Grilled octopus isn’t just for special occasions or high-end restaurants. With a few straightforward steps you can make tender, flavorful grilled octopus at home using your grill or a grill pan.
What is grilled octopus?
Octopus has a meaty, slightly firm texture that develops a pleasant char when grilled. It does not taste fishy; the flavor is mild and similar to squid, and it readily absorbs marinades and seasonings.
Grilling octopus may sound intimidating, but the process is simple: pre-cook the octopus so it becomes tender, then finish it on the grill to add char and texture.
In this recipe the octopus is simmered first, then marinated to boost flavor and tenderness, and finally grilled until nicely charred. Serve it over a fresh fennel salad, stir it into warm dishes, or offer it as an appetizer.
Grilled Octopus Salad
Ingredients
Grilled Octopus
- 1 fresh octopus
- 1 large pot of water
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 wine cork
Citrus Vinaigrette
- 1 orange, juiced and zested
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pinch red pepper flakes
Fennel Salad
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 tbsp fennel fronds
Instructions
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Steam: Bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Hold the octopus by the head and dip the tentacles into the water for 10 seconds, lift out, and repeat three times—this encourages the tentacles to curl. Then submerge the whole octopus in the pot.
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Flavor Broth: Add citrus juices, salt, peppercorns, white wine and a wine cork. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the tentacles are tender when pierced with a knife.
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Prep Salad: While the octopus cooks, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl and reserve 2 tablespoons for finishing. Slice the fennel bulb into thin strips and refrigerate until assembly.
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Marinate: Remove the cooked octopus to a cutting board. Cut off the tentacles and discard the head. Pat tentacles dry, place them in the vinaigrette, and marinate 30 minutes to overnight.
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Grill: Heat the grill to high. Place tentacles on the hot grill and cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides.
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Assemble: Toss fennel strips with reserved vinaigrette, mound them on a plate, top with 2–3 grilled tentacles, drizzle remaining vinaigrette, and garnish with fennel fronds.
Notes
If fennel isn’t to your taste, substitute arugula, spinach, or frisée for the salad base.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Ingredients
There are two approaches: prepare a whole fresh octopus yourself, or use pre-steamed octopus tentacles for a quicker option.
- Octopus: Use a whole fresh octopus or pre-cooked tentacles.
- Steaming Liquid: For fresh octopus, flavor the simmering water with citrus, salt, peppercorns and wine.
- Wine Cork: An old cook’s trick—adding a wine cork to the simmering liquid is said to help tenderize the meat.
Salad Ingredients
- Fennel: The crisp bulb with a mild anise flavor works well sliced thin for the salad. If unavailable, substitute arugula, spinach or frisée.
- Citrus Vinaigrette: Made from citrus juice, olive oil, honey, white wine vinegar, garlic, salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes for balance.
Substitutions: Any sturdy salad green works with octopus—arugula, spinach or frisée are all great choices.
See the recipe card above for exact servings and ingredient details.
You must pre-cook octopus before grilling it
Raw octopus grilled directly would be very chewy. Always simmer, steam, or pressure-cook octopus first to ensure tenderness before finishing on the grill.
If you find pre-cooked octopus at the market, you can skip the simmering step and move directly to marinating and grilling.
Whole fresh octopus is often available at Asian markets and some fishmongers. If you buy a whole specimen, follow the full cooking steps below.
- STEP ONE: Fill a very large pot with water—enough to cover the octopus—and bring it to a simmer.
- STEP TWO: To encourage curled tentacles, hold the octopus by the head and dip the tentacles in and out of the hot water a few times before fully submerging it.
- STEP THREE: Once the tentacles curl, place the octopus in the pot and add fresh orange, lemon and lime juice, salt, whole peppercorns and white wine to flavor the cooking liquid.
PRO TIP: If you like, add onion, garlic and bay leaves to the simmering liquid for extra depth.
PRO TIP: A wine cork in the simmering liquid is a traditional trick that many cooks swear helps tenderize the octopus.
- STEP FOUR: Cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer for about 1½ hours. The octopus is done when it is tender to a fork or sharp knife.
How to grill octopus
After pre-cooking, the octopus is safe to eat; grilling is for texture and char. You can grill immediately or refrigerate and grill later. A high heat helps form those crisp, caramelized edges.
The oil in the vinaigrette helps promote charring. Use a charcoal, gas, or pellet grill set to high (about 400°F), or a hot grill pan on the stove.
- STEP ONE: Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together and reserve 2 tablespoons. Slice the fennel thinly and save the fronds for garnish; refrigerate until assembly.
PRO TIP: Rinse fennel well to remove any grit trapped between layers.
- STEP TWO: Remove cooked octopus to a cutting board, cut off the tentacles, discard the head, pat the tentacles dry, and marinate them in the vinaigrette for 30 minutes to overnight.
- STEP THREE: Heat the grill to high and cook the tentacles until charred on all sides, turning occasionally.
How to serve grilled octopus
Serve grilled octopus over the fennel salad: toss fennel strips with reserved vinaigrette, arrange on plates, top with charred tentacles, drizzle remaining vinaigrette, and garnish with fennel fronds.
Other serving options include tossing sliced tentacles with butter, capers, lemon juice and fresh herbs like thyme, oregano or tarragon.
Storage
Store leftover grilled octopus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 9 months.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Buy pre-cooked tentacles or pre-cook the whole octopus to ensure tenderness.
- Marinate the tentacles for deeper flavor.
- Grill on high heat to develop charred, crispy bits.
- Serve over a bright fennel salad for contrast in texture and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grilled octopus has a texture similar to squid and a mild, non-fishy flavor. Proper pre-cooking renders it tender and makes it enjoyable rather than tough.
No. You can use pre-steamed tentacles and skip the boiling step—simply marinate and grill them.
Whole octopus is commonly found at Asian markets and some fishmongers. Cooked tentacles are increasingly available at grocery stores and specialty seafood sellers.
Any size works—medium, large, or baby octopus each yield good results; adjust cooking time if needed.
Yes. Pressure cooking tenderizes octopus quickly—usually in about 15 minutes—making it a great time-saving option.
Other unique foods to grill or smoke
- Smoked Osso Buco
- Grilled Alligator
- Barbecued Oxtails
- Crispy Grilled Sardines
- Grilled Tofu
More seafood recipes
- Smashed Shrimp Burger
- Grilled Lobster Thermidor
- Coconut Lime Crab Cakes with Chili Mayo
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