Description
This grilled octopus recipe delivers a perfectly tender and smoky dish infused with Mediterranean flavors. Pre-cooked to ensure tenderness, then grilled to perfection with olive oil, lemon, and spices. A simple yet gourmet seafood dish perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2–3 lbs fresh or frozen octopus (thawed if frozen)
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Clean the Octopus: If fresh, rinse under cold water and remove the beak. If frozen, thaw completely.
- Pre-Cook: Simmer octopus in a large pot with water, lemon, garlic, bay leaf, and salt for 45–60 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Cool and Slice: Remove from water, let cool slightly, then cut into tentacles.
- Marinate: Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and lemon juice. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill tentacles for 3–5 minutes per side until charred.
- Serve: Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- For extra flavor, let octopus marinate overnight before grilling.
- Use a grill pan if a charcoal or gas grill isn’t available.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean