Best 10 Grilled Octopus Recipes

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Grilled octopus is a Mediterranean delicacy that has been enjoyed for centuries. This unique and flavorful dish is made by grilling octopus tentacles over high heat, resulting in a tender and slightly charred texture. The smoky flavor of the grill complements the briny taste of the octopus, creating a complex and satisfying dish. In this article, we present three different recipes for grilled octopus, each with its own unique twist. The first recipe features a classic grilled octopus with a simple lemon-herb marinade. The second recipe adds a spicy kick with a chili-lime marinade, while the third recipe incorporates a smoky paprika marinade for a rich and flavorful dish. Whether you're a seasoned octopus lover or trying it for the first time, these recipes are sure to tantalize your taste buds and transport you to the shores of the Mediterranean. So, fire up your grill and get ready to indulge in the deliciousness of grilled octopus!

Let's cook with our recipes!

GRILLED OCTOPUS



Grilled Octopus image

Tenderized octopus, char-grilled and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and a sprinkling of fresh parsley. Simple, yet deliciously satisfying!

Provided by Kim's Cooking Now

Categories     Seafood     Shellfish     Octopus and Squid

Time 1h45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 wine cork
3 ½ pounds octopus, head and beak removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ lemon
½ tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Fill a large pot 1/2 full with water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt, peppercorns, and the wine cork; bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Meanwhile, place octopus on a cutting board. Using a wooden spoon or meat mallet, pound the octopus multiple times, starting in the middle and moving down each tentacle to tenderize the meat.
  • Dip tentacles into the boiling water 3 times, holding them in the boiling water 2 to 3 seconds each time, until the tentacles curl up. Submerge entire octopus in the boiling water. Bring water back to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until octopus is fork-tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
  • Grill octopus until charred on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
  • Remove from heat, slice into pieces, and place on a serving platter. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, squeeze lemon over top, sprinkle with parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 384 calories, Carbohydrate 10.6 g, Cholesterol 198.7 mg, Fat 8.9 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 61.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.6 g, Sodium 2898.9 mg

GRILLED OCTOPUS



Grilled Octopus image

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories     appetizer, main course

Time 2h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

3 pounds cleaned octopus
1 bay leaf
4 thyme branches
20 peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt, plus to taste
1 head garlic, cut in half along its equator
3 lemons
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Minced parsley for garnish

Steps:

  • Combine octopus, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic and 1 lemon, cut in half, in saucepan along with water to cover. Turn heat to medium, cover, and bring to boil. Adjust heat so that liquid simmers slowly, and cook until octopus is tender, for 30 to 90 minutes, depending on whether you're using two smaller octopuses or 1 larger one (check for doneness with point of sharp knife). Drain, discarding everything but octopus. (You can prepare this 24 hours in advance up to this point; cover, and refrigerate octopus.) Set aside.
  • Start charcoal or wood fire, or preheat gas grill; fire should be quite hot. Grill rack about 4 inches from heat source. Cut octopus into large serving pieces, brush it with half the olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Grill it quickly until outside browns but inside is not dried out. Cut remaining lemon into wedges.
  • Brush octopus with remaining olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges, hot or at room temperature, garnished with parsley.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 273, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 9 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 35 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 639 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram

GRILLED OCTOPUS SALAD (INSALATA DI POLIPO)



Grilled Octopus Salad (Insalata di Polipo) image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     appetizer

Time 3h15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

16 ounces cleaned octopus with heads removed (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds uncleaned)
2 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Chianti or Sangiovese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
4 cloves unpeeled garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 limes, juiced
1 bunch mint, stems removed, leaves torn into pieces
1/2 cup chopped green olives, preferably Cerignola (available at specialty olive bars)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 endives with core removed, julienned
3 cups julienned radicchio leaves
2 cups cooked chickpeas or gigante beans

Steps:

  • Put the octopus in a pot with the wine and enough cold water to cover. Add the onions, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaf; bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until opaque, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the octopus with a slotted spoon and cool. (This may be done a day ahead and refrigerated in a covered bowl.)
  • Transfer the octopus to a resealable plastic bag and add the garlic, olive oil, and lime juice; seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove the octopus from the marinade and set aside.
  • Preheat a charcoal or gas grill until hot. Position the rack about 5 to 6 inches from the heat.
  • Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, mint leaves, and green olives in the jar of a blender and puree into a smooth emulsion. Alternatively, whisk these ingredients together in a small bowl for a chunkier texture. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set aside. Toss the endive, radicchio, and chickpeas together in a salad bowl and set aside.
  • Grill the octopus for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once after 2 to 3 minutes, until it is browned in spots and nicely caramelized but not burned. Remove and cut into bite-size pieces. 0054oss with the greens and vinaigrette, divide among 4 plates, and serve.

GRILLED OCTOPUS



Grilled Octopus image

Categories     Octopus     Boil

Yield makes 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 pounds cleaned octopus
1 bay leaf
4 fresh thyme branches
20 peppercorns
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 head of garlic, cut in half through its equator
3 lemons
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Steps:

  • Combine the octopus, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt, the garlic, and one of the lemons, cut in half, in a saucepan along with water to cover. Turn the heat to medium, cover, and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers slowly and cook until the octopus is tender, 30 to 90 minutes (check with the point of a sharp knife). Drain, discarding all the solids (except the octopus). You can prepare this 24 hours in advance up to this point; cover and refrigerate the octopus.
  • Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill; the fire should be quite hot and the grill rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Cut the octopus into large serving pieces, brush it with half of the olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Grill it quickly, so that the outside browns before the inside dries out. Cut the remaining lemons into wedges.
  • Brush the octopus with the remaining olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges, hot or at room temperature, garnished with the parsley.
  • Grilled Squid with Vinaigrette
  • Much simpler: Cut cleaned squid into big rings (or use baby squid, cleaned but left whole) and skewer it. Grill or pan-grill it over quite high heat until browned, less than 5 minutes. Serve as directed or drizzled with Vinaigrette (page 600).

GRILLED OCTOPUS WITH CHICKPEAS AND OREGANO



Grilled Octopus With Chickpeas and Oregano image

Categories     dinner, project, salads and dressings, main course

Time 2h30m

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 25

3 1/2 pounds octopus (preferably previously frozen)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bottle dry white wine
3 wine corks (yes, corks!)
Salt to taste
2 oranges, quartered and crushed
1 lemon, quartered and crushed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups cooked chickpeas, washed and drained

Steps:

  • For the octopus: preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients (the corks are believed to tenderize the octopus) and season with salt. Cover with a lid and slowly bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Place in the oven and cook until the octopus is easily pierced with a knife, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool to room temperature in liquid. Remove the octopus and, using scissors, separate the tentacles from the body. Discard the head and beak.
  • For the marinade: combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Marinate the tentacles for at least 30 minutes. Preheat a grill to high heat.
  • For the salad: in a small saucepan, bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Add the onions and remove from the heat. Allow to cool. Strain the liquid.
  • Grill the octopus over high heat for about 1 minute; turn the tentacles and cook for 1 more minute.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and the olive oil. Add the oregano and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Add the pickled onions and chickpeas and mix well. To serve, spoon the chickpea mixture onto plates and place the octopus on top.

CREAM OF SPINACH SOUP WITH GRILLED OCTOPUS



Cream of Spinach Soup with Grilled Octopus image

Provided by Michelle Karam

Categories     appetizer

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 25

About 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 to 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 to 2 medium white potatoes, peeled and roughly cubed
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh spinach
1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
Fresh dill, as needed, optional
Salt
Pinch white pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red chile flakes, as needed, optional
6 to 8 raw octopus tentacles
2 to 3 tablespoons good olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Finely chopped fresh dill or other fresh herbs, as needed
Red chile flakes, as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • For the cream of spinach soup: Add the chicken broth, celery, carrots, potatoes, shallots, garlic and bell peppers to a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Strain the soup, reserving the broth and vegetables separately.
  • Add the cooked vegetables, fresh spinach and heavy cream to a blender in batches and puree. Add enough of the reserved broth to the puree until it reaches the desired consistency. Add the dill if using. Season with salt and a pinch of white pepper.
  • For the spinach and red pepper saute: In a saute pan, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the spinach, bell peppers, shallots, some salt and pepper and red chile flakes if using and saute until the spinach and peppers are tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
  • For the grilled octopus: Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Clean the octopus well, removing the outer membrane from each tentacle.
  • Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped dill, red chile flakes and some salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the octopus and let marinate for 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Grill the octopus, allowing some parts to char slightly for good flavor, 8 to 12 minutes depending on the thickness of the tentacles. Do not overcook or the octopus will become chewy and dry. Set aside.
  • Spoon some soup into each bowl. Lay a piece of octopus in the center, and add a dollop of the spinach and red pepper saute.

GRILLED OCTOPUS SEAWEED SALAD



Grilled Octopus Seaweed Salad image

I was very lucky I had the rice seasoning, the Wakame, octopus and cucumber were very good on their own but the rice seasoning and sesame seeds really brought it together. If you can't find Wakame salad, it is easily thrown together in ten minutes. Many online recipes, each similar and taste like store bought. The rice seasonings...

Provided by Greg Appel

Categories     Other Salads

Time 15m

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 c wakame salad
grilled octopus
1/2 c cucumber
wasabi fumi furikake
roasted wasabi sesame

Steps:

  • 1. Plate your Wakame Salad, divided between 2-4 appt Sliced desired amount of grilled octopus, add to plate Dice cucumber, add to plate Sprinkle with both the rice seasoning and sesame seeds Serve Enjoy

CHAR-GRILLED BABY OCTOPUS



CHAR-GRILLED BABY OCTOPUS image

Categories     Fish     Appetizer

Yield 5 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

1kg cleaned baby octopus
250ml red wine (a rough Shiraz or blend is fine or try some port for a sweeter finish)
250ml olive oil
2 teaspoons of Red Desert Dust*
(*Can be purchased at: http://www.dining-downunder.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=13)

Steps:

  • 1. Combine the octopus and the wet ingredients in a pot. 2. Cover and simmer for 2 hours or until tender. 3. Strain the octopus and place onto a hot BBQ hotplate. 4. Char-grill until crispy. 5. Season with half the Red Desert Dust and cook briefly to blacken the spice. 6. Remove from the hotplate and re-season with the remaining spice.

ITALIAN-STYLE GRILLED OCTOPUS RECIPE - (4/5)



Italian-Style Grilled Octopus Recipe - (4/5) image

Provided by á-31592

Number Of Ingredients 7

3 pounds cleaned octopus
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup whole peppercorns
2 lemons, plus additional lemon wedges for serving
1 wine cork
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil divided

Steps:

  • 1. In a large pot, place the octopus along with the wine, peppercorns, 1 lemon cut in half, cork, and garlic. Cover with water by 1 inch and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the octopus until it is tender when pierced with a sharp knife. (Anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.) Drain, and allow the octopus to come to room temperature. 2. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, spread evenly over coal grate. Alternatively, set the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover gill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Toss the octopus with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.Place the octopus on the grill and cook for a few minutes on both sides until the octopus is well browned, but still remains moist, 3 to 4 minutes per side. 3. Cut the octopus tentacles, place on a platter and drizzle with the remaining olive oil, juice of the remaining lemon, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or at room temperature with lemon wedges if desired.

MAURO'S GRILLED OCTOPUS WITH FENNEL AND ORANGE



Mauro's Grilled Octopus with Fennel and Orange image

Number Of Ingredients 9

4 to 8 baby octopus, about 6 ounces each, or 1 large octopus, about 21/2 pounds
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium fennel bulb
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
2 or 3 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 cup mild black olives, such as Gaeta

Steps:

  • 1 Check the base of the octopus to see if the hard, round beak has been removed. Squeeze it out if necessary. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the octopus and simmer until tender when pierced with a knife, 30 to 60 minutes. Rinse and dry the octopus. Cut large octopus into 3-inch pieces. 2 In a bowl, combine the octopus with 3 tablespoons of the oil, the garlic, parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let marinate 1 hour up to overnight in the refrigerator 3 Slice off the base of the fennel and trim off any bruised spots. Remove the green stems, reserving the feathery green leaves, if any, for garnish. Cut the fennel into quarters lengthwise and trim away the core. Slice the quarters crosswise into very thin slices. You should have about 3 cups. 4 In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Add the fennel, orange sections, olives, and fennel leaves, if available, and toss gently. 5 Place a barbecue grill rack or broiler pan about 4 inches from the heat. Preheat the grill or broiler. When ready, grill or broil the octopus, turning once, until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. 6 Arrange the fennel salad on four plates and top with the octopus. Serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves

Tips:

  • Choose the right octopus: Look for an octopus with a firm, shiny body and clear eyes. Avoid any octopus that is slimy or has a strong odor.
  • Clean the octopus properly: Remove the head and entrails, then rinse the octopus thoroughly under cold water. Be sure to remove any ink sacs, as these can make the octopus bitter.
  • Tenderize the octopus: Before cooking, tenderize the octopus by boiling it for a few minutes or by marinating it in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs.
  • Cook the octopus properly: Octopus can be grilled, roasted, or braised. Be careful not to overcook it, as this will make it tough and chewy.
  • Serve the octopus with a variety of accompaniments: Grilled octopus can be served with a variety of accompaniments, such as roasted vegetables, rice, or pasta. It can also be used in salads or stews.

Conclusion:

Grilled octopus is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. By following these tips, you can ensure that your grilled octopus is tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked.

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