Grilled Mediterranean Octopus
Tender poached octopus charred over a hot grill, finished with lemon, parsley and smoky paprika for a bright Mediterranean plate.
This is the Mediterranean way to win over anyone who’s wary of octopus: a gentle poach to tenderise, then a fierce grill for smoky char. It looks impressive but the technique is straightforward.
Make this when you want a show-stopping starter or a main with a crisp salad and crusty bread. The key is a patient simmer and a hot grill — little else required.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg whole octopus — fresh or fully thawed if previously frozen; beak removed if not already
- 1 1/2 l water
- 1 brown onion — halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 ml black peppercorns
- 5 g sea salt — for the poaching liquid and to season
- 2 lemon — one halved for the poaching liquid, one for zest/juice and serving
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil — for marinade and dressing
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 0 ml dried chilli flakes — optional
- 20 g flatleaf parsley — finely chopped
Equipment
- large heavy saucepan with lid
- charcoal barbecue or gas grill or cast-iron griddle pan
- tongs
Instructions
Check the octopus for the beak and any remaining entrails; remove if present. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Place the octopus in a large heavy saucepan with the water, halved brown onion, bay leaves, black peppercorns, sea salt and one halved lemon. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat so the surface barely moves and simmer gently for 60 minutes, covered.
Turn off the heat and leave the octopus to cool in the cooking liquid for 30 minutes so the fibres relax and the flesh firms up.
Lift the octopus from the pot, reserve a little of the poaching liquid if you like for loosening the dressing, then place the octopus on a board and pat very dry with kitchen paper. Trim into individual tentacles or halve large ones.
Mix the extra virgin olive oil with the crushed garlic, smoked paprika, dried chilli flakes, the zest and juice of half the remaining lemon, a pinch of sea salt and most of the chopped flatleaf parsley. Brush or toss the octopus in this mixture and leave to sit for 20 minutes so the flavours marry.
Heat a barbecue or grill to high (or a cast-iron griddle pan on a hot hob). Oil the grill or pan lightly. Grill the tentacles for 3–4 minutes on each side until deeply charred and blistered at the edges — total grilling time about 8 minutes.
Whisk together a quick finishing dressing with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the remaining chopped flatleaf parsley, a pinch of smoked paprika, a little reserved poaching liquid or water to loosen if needed, and the juice of the remaining lemon. Adjust seasoning with sea salt.
Slice the tentacles if desired, arrange on a warm platter, drizzle with the finishing dressing and scatter over the remaining parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Tips
- Freeze your octopus before cooking if you buy it fresh — freezing breaks the fibres and gives a more tender result.
- Pat the octopus completely dry before grilling; excess moisture prevents good charring and causes steaming.
- Keep the initial simmer gentle and covered; a vigorous boil will make the meat tough.
- Make the dressing ahead and refrigerate — it keeps well for 24 hours and lets the flavours mellow.
- Leftovers keep for 48 hours in the fridge; reheat quickly in a hot pan or slice cold into salads.
Substitutions
whole octopus → pre-cooked octopus (about 800–900 g), briefly poached in simmering water for 5 minutes to warm through, then proceed from step 4
Stays closesmoked paprika → sweet paprika, same quantity
Noticeably differentextra virgin olive oil → rapeseed oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 370
- Calories
- 42 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How do I know when the octopus is tender?
A knife should slide into the thickest part of a tentacle with little resistance after the 60-minute simmer. If it’s still firm, continue simmering in 10–15 minute bursts and test again.
Can I skip the simmer and just grill raw octopus?
No — raw octopus will be very tough. Slow poaching (or buying pre-cooked octopus) is essential to break down the connective tissue before grilling.
What size octopus should I buy?
About 1–1.5 kg whole is perfect for 4 people; smaller octopus cooks faster and may need less simmering time.
Can I cook this inside if I don’t have a barbecue?
Yes — use a very hot cast-iron griddle pan on the hob or a hot ridged griddle and char as instructed. Finish under a hot grill for extra colour if needed.
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