Ensalada de Pulpo (Puerto Rican Octopus Salad)

5 from 3 votes

This Puerto Rican Ensalada de Pulpo (Puerto Rican Octopus Salad) is a delicious blend of octopus, peppers, onions and pimiento olives, marinated in a tangy olive oil, vinegar, lime, and garlic dressing. A highly popular food found in most coastal roadside kiosks and restaurant establishments!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Chilling Time2

Total Time2 45

Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings:

Calories: 371kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

Octopus Salad Vinaigrette

½ cup light virgin oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar or red wine or white
1-2 cloves garlic finely minced
salt and pepper to taste

To Cook Octopus

1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic peeled
1 lemon juiced plus rind

Salad Ingredients

1-4 pound octopus fresh or frozen
½ red bell pepper rinsed and chopped
½ yellow bell pepper rinsed and chopped
½ orange bell pepper rinsed and chopped
1 small red onion chopped
1-2 scallions rinsed and chopped
2 tablespoon pimiento stuffed olives sliced in half or into thirds
⅓ cup fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped
1 lime juiced

Instructions

In a medium to large pot, add enough water to fully cover the octopus. Turn the stove to medium high heat.
Add the bay leaf, whole garlic cloves, salt and juiced lemon plus the lemon rind itself.
Bring to a low boil and then add the octopus.
Note: If you are using a large octopus, dunk the tentacles three times in the water up and down before dropping the whole octopus in the water to cook. This process helps the tentacles curl up instead of seizing like a frozen garden hose while producing restaurant-quality "curls!" You do not need to do this for baby octopus.
If cooking baby octopus, cook for 30-35 minutes.
For a large octopus (4 pounds), cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Note: You will notice the water will start to turn color as the octopus cooks. The water will be a purple hue by the time the octopus is fully cooked. This is normal.
Using a colander, drain the octopus.
Optional: Under cool water, use your fingers to easily slide some of the octopus's outer skin to expose the white tentacles underneath. Do the same with the octopus head.
Note: This step is optional and not necessary. Some people prefer to leave the skin because it adds a nice color to the salad. I like to partially remove the skin in some areas like the head and the skin that is around the area where the tentacles meet the body. I prefer to leave some of the skin on the tentacles.
Slice the octopus into half-inch to 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
Add the oil, vinegar and fresh garlic to a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Using a whisk or fork, whisk until the oil and vinegar emulsify.
Add all the chopped veggies and mix them into the oil, vinegar dressing.
Add the sliced olives and fresh cilantro.
Add in the octopus. Mix everything together.
Top the salad with a whole fresh lime, juiced and stir everything together.
Taste for salt, add more if needed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight before serving.

Notes

For this recipe I used 1 pound frozen baby octopus. This will serve 4 people as an appetizer and 2 people for dinner.

For further instructions on both fresh and frozen octopus, please check post.

Nutrition