Salada de Polvo (Portuguese Octopus Salad)

Octopus shows up on my site more than almost any other ingredient, and there’s a reason: it’s everywhere in Portugal, from the Lagareiro-style octopus my grandmother in Trás-os-Montes made for special Sundays to the octopus rice my Azorean grandmother swore by. But this cold octopus salad is the one I actually make most often in the summer heat, because nobody wants the oven on when it’s 95 degrees outside.

Salada de polvo is a simple, room-temperature dish of tender braised octopus, red onion, bell pepper, parsley, and a bright olive oil and vinegar dressing. It’s the kind of thing you’ll find at a seaside tasca in the Algarve, served as a starter or a light lunch with bread, and it holds up beautifully as a make-ahead dish for a hot day since the flavor only improves after a few hours in the fridge.

My trick for tender octopus without hours of babysitting a pot is the freezer method, which breaks down the muscle fibers before it even hits the water. If you’ve already made my Polvo à Lagareiro or Portuguese roasted octopus with garlic and paprika (recipes on the site), you already know how forgiving octopus is once you know the trick. Serve this alongside my Portuguese-style octopus rice (recipe on the site) for a full seafood spread, or on its own with a chilled glass of vinho verde.

Salada de Polvo Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling) · Cook time: 45 minutes · Total: about 1 hour 30 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~240 per serving

Ingredients

• For the octopus:
• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds octopus, cleaned, previously frozen and thawed (or fresh, see notes)
• 1 onion, halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 wine cork (optional, traditional but not necessary)
• For the salad:
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced small
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. If using fresh octopus, freeze it solid for at least 24 hours, then thaw completely; this tenderizes the flesh naturally. Rinse well.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the halved onion and bay leaves (and the cork, if using, a traditional and slightly superstitious trick many Portuguese cooks swear by). Holding the octopus by the head, dip it into the boiling water 3 times, about 10 seconds each dip, letting the water return to a boil between dips; this helps the tentacles curl nicely.
3. Lower the octopus fully into the pot, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife slides into the thickest part of a tentacle with almost no resistance.
4. Remove the octopus and let it cool until you can handle it, then cut the tentacles and body into bite-sized pieces.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the octopus, red onion, bell pepper, and parsley, and toss well.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, before serving, tossing again and adjusting salt just before serving.

Recipe Notes

• Frozen octopus, sold at most well-stocked grocery stores and Asian or Latino markets, is actually preferred here since freezing tenderizes it; there’s no need to buy fresh and freeze it yourself unless that’s what you have.
• Don’t skip the resting time in the fridge. Like most marinated salads, this tastes better after the flavors have a chance to meld.
• If your octopus seems tough after 45 minutes, keep simmering in 10-minute increments and testing; size and species affect cooking time more than the clock does.
• For a heartier version, add cooked cubed potatoes to the salad, a common addition in the Algarve.