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Pan-seared octopus served over crispy roasted baby potatoes, served topped with tangy cilantro-infused chimichurri. An easy and delicious recipe that’s surprisingly straightforward to pull together despite its intimidating presentation!
Octopus is really easy to cook and very mild in flavor. It essentially takes on the flavors of whatever it’s paired with and is especially good slightly charred via pan-searing or grilling. I got my octopus shipped frozen from a local company (Browne Trading Co) in Maine.
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How to Cook Octopus
The key to tender octopus all comes down to prep. Octopus needs to be simmered (not boiled) in water with aromatics for 45-60 minutes to cook and help tenderize the muscle fibers. After simmering, it can be grilled or pan-seared for flavor and texture.
Octopus should be simmered until fork-tender. A 2-4 pound octopus should take around 45-60 minutes. depending on size. Larger octopuses can take up to 90 minutes to tenderize. Monitor for tenderness, as overcooking can lead to tougher octopus.
Expert Tips
- Simmer octopus in water with aromatics like garlic, bay leaf, lemon, orange, herbs, onion, celery, carrots, and peppercorns for added flavor.
- Frozen octopus is often more tender than fresh because freezing breaks down muscle fibers. If using fresh, consider freezing it yourself for a day or two before cooking.
- Sear in plenty of oil and season with salt in a pan until golden. Octopus can also be brushed in oil and grilled for more char.
- Remove the beak and snip the eyes with kitchen scissors prior to boiling. The mantle (looks like the “head”) can be eaten or discarded.
More Seafood Recipes
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Seared Octopus with Potatoes and Herb Dressing
Ingredients
- 2-4 lb Spanish octopus, Cleaned, beak and eyes optionally removed
- 1 lb baby Dutch potatoes, halved
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 4-5 sprigs thyme
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- salt
- Olive oil
Herb dressing (Mexican chimichurri)
- 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro, very finely chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1-2 garlic cloves, grated
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add halved lemon, onion, thyme, garlic, and a big pinch of salt. Dip the octopus tentacles in the water a few times to curl them. Submerge, reduce heat, and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until fork tender.
- Add baby potatoes to the same pot and simmer for about 10 minutes to tenderize (you can also parboil in a separate pot if easier). Remove potatoes and add to a large bowl. Toss with a liberal amount of olive oil and season with salt.
- Place potatoes on an oiled baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for 18-20 minutes, flip, and roast for another 8-10 minutes or until nicely golden and crispy.
- Meanwhile, add herb dressing ingredients to a small bowl and mix. Set aside.
- Remove octopus and let cool slightly before cutting. Remove the mantle "head-like body" and separate the tentacles with a sharp knife.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan. Sear octopus for 2-3 minutes per side or until nicely browned and starting to crisp. Serve over potatoes topped with plenty of herb dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If I were to grill the octopus instead of sear it in a pan, how long should I grill it per side?
Similar time. The grilling is strictly to char and add texture. A few minutes should do.