.
2. Thinly slice your potaoes with a knife. If using a mandoline just be mindful that if you slice to0 thinly then the potatoes can stick together and won't cook as well. 
3. I generally allow the potato /egg mixture to sit for a couple of mins. If you want to develop the onion flavour allow the mixture to sit longer (up to around 20 mins)
4. If you do not have a big enough plate then you can use something with flat surface that is big enough to cover the pan ( I used a round chopping board).

STORAGE - Refrigerate the omelette in an airtight container for up to three days. Serve chilled, bring to room temperature or gently reheat.

Nutritional information is a ROUGH guide only, calculated using an online nutrition calculator. 

Nutritional facts

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 432mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg

Course:Breakfast, Lunch, Lunch Box, Main Meal, Picnic

Cuisine:Spanish

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