Insalata Di Polpo (Octopus Salad)

Fresh, herbaceous, and a perfect year round salad.

Octopus will forever be my seafood of choice, and this Insalata di Polpo easily lands in my top five ways to enjoy it. Tossed with tender potatoes and perfectly cooked French beans, this fresh yet hearty salad is tied together with a bright, herbaceous lemon vinaigrette. It’s an entertaining-worthy dish that works year-round, whether you are making it for a summer BBQ or serving it for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Simple to assemble and an absolute crowd-pleaser, this Insalata di Polpo is a true favorite.

BUYING OCTOPUS

Sure, you can buy raw octopus, boil it for an hour or more, butcher it, and then grill it—or you can do what I (and probably most people) do: buy precooked octopus. I recommend the latter, not only because it saves a ton of time, but also because it guarantees the octopus will be tender. Either way, you’ll find instructions for both methods below:

RAW OCTOPUS

Raw octopus needs to be boiled for an extended period of time before grilling. Without this step, it will be extremely tough and basically inedible. Boiling isn’t difficult, but it is time-consuming, so if you’re looking for a quicker Insalata di Polpo recipe, buy pre-cooked octopus. If you’re determined to start from scratch, keep in mind that octopus shrinks significantly—you’ll need 1–2 large octopus for this recipe.

To start, fill a large stockpot with water, a few bay leaves, a chopped lemon, and several generous pinches of salt (some people add a wine cork, though I’m not convinced it actually does anything). The water should be as salty as seawater. Place the octopus in the pot and simmer on low for 40 minutes to an hour, depending on size. You’ll know it’s ready when the thickest tentacle is knife-tender.

Once cooked, remove the octopus from the pot and let it rest for at least 30 minutes so the skin sets and stays intact during grilling. Ideally, you’ll let it cool completely. If starting with raw octopus, consider making it a day ahead!

PRE-COOKED OCTOPUS

I’ll opt for convenience any day. Buying pre-cooked octopus saves you about two hours of work and makes this recipe a no-brainer. And if you’re wondering where to buy it, you don’t even need to visit a specialty seafood market, most major supermarkets carry pre-cooked octopus tentacles in the frozen seafood section.

Depending on how they’re packaged, the tentacles may need to be rinsed or fully defrosted. Be sure to follow the instructions on the package for thawing. Once cleaned and ready, pat them dry with a paper towel before salting and grilling.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR INSALATA DI POLPO

• Octopus Tentacles – See passage above.
• French Beans – I personally prefer French beans over green beans because of their size—they’re a bit thinner and longer than American green beans—and their ease of use. That said, feel free to swap them with green beans or string beans (it’s all the same).
• Potatoes – Baby yellow potatoes work so well for this recipe because there’s no need to peel them—their skin stays intact during cooking, keeping prep work to a minimum. Want to use larger yellow potatoes instead? Go for it, just be sure to peel them first. The last thing you want is loose potato skin in this delicate salad.

DRESSING

• Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice only!
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Mint
• Dijon Mustard – Just a touch for an emulsifier.
• Olive Oil – A good extra virgin olive oil.

TOOLS NEEDED

• Grill or Grill Top – For best results use a grill to get a bit of char and smoky flavor on the octopus. But if you are doing this in the dead of winter (I’m still out there in negative degree weather) or if you don’t have a grill, a grill pan can works in a pinch.

HOW TO MAKE INSALATA DI POLPO

Make the Dressing – In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, chopped fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, dill, and mint), and mustard. Whisk vigorously while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until emulsified. Set aside, or store in the fridge in an airtight container if making the insalata di polpo later.

Prep + Cook the Green Beans – Trim the ends of the green beans (though French beans usually don’t have tough ends) and cut them in half. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, drop in the beans and cook for 5–7 minutes, until fork-tender. Remove with a strainer (leaving the water in the pot) and immediately transfer the beans to a bowl of ice water to blanch.

Prep and Cook the Potatoes – If using baby yellow potatoes, cut them in half. For larger yellow potatoes, peel and cut into 1-inch cubes. Bring the pot of water back to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and add the potatoes. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until they are knife-tender. Be careful not to overcook—you want the potatoes tender, but not falling apart.

Once cooked, drain the potatoes. I like to run them under cold water to cool them down and rinse off some of the starch. This step is optional but recommended.

Grill the Octopus – Preheat the grill to 500°F. Drizzle the clean, dried octopus with olive oil and season with a generous pinch of salt. Once the grill is hot, place the tentacles directly on clean grates. Grill for 4–5 minutes per side, aiming for a nice char before removing from the heat. Let the octopus rest for a few minutes, then slice each tentacle into rings.

Assemble – Add the potatoes, strained green beans, and octopus to a large bowl. Pour on the dressing and carefully toss together.

STORING/REHEATING

This is one of those dishes that can be served cold, but only to a certain extent. While best served immediately, Insalata di Polpo can be prepped ahead, earlier in the day and stored in the refrigerator until later. I don’t recommend you making this a day before because potatoes dehydrate when stored in the refrigerator. Leftovers can be stored for 2-3 days but just keep in mind those potatoes are going to get a little hard and there is not much you can do to bring them back.

Need more octopus recipes? Check out the ones below!

Octopus with Olive Salsa Verde