You have to break a lot of eggs to make a Spanish tortilla. Or do you?

The first time I traveled to Spain, on a glorious two-week trip with my sister almost two decades ago, I followed an omnivorous diet, which was helpful in the land of jamón Ibérico and gambas al ajillo. The second time, I was vegetarian, so the menu was shorter – but still plenty satisfying: I enjoyed my fill of vegetable paella, escalivada, pan con tomate (sin anchoas, por favor) and, most ubiquitous of all, tortilla española.

The latter dish, an icon of Spanish cuisine, is little more than eggs, potatoes, onions (sometimes), olive oil and salt: a thick omelet often cut into wedges and served at room temperature. It’s a marvel of simplicity, luxurious in texture from the generous amounts of olive oil and an ode to the nation’s love affair with the egg. Once you get the technique down, it’s fun to make at home, too.

As my diet has turned closer and closer to vegan, though, I started to wonder: Could I make a Spanish tortilla without the eggs? The question took on added relevance in recent months, as egg prices have skyrocketed and I started to think that vegans wouldn’t be the only cooks who might be interested in substitutes.

I’m not the first person to try, as I discovered with a quick Google search. But when I tested some of those recipes, something was missing: that luscious texture. One reason was obvious: Plenty of vegan takes on the dish seem to also be trying to make it with less olive oil, an ingredient I now think might be as crucial to the dish as the eggs, if not more so. Many of them also used a generous amount of chickpea flour, something I had employed as an egg stand-in before, but even when blending it with tofu the result was drier than the custardy standard I dreamed of.

I played with the proportions in test after test until the chickpea flour was gone altogether, but firm tofu on its own still didn’t do the trick. Finally, I realized that I already had the answer in another recipe I had developed for my latest cookbook. In it, my soft scramble relies on a puree of firm and silken tofu to produce something with the qualities of each. With some cornstarch for extra thickening, baking powder for lift, turmeric for color and kala namak (black salt) for that sulfurous eggy flavor, I was in business.

Oh, and plenty of olive oil. I stuck to at least the start of the traditional method I learned from José Andrés’s cookbook “Tapas” and other sources. I poached potato slices in a gently bubbling oil bath, drained them, then cooked onions in the same small, nonstick skillet. After stirring the tofu mixture into the still-oil-slicked potatoes and onions, I returned it all to the skillet, then deviated (again) from tradition. In earlier testing, the mixture had been too delicate to flip until it was fully cooked, so into the oven it went, baking like a frittata.

Once it was done, I flipped it onto a plate, let it rest for a few minutes, then cut inside, where the potatoes and onions were bound by the eggy filling and the texture was, dare I say, luxurious. Later, it passed another test: This vegan tortilla was just as good, if not better, at room temperature.

I’m not claiming this would quite pass muster in, say, the tapas bars of San Sebastián – those Spaniards are tough critics! – but in my kitchen, where I want to pay respect to one of my favorite cuisines while using an alternative to eggs, it hit the spot.

Vegan Spanish Tortilla

This vegan version of a classic Spanish potato tortilla uses two types of tofu instead of eggs for creamy texture, plus kala namak (black salt) for eggy flavor. Resist the urge to skimp on the olive oil: It is a big part of what makes this beloved dish so distinctively silky. Serve as a main course with a salad or soup, or as an appetizer (or tapa, of course).

1 cup olive oil, plus more as needed

8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced

1 small yellow onion (5 ounces), sliced

½ teaspoon fine salt, divided

One (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained

One (12-ounce) package silken tofu, drained (see Notes)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon kala namak (black salt), plus more for serving

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

In an 8-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it reaches 275 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Add the potatoes, plus more oil as needed to ensure the potatoes are submerged. (The oil is at a much lower temperature than for frying so it poaches, rather than fries, the potatoes.) Cook, without stirring, until the potatoes are very soft, 6 to 8 minutes.

Drain the potatoes using a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl; reserve the oil. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the onion to the bowl with the potatoes. Add ¼ teaspoon of the salt and gently fold and toss to combine, being careful not to break up the potatoes too much.

In a blender, combine the firm and silken tofu, cornstarch, baking powder, turmeric, kala namak, the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil. Puree until smooth, then transfer to the bowl with the onions and potatoes, and gently fold to combine.

Return the skillet to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil and heat until shimmering. (Save the rest of the oil for another use.) Transfer the skillet to a small sheet pan. Pour in the tofu mixture with the potatoes and onions (it will be very full; that’s OK) and transfer to the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the tortilla cool slightly in the pan. Set a large plate, serving side down, over the skillet and, gripping both tightly with oven mitts to ensure the plate doesn’t slide, quickly and decisively invert the tortilla onto the plate. Sprinkle lightly with more kala namak. Cut into eight wedges, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: Four to eight servings (makes one 8-inch tortilla)

Active time: 45 minutes. Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to four days.

Where to buy: Kala namak (black salt) can be found in Indian markets, natural foods stores, well-stocked supermarkets and online.

Substitutions: Yukon Gold potatoes for red potatoes. If you don’t mind losing a little eggy flavor, you can omit kala namak. Cornstarch for potato starch.

Notes: Look for shelf-stable silken tofu, which comes in 12-ounce aseptic packages, to have just the right amount for this recipe. You can also use water-packed, refrigerated silken tofu, which comes in 14-ounce packages, but you’ll need to weigh out 12 ounces and reserve the small amount left for another use (such as in a smoothie).