Skip to content

The main dish, Mediterranean

Roasted octopus with baby potatoes

Roasted octopus with baby potatoes is a Mediterranean dish for 6, needing 40 active minutes spread over two days. The octopus cooks and cools the day before, leaving only the pan searing and plating for the day of your dinner. It's a medium difficulty dish at €8.50 per person, and the key is never letting the octopus boil hard so it stays tender.

A tender octopus, grilled in olive oil and smoked paprika, a little taste of Greece or Galicia for your guests.

Roasted octopus with baby potatoes
For
6 people
Work
40 min
Total time
2 h 10
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€8.50
Calories per person
440 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Roasted octopus has a distinctive texture, tender inside and lightly charred outside, thanks to a long gentle poach followed by a quick turn in a very hot pan. Smoked paprika adds a smoky edge that recalls Greek tavernas or Galician ports, and lemon brightens everything without ever covering up the octopus's briny flavor.

This is a dish that makes an impression at a dinner party or a family meal in spring or summer, especially if you're entertaining outdoors or want to break from the usual. Serve it as a main course with a light starter like tomatoes or melon, and keep dessert simple since the meal already carries plenty of flavor.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 2 steps, 1 h 05
  2. The same day 1 step, 10 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 25 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 8 min

The day before, poach the octopus at a gentle simmer, then let it cool in its water before refrigerating it. In the morning, cut it into pieces and toss with the oil, paprika, and garlic. Just before guests arrive, cook and crush the potatoes, then sear the octopus in a hot pan and plate it right at serving time.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Octopus, thawed 2 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Baby potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Lemons 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Flat leaf parsley 0.5 bunch
  • Bouquet garni 1

Pantry

  • Smoked paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 2 pinch

Allergens Mollusks

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Plunge the octopus into a large pot of barely simmering water with the bouquet garni and let it cook at a gentle simmer. 1 h

    Dip it in and out of the water three times, the tentacles curl nicely.

  2. Let it cool in its cooking water, then refrigerate it in the same water. 5 min

    It keeps getting more tender as it cools and won't dry out.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Cut the octopus into large pieces, toss them with the olive oil, smoked paprika, and chopped garlic. 10 min

    Keep the tentacles whole for presentation, only cut up the head.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Cook the baby potatoes in salted water with their skins on, then lightly crush them. 25 min

    Press each potato with the back of a fork, they soak up the oil better that way.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Sear the octopus in a very hot skillet, no extra oil needed, until grilled on each side. 8 min

    Don't move it around, it needs to catch and caramelize against the metal.

  2. Plate the octopus over the potatoes, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, and scatter with parsley.

    Add a pinch of paprika at the last moment for color.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick octopus that's already been frozen, or freeze it yourself before cooking, the cold breaks down the fibers and guarantees a tender texture without any pounding.
  • Never salt the octopus's cooking water, salt toughens the fibers and undoes all the tenderizing work.
  • Check doneness by piercing a tentacle with a knife tip, it should slide in with no resistance before you move to the hot pan.

The variations

  • Swap the baby potatoes for a parsnip or celery root puree if you want a finer, slightly sweeter base.
  • For a quicker version, buy octopus already cooked from your fishmonger and jump straight to the pan searing step on the day.
  • Add roasted pepper strips under the octopus for a more colorful plate and a bit more vegetable in the menu.

What to serve it with

  • Tomato salad or melon as a starter
  • A glass of dry, mineral white wine
  • Grilled bread to mop up the paprika oil

Storage

Cooked octopus keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in its own cooking water, in a sealed container. It freezes well once cooked and cooled. Reheat gently in a pan just before serving, not in the microwave which toughens it.

Questions about this recipe

How do you know when the octopus is fully cooked?

Pierce a tentacle with a knife tip, it should slide in easily with no resistance. If it still resists, keep simmering gently in 10 minute increments.

Can you use frozen octopus instead of fresh?

Yes, it's actually recommended, freezing naturally tenderizes the octopus's fibers. Thaw it slowly in the refrigerator before cooking.

How should you plate octopus for a dinner party?

Arrange the whole tentacles over a bed of crushed baby potatoes so they're clearly visible, then drizzle with paprika oil right before serving. A little fresh parsley and a lemon wedge finish the plate.

Is this octopus dish good for a meal with kids?

This dish suits palates already used to octopus and its briny flavor. For kids, plan a simple alternative like baby potatoes served on their own with a drizzle of olive oil.

Can a roasted octopus with baby potatoes and smoked paprika oil be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 40 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 2 steps, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make a roasted octopus with baby potatoes and smoked paprika oil?

Allow 2 h 10 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 40 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a roasted octopus with baby potatoes and smoked paprika oil?

About 440 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a roasted octopus with baby potatoes and smoked paprika oil cost?

About €8.50 per person, that's €51.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Sicilian cannoli The dessert

Mediterranean

Sicilian cannoli

  • 1 h 10 of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Medium, €2.20 per person

450 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Mains for entertaining

See all