Octopus in Red Wine

Known in Greece as: Htapodi Krasato

Tender octopus braised in red wine with aromatic spices - a Greek taverna classic.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1h 30m
Total: 1h 50m
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 - 6
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg fresh or frozen octopus, cleaned
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 400ml red wine (preferably Greek)
  • 100ml red wine vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Method

  1. If using fresh octopus, ask your fishmonger to clean it, or do it yourself by removing the beak, eyes, and ink sac. Frozen octopus is actually ideal as freezing helps tenderize it.

  2. If using frozen, thaw completely and drain well. Cut the octopus into large chunks (tentacles and body), keeping the pieces fairly substantial as they'll shrink during cooking.

  3. Place the octopus pieces in a large, heavy-based pot (no oil yet). Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. The octopus will release its own liquid - this is normal.

  4. Remove the lid and continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated and the octopus starts to sizzle in its own oils. This concentrates the flavour.

  5. Add the olive oil, onions, and garlic to the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring, until the onions soften.

  6. Pour in the red wine and vinegar. Let it bubble for 3-4 minutes.

  7. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

  8. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Cover and simmer gently for 1-1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the octopus is meltingly tender and the sauce has thickened. The octopus should be so tender it almost falls apart when pierced with a fork.

  9. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for the last 15 minutes to reduce it. If it's too thick, add a splash of water.

  10. Remove the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with crusty bread, fried potatoes, or rice. The wine-infused sauce is incredible - don't waste a drop! This dish is found in tavernas all over Greece and is particularly popular in the Cyclades islands.