Fish, Italy
Warm octopus and potato salad
Warm octopus and potato salad is an Italian style dish for 4, ready in 45 minutes, very easy to make, at a cost of €4.80 per person. The key is seasoning the octopus and potatoes while they're still warm with the lemon, raw garlic and olive oil dressing, so they soak up all the flavor.
A simple, warm plate, tender octopus with lemony potatoes, parsley and olive oil.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Cost per person
- €4.80
- Calories per person
- 580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Summer, Spring
Cooked octopus, sliced and just barely warmed through, stays tender without ever turning rubbery. Soft potatoes add body, while the lemon and raw garlic dressing wakes everything up with a bright edge. Chopped parsley finishes the dish with a fresh, green note, without ever covering up the octopus's briny flavor.
This is a summer or spring dish, perfect for a Sunday lunch or a light dinner when it's warm out. It's meant to be eaten warm, never piping hot, which makes it an easy starter or main to get ready a little ahead when you have guests. Mon Chou offers this simple version, close to what you'd find in a seaside trattoria.
The ingredients
Fish counter
- Cooked octopus 800 g
Fruits and vegetables
- Waxy potatoes 800 g
- Lemon 2
- Parsley 8 sprigs
- Garlic 1 cloves
Pantry
- Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Allergens Mollusks
The step by step recipe
-
Cook the potatoes whole in salted water, then peel them and slice them into rounds. 25 min
Peel the potatoes while hot using a kitchen towel, the skin slips right off.
-
Slice the cooked octopus into rounds.
Keep one whole tentacle per plate, it makes a striking garnish.
-
Gently warm the octopus in a pan. 3 min
Reheat the octopus over low heat, it should be warm, not hot, or it turns rubbery.
-
Make a dressing with lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
Grate the garlic on a microplane, it flavors the dressing without being too sharp.
-
Toss the octopus and potatoes with the dressing and scatter with parsley.
Let it rest for 5 minutes, the potatoes soak up the dressing.
Our tips to get it right
- Pick waxy potatoes, they hold their shape in slices and don't soak up too much water while cooking.
- Taste the dressing before adding it, raw garlic can quickly take over depending on the size of the clove.
- Serve the dish within an hour of making it, the octopus loses tenderness if it cools completely and then gets reheated again.
The variations
- Swap the parsley for fresh cilantro for a different, more fragrant touch.
- Add pitted black olives and capers for a punchier, Niçoise style version.
- For kids, cut the garlic down to half a clove and serve the potatoes and octopus a touch warmer, with less lemon.
What to serve it with
- A cold, dry white wine
- Grilled country bread
- A tomato salad in summer
Storage
Warm octopus and potato salad keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze well, the potatoes turn mushy. Reheat it gently in a pan, or serve it cold straight from the fridge with a drizzle of olive oil.
Questions about this dish
Can you use frozen, pre cooked octopus?
Yes, frozen pre cooked octopus works well for this recipe. Thaw it in the fridge the day before, then reheat it gently as described in the recipe.
Can you make this dish ahead of time?
You can cook the potatoes and octopus a few hours ahead. Make the dressing and toss everything together right before serving, so the dish stays nicely warm.
How do you keep the octopus from turning rubbery?
The trick is reheating it over low heat, never letting it boil or overcook. It just needs to turn warm, not hot.
Can you use a different type of potato?
Waxy potatoes work best since they hold their shape when sliced. A starchy variety would break down more, giving a mushier texture.
How long does it take to make a warm octopus and potato salad?
Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.
How many calories are in a warm octopus and potato salad?
About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a warm octopus and potato salad cost?
About €4.80 per serving, or €19.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains mollusks. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
Italian cuisine
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