Easy Grilled Octopus Recipe - Cooking LSL

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Easy Grilled Octopus Recipe

By Mira Lyubenova

5 from 17 votes

Aug 01, 2018, Updated Sep 18, 2024

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This easy grilled octopus recipe makes tender, lightly seasoned octopus with just the right char. It’s a dish you’d expect in a Greek seaside taverna, but it’s simple enough to prepare at home.

Paired with a crisp salad and a glass of chilled white wine, it’s an appetizer (or light dinner) that seafood lovers shouldn’t miss.

I live in Europe now and go to Greece quite often. I rarely happen to taste a better cooked octopus than mine.

This cooking method is amazing!

easy grilled octopus recipe

Table of Contents

  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients For Homemade Octopus
  • Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
  • Recipe Tips
  • How long to boil octopus for ?
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Other Seafood Recipes:
  • EASY GRILLED OCTOPUS RECIPE Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Great as an appetizer, mezze dish, or main course.
  • Perfectly tender, never rubbery.
  • Simple ingredients: olive oil, lemon, garlic, herbs.
  • Works with baby, medium, or large octopus.
easy grilled octopus recipe

Ingredients For Homemade Octopus

  • 2 pounds fresh octopus (baby, medium, or large)
  • Olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

  1. Clean the Octopus (if needed)
    • Rinse under cold water. Remove the beak (where the tentacles meet), eyes, and any innards from the head. Many fishmongers will do this for you.
Overhead photo of grilled octopus recipe ingredients arranged on a light background, including raw octopus, lemon slices, red onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, ground pepper, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice, each labeled with bold text.

2. Boil for Tenderness

  • Place the octopus in a large pot and cover with water.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
  • Cook for 40–60 minutes (about 45 minutes per 2 pounds), until a fork slides easily into the thickest part where head meets tentacles.

Liquid ready for octopus to be boiled.

Pot filled with octopus, lemon slices, fresh parsley, bay leaf, and beet simmering in water to tenderize.

Raw Octopus added to water with onion, salt, pepper, lemon and parsley

Cooked octopus tentacle lifted with tongs from a pot of lemon and herb boiling water.

Octopus inside boiling pot with aromatics

Pot of water with lemon slices, parsley, onion and bay leaf prepared for cooking octopus.

3. Rest And Marinate

  • Remove from the pot, drain, and place in a bowl.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and add chopped garlic. Let cool and rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes (or refrigerate overnight).

Octopus Out Of The Boiling Liquid

Cooked octopus tentacle lifted from pot with tongs.

Boiled octopus on a cutting board.

Cooked octopus tentacles drained on cutting board with lemon and olive oil.

Cut octopus into bite-sized pieces

Cooked octopus tentacles cut on cutting board

Octopus pieces ready to be grilled/pan seared

Chopped octopus pieces ready for grilling on cutting board.

Octopus pieces with olive oil and garlic

Marinated octopus with garlic and olive oil on plate.

Sliced octopus tentacles pan seared in a cast iron pan

Octopus pieces searing in hot skillet with olive oil.

4. Grill

  • Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  • Cut the tentacles into 2–3 inch pieces.
  • Grill for 3–4 minutes per side, until lightly charred.
  • Alternatively pan sear in a hot skillet, if no grill is present.
Octopus pieces searing in hot skillet with olive oil.

5. Finish and Serve

  • Drizzle with more olive oil and lemon juice.
  • Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley.
  • Serve warm with lemon wedges.
Charred grilled octopus on a speckled plate

Recipe Tips

  • Portions: Plan on – 1 pound per person if serving as a main.
  • Frozen vs. Fresh: Fresh octopus tastes better, but frozen can work – thaw fully before boiling.
  • Tenderizing: Freezing overnight naturally tenderizes octopus if using fresh.
  • Flavor Boosts: Add bay leaf or peppercorns to the boiling water for subtle flavor.
Grilled octopus tentacle on a fork garnished with garlic and parsley.

How long to boil octopus for ?

  • Boiled it for 40-45 minutes.
  • Then I let it rest for 30 minutes.
  • You can let it sit in the fridge overnight or even freeze it for up to 1 month.
  • While the octopus was resting at room temperature, I drizzled some olive oil over it and added some chopped garlic, so it can get some seasoning, before grilling.
  • I cut its tentacles and grilled it over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
  • Then I added some seasoning and served it.
  • If you are cooking for a crowd, I recommend cooking 1 pound of octopus per person.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size octopus is best for grilling?

Small to medium octopus cook faster and are easier to handle, but large octopus works if boiled longer.

Do I have to boil before grilling?

Yes — boiling ensures tenderness. Grilling alone will leave octopus tough and chewy.

How do I know it’s done boiling?

Pierce with a fork where the tentacles meet the head. If it slides in easily, it’s ready.

What’s the best seasoning?

Classic Mediterranean flavors: olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano, parsley. Add thyme, rosemary, or chives if you like.

Close view of grilled octopus tentacles with garlic and chopped parsley.

Serving Suggestions

  • Alongside Oven Baked St. Louis Style Ribs or Lamb Loin Chops for a surf-and-turf spread.
  • As an appetizer with a glass of chilled white wine.
  • With a light salad like my Cucumber Radish Salad.

Other Seafood Recipes:

  • Sablefish In Foil
  • Blackened Cod Fish Tacos
  • Grilled Mahi Mahi
easy grilled octopus recipe 5 from 17 votes

EASY GRILLED OCTOPUS RECIPE

Easy Grilled Octopus Recipe – tender, lightly seasoned and charred octopus that tastes amazing! A must try for seafood lovers! Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 1 hour Total: 1 hour 15 minutes Servings: 2 Save RecipeSaved Recipe Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot For Boiling
  • 1 Gas Grill
  • 1 Grilling Tongs

Ingredients 1x2x3x

  • ▢ 2 pounds fresh octopus, (baby, medium or large)
  • ▢ olive oil
  • ▢ 2 garlic cloves, , roughly chopped
  • ▢ Juice from 1 lemon
  • ▢ salt and pepper to taste
  • ▢ 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • ▢ 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Video

Instructions

  • Place octopus in a pot and cover with enough water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 40 minutes. The rule is 40–60 min, about 45 min per 2 lb.
  • Remove octopus from hot water, rinse and place in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and add chopped garlic. Let is cool and rest at room temperature, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat.
  • Slice octopus tentacles. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, until charred.
  • Remove from heat and place in a bowl.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some oregano (optional) and parsley on top. You can also add some chopped garlic, too (optional).
  • Serve.

Notes

  • Best size: Baby or medium octopus works best, but large can be used too.
  • How long to boil: Simmer for 40–60 minutes (about 45 minutes per 2 lbs). Test by inserting a fork where the head meets the tentacles. It should slide in and out easily.
  • Seasoning ideas: Drizzle with lemon juice (or vinegar), olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley. Other herbs like thyme, rosemary, and chives work well too.
  • Serving suggestions: Pairs beautifully with crisp salads, feta cheese, olives, and capers.

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 67g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 217mg, Sodium: 1043mg, Potassium: 1587mg, Vitamin A: 680IU, Vitamin C: 26.5mg, Calcium: 246mg, Iron: 24.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: AppetizerCuisine: Greek Tried this recipe?Mention @cookinglsl or tag #cookinglsl! Like this recipe? Share it with friends!PinFacebookTweetYummlyEmail Hands holding cheesy potato pancake

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Hi! I'm Mira.

I share simple, mostly low-carb and Keto recipes, that don't take a lot of time to make and use mostly seasonal, easy to find ingredients. I'm a supporter of healthy eating, but you'll also find some indulgent treats too.

More about me

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78 Comments

  1. Love the step by step pictures, so easy to make, tasted amazing!

    Reply

  2. Thanks, I just tried this reciepe put it in the fridge going to cook tonight

    Reply

    1. Hope you liked it1

      Reply

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