Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Insalata di Polpo (Octopus Salad)
A refreshing, tender seafood salad common in coastal Italy. Slow-boiled octopus mixed with potatoes, celery, lemon, and olive oil.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- whole octopus (fresh or frozen)
- waxy potatoes (Yukon gold)
- celery stalks (with leaves)
- garlic
- fresh parsley
- lemon juice
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- bay leaf
Equipment
- Large pot
- Sharp knife
- Large bowl
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Octopus
If using fresh octopus, tenderize it by freezing it overnight and thawing, or beat it with a meat mallet.
- 2
Boil Octopus
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a bay leaf, a garlic clove, and a lemon half. Dip the octopus tentacles in three times to curl them, then submerge the whole octopus.
- 3
Simmer
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 45-60 minutes, until a fork slides easily into the thickest part of a tentacle.
- 4
Cool in Water
Crucial step: turn off the heat and let the octopus cool completely in its own cooking water. This ensures tenderness.
- 5
Boil Potatoes
Separately, boil the potatoes in their skins until tender. Peel while warm and cut into bite-sized cubes.
- 6
Chop Octopus
Once cool, remove the octopus, discard the beak and eyes, and chop the tentacles and head into bite-sized pieces.
- 7
Prep Veggies
Finely slice the celery stalks and chop the celery leaves and fresh parsley.
- 8
Make Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- 9
Assemble
In a large bowl, combine the chopped octopus, cubed potatoes, celery, and parsley.
- 10
Toss
Pour the lemon-oil dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
- 11
Marinate
Let the salad rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors meld.
- 12
Serve
Serve cold or at room temperature, garnished with extra lemon wedges.
Cooking Tips
- Cooling the octopus in its cooking liquid is the Italian secret to preventing it from becoming rubbery.
- Frozen octopus actually yields a more tender result than fresh, as the freezing process breaks down the muscle fibers.
Variations
- Add Olives: Toss in a handful of pitted Taggiasca or Kalamata olives for extra brininess.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A staple of Sunday lunches in southern Italy, from Naples to Sicily.
Nutrition Estimate
350 calories · 28g protein · 22g carbs · 16g fat · 3g fiber per serving
