Last Updated on December 31, 2025
An easy Spanish omelette with chorizo using crisps instead of potatoes
This has to be one of the simplest ways to make a Spanish Omelette with Chorizo. It was brought to fame by Michelin-starred chef Ferran Adrià and works brilliantly with all kinds of crisps (chips if you are in the USA), flavoured or just salted. It doesn’t matter if your crisps are leftover from the night before, either. This version uses salted crisps, but I’m adding onion and chorizo for a spicy take on a classic Spanish Omelette or Tortilla. It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish and will serve two for a light lunch.
Spanish Omelette with Chorizo can be eaten hot or at room temperature – and if you don’t want to eat the whole thing at once, it will keep well in the fridge till the next day. Rather than flipping this, I’ve chosen to make it in a cast iron skillet and finish it off in the air fryer. I like my Spanish Omelette firm, but if you prefer the classic oozy type with a runny egg in the middle you may want to use a slightly smaller pan so that you get a thicker omelette.
All you need for a Spanish omelette with chorizo are some fresh eggs, about 60g of crisps, some chopped chorizo or njuda, an onion and some excellent quality olive oil (this one is from Belazu).
Beat your eggs lightly and season with pepper. I haven’t added salt because I find the crisps have enough seasoning.
Then fold the crisps into the egg mixture, making sure all the crisps get covered. You may want to stir the mix a few times.
While the crisps are softening, peel and slice a small onion. Heat the oil in your frying pan or skillet and soften the onions over a low heat for about 8 minutes, till they are translucent, soft and just starting to caramelise. Add the chorizo or njuda and heat through.
Then tip in the egg mix and spread it out in a thick layer. It will start to cook from the bottom immediately, so transfer it into your air fryer and bake at 220 °C for about 5 minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can wait until the bottom of the omelette is set, then tip it out onto a plate and slide it back into the pan so the omelette is turned and the top side cooks nicely. Or put the skillet under a grill for a few minutes.
You can, of course, make this recipe without chorizo. And, there are a host of variations that work really well.
- Instead of chorizo, you could use ham of any sort or even chicken
- When it’s in season, asparagus makes a great Spanish omelette.
- For a colourful vegetarian option, try slicing some red and green peppers and frying them alongside the onions
- A handful of grated cheese works well added to the egg mixture.
- You can add shrimps, prawns or calamari for a seafood omelette.
And, if you use flavoured crisps, there are plenty more options. How about mushrooms with truffled crisps? Or crispy bacon crisps with chopped tomato?
Have I tempted you enough? If you’d like to try for yourself, here’s a printable recipe
Spanish Omelette with Chorizo
Equipment
- 1 frying pan or skillet, 22-24cm
Ingredients
- 1 small onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 medium eggs
- 60 grams crisps
- 40 grams chopped chorizo or njuda
- salt and pepper as required
- parsley to season
Instructions
- Peel and slice the onion finely into shards
- Heat the olive oil in your skillet over a low heat
- Add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a medium size bowl
- Season the eggs with salt and pepper, remembering that if you are using salted crisps you will not need much salt!
- Add the crisps and stir well
- Once the onion has softened, add the chorizo and cook for 30 seconds
- By now the crisps should be slightly soft and well covered in egg
- Tip the egg/crisp mixture into the pan
- If you are using a cast iron pan, transfer it to the air fryer or under the grill
- Cook in the air fryer at 220C for 5 minutes or so, or under the grill untill the top is set
- If you are using a frying pan, cook on one side for 2 minutes or until the egg is firm, then invert the pan onto a plate and slide the omelette back in on the other side to finish cooking
- Serve garnished with freshly chopped parsley
Nutrition
Spanish Omelette with Chorizo – FAQ
Is a Spanish Omelette the same as a Tortilla?
A Spanish omelette is the same as a Spanish tortilla, but Mexican tortillas are a type of flatbread.
Is Spanish Omelette with Chorizo healthy?
Made with eggs, olive oil and just a few crisps and a little chorizo, it is a reasonably healthy and low calorie meal. For an even healthier option, try using chicken or prawns instead of the chorizo.
Can I freeze Spanish Omelette with Chorizo?
You can freeze Spanish omelette. Let it thaw out before eating or reheating. It’s much nicer made fresh though and really doesn’t take long.
Do I need to use crisps to make Spanish Omelette?
No, a classic Spanish omelette uses finely sliced potato which is gently fried before the omelette is put together. This is a much quicker and easier method though.
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