Greek Pickled Octopus

By
Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and author of four cookbooks. He has expertise in wild foods and has written over 1,000 recipes.
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Updated on 12/20/21
Marinated pickled octopus salad

BreakingTheWalls / Getty Images

Prep: 105 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
211 Calories
3g Fat
7g Carbs
34g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 211
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 109mg 36%
Sodium 529mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 21mg 103%
Calcium 149mg 11%
Iron 12mg 66%
Potassium 801mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Pickled octopus is home cooked all over the Mediterranean. This pickled octopus recipe is a classic way to make an authentic Greek meze, Italian antipasto, or Spanish tapas. It is best done with precooked octopus. Otherwise, the finished product will be very, very chewy.

The octopi need not be baby ones, although baby ones are more tender. Once you have cooked the octopi, all you do is set them in a quart-sized canning jar to rest while you make the pickling brine.

Ingredients

  • 1 dozen precooked baby octopus

  • 6 bay leaves

  • 1 hot chile pepper, dried or fresh

  • 12 peppercorns, cracked

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

  • 2 cups red wine vinegar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a dry sauté pan, toast the coriander, the dried chile, and the black pepper over medium-high heat until everything is fragrant. (Do not do this with the fresh chile, if you're going that route.)

  3. Shift all the spices, including the oregano, the bay leaves, and the fresh chile, if using, into a pot large enough to contain the vinegar. Pour the vinegar over the spices, and bring to a boil.

  4. Once the vinegar is at a boil, turn off the heat, and cover. Let it steep until it's room temperature, about an hour or so. Then pour it over the octopi in the jar. Make sure it covers them all; use fresh red wine vinegar if you need more.

  5. Top everything off with olive oil. Do not let any part of the octopus stick through the top of the oil, or it will rot. Store in the fridge for up to three months.

  6. Enjoy.

Tips

  • Wait at least a week before you eat them.
  • They are fantastic with crusty bread and hard liquor or beer, especially on a hot day.
  • For alcoholic accompaniments, try ouzo, a Greek anise-flavored liquor, or Italian limoncello over ice.