Ready-Made Tortilla de Patata (Spanish omelette) – Quick Meal Ideas for Vegetarians & Vegans

Tortilla de patata (or Spanish omelette) is an iconic dish in Spain and a perfect solution for vegetarians looking for a quick and tasty meal during their visit. Not only will a tortilla de patata give you a great no-cook lunch option, it’s also good for breakfast or dinner, as a picnic, to take to a barbecue etc.

Making a tortilla from scratch can be a challenge as it involves a lot of careful cooking in a deep frying pan, then a necessary flip mid-cook (which can be incredibly messy – ask me how I know!!). It’s a particular challenge if you have limited kitchen equipment, time or inclination, but luckily, throughout Spain, you can easily find ready-to-eat tortilla de patata in almost every supermarket. These are widely available and are one vegetarian staple you can rely on.

While this is very much still a vegetarian option, you will find that there are vegan tortillas becoming more readily accessible in many of the large supermarkets.

How to Buy Tortilla de Patata

Ready-made tortilla de patata is sold in the refrigerated section of supermarkets like Mercadona, Carrefour, Lidl, and others. They are usually packaged in round plastic trays or vacuum-sealed. You may find alternative tortillas available, such as ones containing spinach or aubergine.

This is the sort of thing you are looking for. You’ll probably find them near chilled pizza/ready meals.

Vegan Tortillas

While the number of vegan tortillas available is growing – they will be more difficult to find outside of the large supermarkets and specialist stores. These are often made with chickpeas(garbanzos).

How to Heat The Tortilla

While you can certainly eat the tortilla cold, you can also serve it hot if you prefer. You can heat it in a variety of ways:

• In a Pan: Heat a non-stick pan with a little oil and cook the tortilla over medium heat for a few minutes on each side to restore its texture and flavour.
• In the oven/grill: Heat the tortilla in an oven or grill for a few minutes. Don’t overheat it to avoid the tortilla drying out.
• In the Microwave: For a quicker option, heat individual portions for 1-2 minutes.

How Many People Does One Tortilla Serve?

As a main dish, a standard-sized tortilla (500/600 g) can feed 2-3 people. If you’re using it as an appetizer, serve smaller portions and pair it with bread and salad for 4-6 people.

Tips for Buying Tortilla de Patata

Here are some tips and things to watch for when buying tortilla de patata:

• Ingredients: Check the ingredient list to ensure they don’t include ham, chorizo, or other meat products. Basic versions are usually vegetarian, made with just potato, egg, onion (sometimes), oil, and salt.
• Non traditional recipes: Traditional tortilla de patata is almost always made with olive oil, however very occasionally you may find somewhere that uses a non-traditional recipe which includes lard used to fry the potatoes so keep a look out for manteca de cerdo (lard).
• Sizes: The most common tortillas are 500-600 grams, enough for 2-3 people as a main dish or 4-6 as an appetizer. You can also find smaller individual options or larger ones for groups. Some supermarkets will also sell slices of tortilla. These will either be along side the main tortilla section or stocked along side sandwiches or takeout meals.
• Recommended Brands: Look for brands like “Albal” or supermarket own brands such as Hacendado from Mercadona, which offer good quality.
• With or Without Onion?: This is a hot debate in Spain, but the choice is yours! Read more about the with or without onion debate HERE!
• Shelf Life: Refrigerated tortillas usually last around 7 days in the fridge, but always check the expiration date.

Meal Ideas with Tortilla de Patata

Here are some quick and easy meals you can create in even the smallest of self catering kitchens made using ready made tortilla de patata as the base.

Tortilla Sandwich

Slice a portion of tortilla and place it in crusty bread with a bit of alioli or chopped tomato. Perfect for on the go meals.

Pinchos

Cut the tortilla into small squares, add a toothpick, and serve as tapas. This is perfect for a light evening snack or to enjoy with a drink watching the sun go down. Serve hot or cold – a small bowl of alioli or mayonnaise for dipping will also work well.

Salad with Tortilla de Patata

This is something you can make as complex or simple as you like! Grab a bag of salad from the supermarket and serve. You will find salad dressings near the vinegar and oil section of the supermarket (or perhaps near mayonnaise, depending on the supermarket). If you want to dress it up a bit, add some frito or some ready made barbeque sauce (check ingredients) to the top of the tortilla for some added flavour. Alternatively, create a big bowl of salad with tortilla as an ingredient – mix tortilla chunks with a salad of greens, tomatoes, roasted peppers, and a vinaigrette dressing.

Stuffed Tortilla de Patata

Slice the tortilla horizontally and fill it with a filling of your choice before reheating. Filling ideas include cheese (or vegan alternative), spinach, or roasted peppers before reheating. If you are with a big party, you could make a couple of different fillings in different tortillas, or let people fill their own, wrap in foil before reheating.

… and Don’t Forget Breakfast or Brunch

A slice or two of tortilla is perfect for a substantial breakfast or brunch. Keep it simple and have a slice with some toast or go for the full-on cooked breakfast experience and saute some mushrooms, tomatoes and perhaps a few Faux Beans!

Tortilla Patata – A Picnic Staple!

As we’ve mentioned – you will find ready made tortilla de patata almost everywhere and it’s one of the easiest vegetarian ready made meal staples you are likely to find (vegan alternatives are a little more difficult to find out side of large supermarkets). Therefore it’s a great picnic standby! If you are out and about, enjoying all Spain has to offer, and want to have a picnic or eat on-the-go, a tortilla will be a handy fall-back.

Get some crusty bread and make sandwiches, add a bag of salad for a more complete meal, perhaps some beans or lentils to make a quick bean or lentil salad on the go (jar of beans/lentils mixed with a can of pisto or sofrito and you have a tasty healthy salad with virtually no preparation!)

Tortilla de patata is an essential ally for vegetarians (and for vegans if you can find the vegan alternatives easily) seeking quick, versatile, and authentically Spanish meals.

Have you visited Spain and enjoyed ready made Tortilla de Patata? Have you tried the vegan alternatives? If so, where did you find them and what did you think? Look forward to hearing from you 🙂