Is Tortilla Española Halal?

Tortilla española – tortilla de patatas – is Spain's everyday dish: thinly sliced potatoes, and usually onion, cooked slowly in plenty of olive oil until soft, then folded into beaten eggs and cooked in a pan into a thick, golden cake, flipped once on a plate. It is eaten warm or at room temperature, as a meal or cut into squares as a tapa.^[3][1]

What is in it

The classic tortilla is Halal.^[2] Whether it should contain onion (con cebolla or sin cebolla), and whether the centre should be runny, are Spain's great kitchen arguments; neither affects the ruling.

What bars sometimes add

In tapas bars and cafés, tortillas are sometimes made or served with extras:

• Chorizo, jamón or bacon, which are pork; see chorizo.
• Peppers, spinach, courgette or cheese, which are fine (check the cheese's rennet if that matters to you).

A pincho de tortilla is simply a slice of the plain tortilla, often on bread.

Supermarket tortillas

Ready-made tortillas in Spanish supermarkets list eggs, potatoes, sunflower or olive oil, onion and salt. They normally contain no meat or animal fat; read the label for any add-ins.

Not the Mexican tortilla

Despite the name, the Spanish tortilla has nothing to do with the Mexican corn or wheat tortilla used for tacos and burritos; see tacos. For other Spanish dishes, see paella, gazpacho and the Spain guide.