Easy Spanish Tortilla With New Potatoes
This recipe for an easy Spanish tortilla has less fat and creates less mess than the traditional. It uses very few ingredients and makes a mighty fine summer brunch, lunch or picnic with a crisp green salad. Although it’s made with little more than new potatoes, slow cooked onions and eggs, it’s irresistible.
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Baby New Potatoes
New potatoes are truly wondrous things and we need to make the most of them whilst they’re in season. These British Gems baby new potatoes from the Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range are sweet and buttery. They’re just how I remember new potatoes tasting back in the day.
The variety is Perline and they make it from field to store within 48 hours. They are available at Sainsbury’s from now until August and come loose or in 1 kilo bags. These potatoes are so new, you don’t need to peel or even scrub them. A quick wash and they’re good to go.
These gorgeous baby new potatoes would be perfect for any type of potato salad. I’ve made one with them already and I’m thinking I might have to try them out in my vegetarian Salade Niçoise next. However, I really wanted to make an easy Spanish tortilla with them and that is what I did yesterday.
Jaca in the Spanish Pyrannees
The best tortilla I ever had was in Jaca, a small Spanish border town in the Pyrenees. A friend and I hitched down from the UK to Alicante many years ago. It was a fabulous adventure, but often tiring. So when we arrived in Jaca, we were tired, hungry and needed a bed for the night.
It was my first (and only) trip to Spain and I was enchanted by the evening promenade where everyone dressed in their best and strolled around the town walls chatting and laughing. In search of food, we found a cosy bar with a large and enticing tortilla sitting on the counter top. Such bliss.
Minted Potatoes
When I boil new potatoes, I just have to add a sprig of mint. It’s a family thing. The scent of the mint wafting around the kitchen as the potatoes cook is just wonderful and it adds a cooling note of freshness when the temperature starts rising. This bit is entirely optional for this easy Spanish tortilla recipe, but mint went into my potato pot.
The British Gems (with mint) tasted so good, I didn’t want to overwhelm their flavour; I kept my recipe for easy Spanish tortilla very simple. I only used garlic, salt, pepper and a little smoked paprika as seasoning. Of course the onions help a lot. It’s really important to cook these long and slow so they turn out unctuously sweet. Good things come to those who wait.
Easy Spanish Tortilla
This is not an authentic Spanish tortilla, but it’s a very good one. I boiled the potatoes rather than frying them in lots of oil. Boiling the potatoes also makes the recipe easier and less messy as well as a lot less oily.
Despite the vastly reduced fat levels, the result was still absolutely delicious – buttery, sweet with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. I put it down to the slow cooked onions and those British Gems baby new potatoes.
We had a large slice for supper with a crisp lettuce salad and we’ll be enjoying another slice tonight. Sometimes less is more and if you use the best quality ingredients you end up with an unforgettable eating experience. ¡Me gusta mucho!
Spanish tortilla is a classic tapas and this Spanish white bean salad makes a delicious accompaniment.
For a rather more packed vegetable version, try my vegetable frittata.
Other Recipes Using New Potatoes You Might Like
- Gado gado
- Lettuce & peas soup with new potatoes
- Simple potato salad
- Vegetable frittata
- Vegetarian salade Niçoise
- Vegetarian tartiflette
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you try this lower fat Spanish tortilla, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Have you any tortilla top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Easy Spanish Tortilla. PIN IT.
Easy Spanish Tortilla
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions peeled and sliced
- 3 clove garlic finely chopped
- 750 g new potatoes washed (I used British Gem baby new potatoes)
- 1 sprig fresh mint optional
- 2 pinches sea or rock salt
- 6 eggs
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- good grinding of black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a deep sided non-stick frying pan. Add the onions and turn the heat down to low. Fry, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes until the onions are sweet and golden. Add the garlic after the first twenty minutes. Set aside until needed.
- Meanwhile place the potatoes in a large pan, cover with water and throw in the mint and a pinch of salt. Cover the pan, bring to the boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are just done. Pour into a colander and leave to drain and cool a little.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl with the remaining salt, paprika and black pepper. Stir in the onions.
- Slice the potatoes thickly.
- Place the remaining tbsp of oil into the frying pan and heat it. Layer a third of the potatoes over the bottom of the pan. Cover with a third of the egg mixture and repeat the process twice more. Cook the tortilla over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the top is nearly set. Either invert the tortilla onto a plate and slide back into the pan to cook the other side or place under a grill for 3 minutes or so. The eggs need to be just set rather than rock solid.
- Turn out onto a plate and leave to cool a little before cutting into wedges and serving with a crisp green salad.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sharing this easy Spanish tortilla with Meat Free Mondays over at Tinned Tomatoes.
It also goes to #CookBlogShare which is with Recipes Made Easy this week.
And One Potato Two Potato must not get forgotten with Family, Friends Food and Utterly Scrummy.
This post was commissioned by Sainsbury’s. I was not expected to write a positive review and all opinions are, as always, my own. Thanks to my readers for supporting the brands and organisations that help to keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging.
This looks delicious – just the thing for a simple summer lunch.
Thanks for joining in with #OnePotato Two Potato 🙂
Simple is pretty much all I can cope with in the summer 🙂
Can’t beat a tasty tortilla for the summer months, and I make them all the time, as I have chickens, so there’s always a ready supply of eggs!
Oh yes, your lovely chickens Karen. What a joy to have proper fresh free-range eggs.
Despite not always being an eggy person, I quite like tortilla – and I’ve never known what type of potatoes to use. So this is great;)
The advantage of using really tasty new potatoes is that you don’t miss the olive oil soaked potatoes of traditional tortilla – or that’s what I found anyway 🙂
Tortilla makes such and easy meal…. I am a huge fan of them. I love that you can ‘fill’ them with pretty much anything and they will taste fantastic. I have to agree though, new potatoes are always a delight, however you serve them xx
I’ve never tried putting in my tortillas other than onion and potato, but you’re right, I’m now thinking courgettes would be good. And oh, how wonderful new potatoes are 😀
It looks perfect, just as tortilla should and the fact that is uses less oil is a huge plus. I shall be trying both your recipe and this particular variety of new potatoes for sure!
Thank you Jo. I’d better warn you though, it’s very moreish 🙂
I adore Spanish tortilla and yours look perfect! I really need to make one soon!
Thanks Kat. The key I’ve found, is to use a really good tasting potato.
How thick! And want a fun recipe to use potatoes (my favorite food) 🙂
Potatoes are an amazing vegetable, so versatile and a lot more nutritious than people realise.
Just linked back to my salad recipe too. I love all these beautiful creations for this challenge!
Aw thanks Alida. There have been some lovely recipes.
This would make a perfect lunch dish served with some fresh green salad. I love simple recipes like these that are easy to make but lovely to eat.
Thanks Nayna. It’s a great meal for summer alfresco eating and a green salad is the perfect accompaniment.
I love a Spanish Tortilla and this looks excellent, the potatoes are holding together really well. Loved your Spanish story too.
Thanks Janice. Tortilla always takes me straight back to the Pyrenees – heat sunshine and the freedom of the open road.
What a delicious tortilla! I love Sainsbury’s Taste the difference potatoes, they are excellent. With fresh quality ingredients, simple recipes are the best. I am now absolutely starving. Off to the kitchen to make us some lunch. 🙂
Thanks Galina. You’re absolutely right. You really don’t need much else at all with these potatoes. I’m just about to go off for lunch now too 🙂
That looks like such a delicious way to use potatoes! i can’t wait to try it out! Pinning!
Thanks Vanessa. The potatoes speak for themselves in this recipe 🙂
I haven’t seen British Gems before, will look out for them. The tortilla looks so good, perfect for so many different meals – brunch, lunch, dinner, snack, picnic…
Well exactly Kavey. It’s done us for lunch and dinner, but it would be great for a picnic. Do try some of the British Gems if you can, they really are very good.
Oooh I love tortilla and those British Gems are so tasty. Lovely simple recipe is just what I need for tonight.
Thanks Jan. The tortilla is delicious and the British Gems really are the tastiest potatoes I’ve had in a long while.
I love new potatoes and this is a fabulous way to use them xxx
Thanks Jo. Summer just keeps giving us more and more treats – it’s so exciting.
This is right up my street.Simple but with fantastic ingredients.Delicious!
Thanks Jenny. It’s right up my street too 🙂
I love a good tortilla but I’m always slightly put off by the amount of oil. Your recipe looks like a brilliant alternative.
Thanks Mandy. The key is in using good buttery potatoes, then you really don’t need all that oil.
What a delicious tortilla! I am a big fan of frittata and tortillas. A fab way to use these delicate and fresh potatoes.
Thanks Alida. I guess frittata is more your thing. Those potatoes are just so good
I dont think you can beat a simple potato and onion omelette for a quick and easy midweek meal. Its also the one dish I always order when I’m in a tapas bar because it tastes so good.
I don’t think I’ve ever come across it in a tapas bar – well not here in the UK anyway. Maybe I’m going to the wrong places.
We had a potato Fritata only the other day. ’twas delicious
Yes the Italians and Spanish know a thing or two about potatoes and eggs 🙂
That’s a mouthwatering tortilla!
Thanks Angie. I’m very much looking forward to having some more tonight 🙂
You had me at potatoes and that looks so good. If only I could reach in and grab a piece.
Yes, the internet still has a long way to go. Though I’m not sure I’d be able to restrain myself if I could just grab anything I liked the look of 😉