Tortilla de Papas Argentina

A thick, golden potato-and-egg omelette set firm and cut into wedges. An everyday Argentine staple, eaten hot or cold, as a side, a snack, or tucked into bread.

Potato

Egg

Onion

Olive Oil

Inherited from the Spanish tortilla de patatas, this potato omelette settled deep into Argentine home cooking, where vast Spanish immigration made it an everyday fixture. Found in lunchboxes, picnic baskets and cafe counters, it is the kind of dish nearly every Argentine grandmother makes her own way.

Soft, almost custardy in the centre with meltingly tender potatoes and sweet onion, framed by lightly browned, savoury edges. It is mild, satisfying and comforting, equally good warm from the pan or cold from the fridge the next day.

Slow-cooking the potatoes in oil softens them and infuses flavour without crisping, and folding them into egg to rest lets the starch and egg bond so the tortilla sets into a sliceable, custardy cake.

Variations

With chorizo or ham, with peppers, with spinach or chard, served runny inside, in a sandwich

On the Palate

Where Tortilla de Papas Argentina sits in the Argentinian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 6

How it's made

8 steps · 20 min

1
6 min
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and onion.
2
15 min
Cook them gently in plenty of oil over low heat until soft but not browned.
Watch out
Cook the potatoes gently in oil so they go soft and translucent without browning — you want them to steam-soften, not fry crisp, or the tortilla won't set custardy.
3
4 min
Drain off the excess oil and let the potatoes cool slightly.
4
3 min
Beat the eggs with salt in a large bowl.
5
5 min
Fold the warm potatoes and onion into the eggs and let sit a few minutes.
Watch out
Fold the warm potatoes into the egg and let it sit a few minutes — resting lets the egg soak in so it binds into a sliceable cake instead of falling apart.
6
8 min
Pour into a hot oiled pan and cook over medium-low heat until the base sets.
7
6 min
Flip with a plate and cook the other side until just set but still moist inside.
Watch out
Flip and cook the second side only until just set — pull it while the middle is still moist and a touch runny; overcook and it goes dry and rubbery.
8
2 min
Slide out, rest briefly, and cut into wedges to serve.