This eggless version of Spanish Potato Omelette is my vegan take on the classic Tortilla Española! It is made using chickpea flour, soy milk, spices, and tender potato slices for a filling and flavorful breakfast or brunch. This is also ideal for packed lunches and picnics or as on-the-go snack. It is a gluten-free recipe with plenty of protein, carbs, and fiber mixed in.
What is Tortilla Española – Tortilla de patatas?
This Spanish-style omelette is a traditional dish in Spain originally made of eggs, onions, and layers of potatoes. Some locals also refer to it as tortilla de patatas or tortilla de papas. This dish is commonly served at room temperature and sliced into small triangles as an appetizer or snack. When I eat vegan potato tortilla as my main meal for lunch or dinner, I prefer pair it with a variety of tapas or with a fresh healthy salad, like my Italian panzanella salad.
The Best Vegan Spanish Omelette
Of course, I just had to make a vegan version of this dish! It is a bit similar to how I made my Classic Vegan Omelette, but instead of silken tofu, this recipe uses chickpea flour for that perfect “eggy” texture. The flavor comes from spices and seasonings like garlic powder, paprika, Kalak Namak, and black pepper. It turned out so well, you will be adding this to your daily breakfast rotation!
If you like to add more veggies into the mix, you can check my Chickpea Frittata or Vegan Quiche recipe as well.
Is a frittata the same as a Spanish tortilla?
Italian Frittata comes from Italy and tortilla española comes from Spain. They’re very similar, however, the frittata is traditionally finished in the oven and the tortillas are flipped and finished on the hob.
How is a Spanish tortilla different from a Mexican tortilla?
While in Spain, a tortilla is a kind of omelette, in Mexico, a tortilla is a kind of flat unleavened bread.
Ingredients Needed
- Potatoes: you can use all-purpose or waxy potatoes like Yukon gold potatoes, Pink Eye or Golden Delight because they hold their shape better when boiled and baked.
- Onions: add a savory taste and nice crunch to the omelette. This is optional, so you can omit it if you do not like onions in your dishes.
- Chickpea flour: is used as the base of the omelette mixture for that thick and eggy texture.
- Unsweetened soy milk: adds richness and creaminess to the batter. You can also use water if that is what you have.
- Spices: you will need garlic powder, paprika powder, sea salt, Kalak Namak, black pepper, and turmeric (for color). Kalak Namak is also known as Himalayan black salt. It has a unique taste that is likened to boiled egg yolks when added to dishes.
- Olive oil: I prefer extra virgin olive oil but feel free to use your favorite oil.
- Garnishes: I top the tortilla with vegan parmesan cheese, chili flakes, and fresh herbs before serving. You use other garnishes that you like as well.
How to make Vegan Spanish Omelette
As always, I recommend checking out the recipe video and these step-by-step instructions first. Then you can find the full recipe with the exact measurements in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Make tortilla mixture
Start by boiling the potatoes until tender, then allow to cool (or use boiled potatoes from the day before). Peel and cut the cooked potatoes into slices or cubes.
Sauté chopped onions over medium heat until translucent. In a large bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, garlic powder, paprika powder, salt, Kalak Namak, black pepper, turmeric and soy milk until smooth. Add the sautéed onions and potato pieces and gently stir them into the vegan egg mixture.
Step 2: Cook tortilla
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Spread the tortilla mixture in an even layer and cook over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes until the surface is no longer liquid. Insert a rubber spatula all around edges of tortilla to make sure it will slide from pan. Then place a large clean plate or flat lid on the pan and invert the tortilla onto it. Carefully slide back into the pan and cook for another 5 mins from the other side.
Step 3: Garnish and serve!
Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting, so that the Tortilla Española becomes firmer. Garnish with vegan parmesan, chili flakes and fresh herbs if desired. Aioli, garlic sauce or herb dip also tastes great with this. Enjoy your meal!
Tips when Making Vegan Spanish Omelette
- Do not overcook the potatoes or they will become mushy, especially if you are using starchy ones.
- If the vegan tortilla mixture is too thick, you can add a bit more plant milk to thin it. Or if it’s too thick, you can add a bit more chickpea flour to thicken it.
- The cooking time may differ depending on the size of the pan you are using. The omelette should at at most be 2 inches thick for it to be cooked through.
- Flipping the tortilla may be a bit tricky, the key is to use a flat round object like a big plate or lid and hold them steady on top of the pan before overturning.
- If you are in a hurry, you can slice the potatoes before boiling them, just make sure they are uniformly sliced so they cook evenly.
- Let it rest and cool for a few minutes to allow the center to set before serving.
Make-ahead and Storing Notes
The Spanish tortilla is perfect for a weeknight meal. It’s good warm, room temperature, or cold, and makes for great leftovers. also You can also make it ahead to take along for lunch or on the go. Let it cool completely before placing it in a lidded container and place it in the fridge for a day or two. Simply reheat using the microwave or oven or enjoy cold!
This Vegan Spanish Omelette is:
- Eggless
- Gluten-free
- Healthy
- Cholesterol-free
- Easy
- Simple
- Budget-friendly
- Savory
- Flavorful
- Light yet filling
- Great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner!
Recipe Video
If you try this easy Vegan Spanish Omelette recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a review! And if you take a picture of your Tortilla Española and share it on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka so I don’t miss your post! Happy cooking! 😊
Vegan Spanish Omelette (Tortilla Española)
Author:Ingredients
- 17.6 oz (500 g) potatoes
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 1.5 cups (180 g) chickpea flour
- 1.5 cups (360 ml) unsweetened soy milk or water
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp Kalak Namak
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For garnish (optional)
- vegan parmesan
- chili flakes
- fresh herbs e.g. parsley, scallions, basil
Instructions
*Note: Check out the recipe video + step-by-step instructions above!
- Boil the potatoes, including their skin, in salted water until tender. Drain and allow to cool (or use boiled potatoes from the day before).
- Peel the cooked potatoes and cut them into slices or cubes, depending on their size.
- Heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onions for about 2-3 minutes until translucent.
- Whisk together chickpea flour, garlic powder, paprika powder, salt, Kalak Namak, pepper, turmeric and soy milk until smooth.
- Add the sautéed onions and potato pieces and gently fold them in.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a non-stick pan or skillet, until shimmering. Then spread the tortilla mixture into the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes until the surface is no longer liquid.
- Insert a rubber spatula all around edges of tortilla to make sure it will slide from pan. Then place a flat lid or large plate on the pan and invert the tortilla onto it. Carefully slide back into the pan and cook for another 5 minutes from the other side.
- Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting, so that the Tortilla Española becomes firmer.
- Garnish with vegan parmesan, chili flakes and fresh herbs if desired. Pair with aioli, garlic sauce or herb dip and a fresh salad if you like.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- The tortilla also tastes great cold the next day, so it's great to take away for lunch or on the go.
- More helpful tips and information about the recipe such as storing notes are mentioned in the blog post above!
IF YOU HAVE PINTEREST, YOU CAN FIND ME HERE AND PIN THE FOLLOWING PICTURE, IF YOU LIKE! 🙂
©Bianca Zapatka | All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please link back to this post for the recipe. More info here. Thank you for supporting biancazapatka.com!
Disclosure for affiliate links with asterisk (*):This page may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. You can find more information here.
Leave a Reply