Skip to content
FriendsPantry
Octopus

Fish & seafood · Molluscs

Octopus

Eight-armed cephalopod with firm, meaty flesh; simmered or braised until tender, then grilled or dressed.

Also called: pulpo, ahtapot, tako

A kind of shellfish

3 recipes with it

Photo: StoppedTime, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

Octopus has a round head and eight thick, sucker-covered arms that turn purple-red when cooked. Its flesh is denser and chewier than squid and needs long, gentle cooking to become tender. Freezing before cooking helps tenderise it, so frozen octopus is often preferred.

How it’s used

  • Pulpo a la gallega with paprika and olive oil
  • Grilled octopus with lemon and oregano
  • Braised in wine and tomato
  • Takoyaki and Japanese tako salads
  • Seafood salads and ceviche (precooked)

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, sweet and savoury.
Texture
Firm and meaty; tender when cooked long enough.
When cooked
Simmer gently for about 45–90 minutes, depending on size, until a knife slides into the thickest part; then grill or dress.
Sold as
fresh, frozen
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling, Suitable for grilling

Storage

Refrigerated. Cook fresh octopus within a day or freeze; cooked octopus keeps a few days in the fridge.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Molluscs.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains molluscs, a recognised allergen separate from crustaceans; some people react to both.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
82 kcal
Protein
14.91 g
Carbohydrate
2.2 g
Fat
1.04 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Mollusks, octopus, common, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Squid — Thickly cut squid, grilled or braised; less meaty.

Related ingredients

Recipes with octopus

More molluscs