Quick Octopus Salad

Name: Quick Octopus Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces octopus tentacles (fully cooked); 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (3 ounces; halved if large); 1/2 cup kalamata olives (pitted; 2 ounces); 1 garlic clove (minced); 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped); 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground); 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed, from 1/2 large lemon); 3 tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin)

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The perfect summer appetizer, this octopus salad is bursting with Mediterranean flavors. It's ready in about 15 minutes! The cilantro, kalamata olives, olive oil, and lemon juice elevate this simple salad into a delicacy. And using a fully cooked octopus means it's easy to assemble.

Octopus salad is served on a white plate with forks and a napkin.

I discovered my love of octopus in Argentina. While we very much enjoyed the meaty platters of parrilla (mixed grill) we were served:

Parrilla - mixed grill - served on a platter.

It was this octopus appetizer that we enjoyed at Agraz restaurant in Buenos Aires that we talk about to this day, more than ten years after our visit:

It was succulent, flavorful, and well-seasoned. The outside was charred, while the inside was moist and juicy. It was perfect, and that's how we discovered how delicious octopus can be.

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this salad. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Cooked octopus: I get it at Wild Fork Foods. They have packaged octopus tentacles, shown in the image below, that are perfect for this recipe.
Tomatoes: I use cherry tomatoes. If they're large, it's a good idea to cut them in half.
Olives: You can use any type of olives you like, but pitted kalamata olives are especially good in this salad.
Garlic: I use just one minced garlic clove. I highly recommend using freshly minced garlic rather than jarred.
Cilantro: In many of my recipes, I tell you that it's OK to use parsley instead of cilantro. Here, I'm not so sure. The cilantro is such an integral part of the flavor combination.
To season: Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried oregano.
Lemon juice: You'll definitely want to use freshly squeezed lemon juice in the dressing.
Olive oil: Make sure to use high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil.

Variations

Add ¼ cup of thinly sliced red onions.
Use red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice.
Add a tablespoon of capers - this is my husband's favorite addition.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Instructions

Making this salad couldn't be any easier! The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:

Cut the octopus tentacles into bite-size pieces and put them in a bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients

Gently mix to combine.

Serve immediately, or allow the salad to rest for 20 minutes, mix again, and serve!

Expert Tip

Since this recipe relies on fully cooked octopus, it will only be as good as the octopus you purchase. Octopus is typically boiled until it's tender, then added to recipes as is or quickly grilled or sauteed. It can become tough and gummy when overcooked.

I find that the cooked octopus sold at Wild Fork Foods is excellent. Most pieces are nice and tender, and very few are gummy. It comes frozen, so make sure to fully defrost it before using it.

Recipe FAQs

Do you have to boil octopus before eating?

Yes. You need to boil it until it's tender, and then you can either use it immediately as we do here, or quickly grill or saute it.

Whatever you do, remember that overcooked octopus becomes tough and gummy, so it's important not to overcook it.

Does octopus taste like calamari?

Not really. Octopus is fattier and more tender. It's a little chewy, even when perfectly prepared. It has its own unique flavor that can't really be compared to other seafood, so you'll just have to taste it and see for yourself!

Can you eat octopus cold?

Yes, absolutely. Once boiled until tender, you can chill it and use it in a cold salad as we do here, and as Japanese cooks do when they prepare tako - octopus sashimi.

Serving Suggestions

This octopus salad makes the perfect appetizer for three. If I serve it as a main course, I divide it into two portions and add buttered slices of almond flour bread on the side.

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to two days. If the octopus you've used has already spent some time in the fridge, take that into account.