Pulpo a la Parrilla

5 from 1 vote

This Pulpo a la Parrilla offers a delightful combination of grilled octopus, lightly seasoned and paired with a tangy, flavorful salad, creating an exquisite flavor!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Latin Cuisine, Mediterranean, Puerto Rican

Servings:

Calories: 416kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

Cooking the Octopus

1 pound octopus fresh or frozen
1 lemon juiced plus lemon rind
1 tablespoon salt

Seasoning Octopus

¼-½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic finely minced or pureed
salt and pepper to taste

Salsa or Salad Mix

1 lemon or lime juiced
½ red onion chopped or thinly sliced
1 tomato rinsed and chopped
2 cloves garlic finely minced or pureed
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pimiento stuffed olives chopped
1 tablespoon black olives or Greek olives chopped
salt and pepper to taste
½-1 tablespoon hot sauce optional

Serving

extra lime wedges

Instructions

In a medium pot, over medium-high heat, add enough water to fully cover the octopus. Add the juice from one lemon plus the lemon rind. Add a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, add the octopus, then lower the heat to medium.
Note: For a large octopus (4 pounds), cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. For baby octopus, cook 35 minutes.
Once tender and cooked, drain the octopus. Allow to cool for a few minutes before handling or rinse under cold water.
Optional: Under cool water, use your fingers to easily slide some of the octopus’s outer skin to expose the white skin underneath. Do the same with the octopus head.
If using a large octopus, cut the arms off the body and leave them whole. Add to a bowl.
Note: If using baby octopus, cut the body in half or leave the body whole.
Add the octopus to a bowl and season with the garlic, oregano plus salt and pepper to taste.
Heat your grill or grill pan and grease with oil. Char the octopus on one side for a few minutes.
Flip over and char on the other side.
Combine the onion, tomato, olives, vinegar and oil in a mixing bowl and stir. Squeeze the lime and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the grilled octopus to the bowl and stir well.
Serve the octopus with a few lime wedges and a side of your choice or by itself.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

Servings: This recipe will comfortably serve two people as an appetizer, a light lunch, and one to two people for dinner. If serving a family of four, buy at least two pounds of octopus. For more servings, consider at least half a pound per person for a comfortable filling.

Nutrition