Greek grilled octopus

Learn how to make the most incredible Greek grilled octopus. This authentic and clear recipe will bring the flavours of Greece by the sea right to your kitchen. The trick is in the cooking technique, and of course, the marinade.

Grilled octopus is one of the most popular Greek mezes or appetizers. You will find it all over psarotavernas in Greece, and the image of octopus drying in the sun is a quintessential Greek scene. My grilled octopus is easy to make and results in the most tender and flavourful octopus.

I have vivid memories of summers in Greece, where we would see freshly caught octopus drying in the sun by the port, and sun-kissed fishermen eager to sell their bounty to locals and local restaurants. One of our most special treats was to go to a psarotaverna and order delicious fresh seafood prepared in a variety of ways. Things like Fried calamari and Fried fish (small fried fish that would be eaten whole). We would also order whole grilled fish that would be served with olive oil and lemon, and of course, grilled octopus!

Why I love this recipe

Cooking octopus can be intimidating. It is a special ingredient which is often a little pricey, so you want to be sure you don’t ruin it. I can confidently tell you that if you follow my recipe, and my tips and tricks, you will be rewarded with a dish that you will be proud to serve, and happy to enjoy.

The recipe is clear and easy to follow

I know that even the best recipes are not very good if they are not written clearly, so that even a novice cook can follow them. I have done my best to explain in careful detail exactly how you will prepare your octopus to get the best result possible.

The octopus is cooked to perfection

You will not have to worry about tough and flavourless octopus! This recipe will give you an octopus that is so tender and a delight to eat!

You can make it ahead

Although the octopus needs to sit in the marinade for at least 5 – 10 minutes, ideally, the longer the better. This is great news if you are meal prepping or planning a dinner party ahead of time. You can even make the octopus the day before, place it in the marinade and store it in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving for best result.

Key ingredients

Here is everything you need to make the most amazing Greek grilled octopus.

Octopus – Often it is easier to find frozen octopus, and that is fine. In fact, some would say that frozen octopus ends up being more tender than fresh octopus. I almost always use frozen octopus and it works out beautifully.

Allspice berries – Allspice berries are added to the pot when boiling the octopus. Allspice berries are actually dried brown berries of the Pimenta dioica tree and the taste is a cross of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Garlic – I love the subtle flavour of garlic when boiling the octopus.

Herbs – I add dry thyme and bay leaves to the pot with the octopus. All this helps to flavour the meat.

Balsamic vinegar – The acidity of the vinegar helps to tenderize and flavour the octopus as it is cooking.

For the marinade

Olive oil I use the best quality Greek olive oil for this marinade. It helps to flavour the octopus and also keeps the meat moist and tender.

Balsamic vinegar I use balsamic vinegar in the marinade. I find that it is midly acidic, and I really love the flavour and dark colour.

Lemon juice Additional acidity is added with the lemon juice. I always use freshly squeezed lemon juice, especially in a marinade for something as special as octopus!

Dry oregano Nothing beats the flavour and aroma of dry Greek oregano. It is an absolute must is almost all Greek marinades.

Capers Capers add not only a tangy flavour to the marinade, but you can eat them as well for added flavour and a great texture.

Garlic I use fresh garlic in the marinade. I always look for garlic heads that still have the roots on them; this ensure that they have not been bleached.

Thyme I love the flavour of thyme and this is the perfect herb to add in the marinade for grilled octopus. It is earthy, flavourful and so fragrant.

Parsley The bright green and fresh flavour and texture of parsley is a must.

Salt & pepper Of course I season my marinade with salt and pepper; basic seasonings that make everything better!

How to make it

Preparation

If you are using frozen octopus, defrost it completely in the fridge overnight.

Rinse your octopus well under cool running water.

Instructions

Step 1
Place your octopus in a large pot.  Add the allspice berries, garlic, bay leaves, and fresh thyme.  Add enough water to just cover the octopus.

Step 2
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium.  Cook, covered, for approximately 30 – 40 minutes.  The octopus is done when the skirt (the part of the octopus which connects the legs to the head) can easily be pierced by a sharp knife. Remove from the heat and add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar to the cooking liquid.  Allow the octopus to steep in this liquid until it comes to room temperature.  You can also keep it in the refrigerator until the next day.

Step 3
Remove the octopus from the cooking liquid and set aside.

Step 4
Prepare your marinade.  In a large bowl or measuring cup, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, lemon juice, capers, garlic, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.  Mix well and set aside.

Step 5
Meanwhile, prepare your grill.  Chop up the octopus into 3 sections, the head, and two sections of 4 legs each.  This will make it easier for you to grill the octopus without being concerned that you will lose any legs through the grate of the grill.  When your grill is hot, place the octopus on it.  Remember, it is already cooked; you are simply warming it up, and getting some nice char marks on the octopus.  This should take only a few minutes per side. Any longer and you risk over-cooking the octopus.

Step 6
Remove the octopus from the grill, place it in a bowl, and pour the marinade over it.  Take a piece at a time, cut into bite size pieces, and return to the marinade. Toss well.  There should be enough marinade to coat the octopus very well.  Allow it to sit in the marinade for at least 5 – 10 minutes before serving, but the longer the better.

Step 7
Serve sprinkled with some additional chopped parsley if desired, and a wedge of lemon. Enjoy!

Recipe substitutions

I like to use balsamic vinegar when I boil the octopus, and as well in the marinade. A more traditional choice would actually be red wine vinegar, so you can definitely use that instead.

Instead of capers you can add finely chopped Kalamata olives to the marinade. This would be very good too!

If you like cilantro, you can use that as the fresh herb instead of parsley. Cilantro goes really well with seafood.

Cooking tips

Many people who enjoy eating octopus shy away from preparing it themselves at home, intimidated by stories of tough, and unpleasant results. This is really a shame, because actually, cooking octopus is not that hard. 

How to tell if the octopus is cooked

The best way to determine if an octopus is cooked through is to pierce the skirt (the part of the octopus where the tops of the legs meet the head) with a sharp knife.  If the knife enters the skirt easily and effortlessly, then the octopus is done.  A properly cooked octopus should offer the same resistance that a boiled potato would.  Keep in mind that even the best cooked octopus will be somewhat chewy; that is the nature of the thing.  But, if cooked correctly, it will be tender.

Grill to perfection

Following the boiling of the octopus, I like pop it on the grill to create a nice char.  This part can be a bit tricky.  You simply have to remember that the octopus is already cooked, and all you want to do is give it some nice grill marks.  So, your grill has to be hot enough to crisp up and char the outside quickly, without overcooking the inside.  Your octopus should be on the grill for only a few moments. If you do not have a grill you can actually skip this step.

Serve at room temperature

If you are going to be serving the octopus after you have stored it in the refrigerator, be sure to bring it to room temperature. The olive oil in the marinade will likely solidify (as pure good olive oil does) in the refrigerator and it needs to warm up to liquify again.

Recipe variations

In Greece octopus is prepared in a variety of ways.  My parents also cooked octopus in several, delicious fashions.  One of my favourite ways to serve octopus as a meal, especially during periods of Lent, is to make my parents’ recipe for Octopus and pasta.

The story behind this recipe

As you may have gathered, I love food. So does my sister Helen! We love to cook it, eat it, and talk about it.  And we are lucky to be surrounded by like-minded individuals.  One of our favourite foodie friends is Marc, a man that both of us have had an exclusive, long-standing and pretty committed relationship with.  Marc is our hairdresser, and we’ve been through a lot together. He has been our hair stylist for over 35 and 30 years, respectively.  That’s a lot of haircuts!  He has seen one of us through the punk rock styles of the 80s and witnessed the other cry incessantly the first time she chopped off her long, curly locks.  He has prettied us up for our graduations, weddings, and holidays. He has helped us feel human again after giving birth, and shown us that most days can be made better with a proper cut and coif.  He knows what we like, he suggests what he thinks would look great on us, and he encourages us to be brave and try out new things; we often do, because we trust him wholeheartedly.  You could say that we are simply smitten with our stylist.  If you live in Montreal, or are just passing through, you should pay Marc a visit at Beauté Business. Tell him we said Hi! and treat yourself to a lovely salon experience. Your head of hair will be in talented hands.

Of course, years of sitting in Marc’s chair every 6 – 8 weeks…you get to talk about more than hair.  We often chat about our pets, families, favourite movies, upcoming holidays, and food (the man makes his own maple syrup!). For a while now, we had been tempting Marc with tales of our grilled octopus recipe, promising that we would share it with him.  And so, this recipe is for all of you, but it is also, especially, for Marc.

Watch video below, for another one of our favourite seafood dishes: ORZO WITH SHRIMP.

How to serve

I like to serve this octopus as an appetizer, as part of a buffet, or even as the main component of a meal, in which case I would serve it with rice and a salad.  It is very versatile.  It is also a food which is permissible during Orthodox periods of fasting; a great option when other options are limited.

In Greece, grilled octopus is often serve alongside, or on top of, fava. This traditional spread is made with yellow split peas and is flavoured with lemon and olive oil. It is creamy and so good, and is the perfect accompaniment to grilled octopus.

How to store

If you have leftovers (unlikely), you can keep the octopus in the marinade for several days.  It will actually taste better the next day.  Bring to room temperature before serving for maximum flavour.

Related recipes

Looking for some more seafood recipes, try these:

Fried calamari

Octopus and pasta

Shrimp saganaki

Thanks for sharing!