Chilean Green Bean Omelette — Homemade Tortilla de Porotos Verdes

Versión en Español

Chilean tortilla de porotos verdes is a thick pan-fried omelette of boiled green beans bound with eggs and a little flour, cooked for about 5 minutes per side in olive oil and flipped with a plate. It takes 20 minutes of preparation plus 20 minutes of cooking and serves 2 people.

It is a light, quick, and very popular everyday dish in Chilean homes, especially in summer, usually served with rice or boiled potatoes and pebre.

How to Make Chilean Green Bean Omelette?

Tortilla de porotos is quick and gives excellent results whether you use fresh green beans, ideally, or a good frozen product. The beans are boiled, mixed with eggs and flour, and cooked in a skillet until golden on both sides.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of green bean tortilla contains approximately 300 kcal, 12 g of protein, 15 g of fat (3 g of saturated fat), 30 g of carbohydrates, 5 g of sugars, 186 mg of cholesterol, and 600 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Chilean Tortilla de Porotos Verdes Recipe

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

• 500 g (1.1 lb) of green beans
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of salt, plus more for boiling
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. Place the chopped green beans in a medium pot, cover with cold water, add a tablespoon of salt, and boil for about 7 minutes. Drain and let cool. Transfer the beans to a bowl and add the flour, a teaspoon of salt, and the eggs, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

2. Heat a splash of oil in a large skillet and carefully pour in the mixture, tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to bubble on the surface. Cover the skillet with a wide plate and flip the tortilla onto it.

3. Add a little more oil and slide the tortilla back into the skillet to cook for about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and drain on paper towels. Serve right away with boiled potatoes or white rice.

Additional Tips

Use little oil

Too much oil splatters when you flip the tortilla. Adjust the consistency with a little more flour or another egg.

Add a sofrito

For more flavor, sauté half a chopped onion with a little oregano or cumin until translucent and add it to the mixture.

Add cheese

A handful of grated parmesan or mantecoso cheese adds flavor and helps bind the mixture.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I use frozen green beans?

Yes. Thaw them and drain them well so the mixture does not become too wet.

2. Can I make it without eggs?

Yes. Use a mixture of chickpea flour and water, or a commercial vegan egg substitute, to bind the ingredients.

3. What if my mixture is too runny?

It should be thick and sticky. Add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until there is no free liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

4. How do I flip it without a wide plate?

Use a flat pot lid or a round cutting board larger than the skillet, so the tortilla lands intact.

What Is Tortilla de Porotos Verdes?

Tortilla de porotos verdes is a Chilean-style omelette packed with green beans, closer to a thick vegetable frittata than a French omelette, eaten for lunch or a light dinner.

Benefits of Green Beans

Green beans provide fiber, B vitamins, iron, folic acid, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc, along with antioxidants.

Did You Know?

Green beans are the immature pods of the bean plant, harvested before the seeds develop, so although they are cooked like a vegetable, botanically they are a legume.

Recommended

• Chilean Swiss Chard Stew
• Chilean Rice with Fried Egg
• Chilean Cauliflower Fritters
• Homemade Chilean Pebre