octopus salad

Octopus salad combines tender octopus, potatoes, and olives in under 35 minutes. Lots of flavor and 23g protein per serving make it a dinner win.

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Total Time 36

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 270

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Salad

600 g octopus, cleaned
2 medium potatoes
0.5 cup pitted green olives
0.5 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
0.25 cup red onion, very thinly sliced

Dressing

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
0.5 teaspoon salt
0.25 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Method

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt, then gently lower the octopus into the water. Cover and simmer on low for about 25 minutes, or until a knife slides in easily.
While the octopus cooks, wash and peel the potatoes. Cut into thick slices. Add to the same pot with the octopus and cook everything for another 8–10 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain well.
Let the octopus cool for a few minutes, then slice it into bite-size pieces. This is easier when it's just warm, not hot.
In a big bowl, combine octopus, potatoes, olives, tomatoes, parsley, and red onion.
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pour this over the salad and toss everything gently. The potatoes are delicate, so I always use my hands.
Taste and adjust salt or lemon if needed. Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes before serving so the flavors soak in. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

I make this octopus salad a few times every summer, especially when I want something filling but not heavy. It tastes best when everything is just a little warm, not fridge-cold, so the olive oil really soaks into the potatoes.

What actually matters for great octopus salad

Overcooking is why most people don't like octopus. I simmer mine gently and always check with a knife after 25 minutes—sometimes smaller octopus are already done. If you can pierce the thickest bit easily, it’s ready. Let it rest a few minutes before slicing; it’ll hold its shape better.

If your red onions are sharp, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes—this mellows them so they don’t take over the bowl. For potatoes, use waxy types like Yukon Gold or small red potatoes. Starchy ones fall apart when you mix everything.

One more thing: toss the salad with your hands, not a spoon. The potatoes and octopus are delicate. Hands let you coat everything without mashing and breaking up the pieces.

Substitutions and variations

You can swap green olives for Kalamata if you have them, but I wouldn’t skip the olives entirely—they give needed bite. If you want extra protein, add drained canned chickpeas right before serving. I tried it with capers once: too salty for my taste, but if you love capers, use just a small spoonful.

Storage and prep ahead

The salad keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, but the potatoes will firm up a bit. I always let leftovers come to room temp and splash on a little extra lemon juice before eating. This isn’t great for freezing—the texture goes off—so just make what you’ll eat within a day or two.