I’m here to make a case for octopus. Grilled Octopus Salad that is. It’s summer and we all need more light and refreshing recipes that are filling yet don’t weigh us down. Grill it outdoors or on a stovetop grill pan, it really doesn’t matter. Think of this like a niçoise salad but without the hard boiled eggs and with grilled octopus instead of tuna. Then again, if you’re not a fan of octopus, make this with tuna. The dressing is killer, it comes together in no time at all and it’s the dish we all should be making before summer ends. Trust me on this.
Fill a medium saucepan with cold water and the sliced potatoes. Set over moderate heat and bring to a boil. Cook until just fork tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
**Note: You want the potatoes to still have a bit to them. If you cook them too much, they’ll be mushy and when you go to assemble the salad, the potatoes will break up too much. Keep checking them because depending on the size of your potatoes, they’ll cook faster than you’d expect.**
During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the green beans to the pot and continue to cook for the remaining time. Drain in a colander and set aside to cool.
To make the dressing, in a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, garlic, basil, red pepper, and a large pinch of salt and pepper until evenly combined and well-emulsified. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
**Tip: You can make the dressing ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for a couple of days. It’ll congeal because when oil gets cold, it firms up. But just allow it to come to room temperature for a bit before serving.**
Drizzle the octopus with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
**Note: You want octopus that is cooked for this because it’s easier and honestly, I don’t have time to clean and boil octopus so save the time and just get it cooked already.**
Set a grill pan over medium-high and grease with cooking spray or oil. Once hot, place the seasoned octopus on, in a single layer, and cook until charred on both sides, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and set aside to cool slightly before slicing into 1/4-inch rounds.
To assemble the salad, in a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, shallot, olives, parsley, lemon juice, octopus and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle in about half of the dressing and toss to evenly combine.
Transfer the salad to a large serving platter and drizzle with more of the remaining dressing. Finish off with a pinch of salt and coarse black pepper.
**Note: You might have some dressing leftover but honestly, it’s delicious on other salads as well. You can use it for a bunch of different recipes. Although if you make this ahead of time, save the dressing because it’ll dry out in the fridge.**
As mentioned earlier, you can make the salad ahead of time and serve it chilled. It’s best when eaten slightly warm or at room temperature but it’ll be just as delicious cold from the fridge. You can’t go wrong either way.
I make this salad all the time, and when I tell you that you’re going to love it, trust me…you’re going to love it. A lot of people might think they don’t like octopus but honestly it’s one of my favorite things to eat. The only thing I ever say is that you should at least try it once before writing it off. I know it isn’t for everyone and so you could easily make this with grilled ahi tuna instead. Let me know what you think below. As always, thank you so much for tuning in and reading. It means a lot!
Grilled Octopus Salad
Equipment
- Grill
- Mixing Bowls
- whisk
- Pot
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 pound green beans trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound cooked octopus
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small shallot thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives sliced
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/2 lemon juiced
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Fill a medium saucepan with cold water and the sliced potatoes. Set over moderate heat and bring to a boil. Cook until just fork tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the green beans to the pot and continue to cook for the remaining time. Drain in a colander and set aside to cool.
- Drizzle the octopus with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Set a grill pan over medium-high and grease with cooking spray or oil. Once hot, place the seasoned octopus on, in a single layer, and cook until charred on both sides, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and set aside to cool slightly before slicing into 1/4-inch rounds.
- To make the dressing, in a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, garlic, basil, red pepper, and a large pinch of salt and pepper until evenly combined and well-emulsified. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
- To assemble the salad, in a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, shallot, olives, parsley, lemon juice, octopus and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle in about half of the dressing and toss to evenly combine. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with more of the remaining dressing. Serve immediately and enjoy!
