Grilled Octopus

Known in Greece as: Htapodi sti Schara

Chargrilled octopus with olive oil and lemon - a quintessential Greek island dish.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1h 15m
Total: 1h 30m
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 - 6
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg fresh or frozen octopus, cleaned
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 100ml red wine vinegar
  • 150ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • Lemon wedges to serve

Method

  1. If using fresh octopus, ask your fishmonger to clean it. Frozen octopus actually works brilliantly as freezing tenderizes it naturally.

  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and vinegar. Don't add salt - it will toughen the octopus.

  3. Hold the octopus by the head and dip it into the boiling water three times, leaving it submerged for about 10 seconds each time. This helps the tentacles curl beautifully. Then submerge it completely.

  4. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 45-60 minutes until tender. Test by piercing the thickest part of a tentacle with a knife - it should go through easily.

  5. Remove the octopus from the water and let it cool slightly. Cut it into serving pieces - separate the tentacles and cut the body into strips.

  6. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to make a marinade.

  7. Add the octopus pieces to the marinade and toss well. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the fridge.

  8. Heat your grill, barbecue, or griddle pan to high heat. Remove the octopus from the marinade (reserve the marinade).

  9. Grill the octopus for 3-4 minutes per side until nicely charred and crispy on the edges. Brush with the reserved marinade while grilling.

  10. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with extra olive oil and lemon juice, and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, often alongside fava or a simple salad. You'll see octopuses drying in the sun outside tavernas all over the Greek islands - this is one of the most iconic Greek dishes. The contrast between the tender interior and crispy charred exterior is perfection.