Octopus With Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 (907 g–1.36 kg)octopus
• 2wine corks
• 475 ml (2 cups)white wine
• 1/2lemon
• 3 large, cut into quarterspotatoes
• to tasteextra-virgin olive oil
• to tastefresh parsley, chopped
• juice of 1lemon
• 4 tablespoons (optional)capers

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the octopus

   Put the octopus in a pot with the wine corks, white wine and half a lemon.

2. 2

   Simmer until tender

   Cover the octopus with water and set the pot over high heat. Bring it to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until a fork pierces the octopus easily.

3. 3

   Rest in the pot

   Check the octopus fairly often as it cooks. Once tender, cover the pot and take it off the heat.

4. 4

   Cool the octopus

   Leave it covered until it has cooled to room temperature.

5. 5

   Boil the potatoes

   While the octopus cools, boil the potatoes until tender.

6. 6

   Cut the potatoes

   Take the potatoes off the heat, remove their skins and cut them into pieces about 5 cm long.

7. 7

   Dress the potatoes

   Put the potatoes in a bowl and add the chopped parsley, lemon juice and enough olive oil to coat them lightly.

8. 8

   Add the capers

   Stir in the capers, if using.

9. 9

   Season the dish

   Season with salt and pepper.

10. 10

    Cut the tentacles

    Once the octopus is cool, separate the tentacles from the head and cut them into pieces 2.5–5 cm long.

11. 11

    Cut the head

    Cut the head into pieces as well.

12. 12

    Combine and serve

    Add the octopus to the potatoes and mix gently.

What is octopus with potatoes?

This Italian seafood dish brings together boiled potatoes and cooked octopus, dressed simply with lemon, parsley and olive oil. The description associates it with a well-known Milanese seafood restaurant, though the preparation itself centres on familiar Mediterranean ingredients.

The method’s two-stage approach helps make the dish practical: cook and cool the octopus, then prepare the potatoes and combine everything. Capers are optional, so the finished dish can be kept mild or given a briny accent.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 508 calories, 25g protein, 58g carbs, 5g fat.

The potatoes provide most of the carbohydrates, while the octopus supplies the protein. Olive oil contributes most of the fat; serve a portion with a green salad or vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Cooking the octopus

Wine and lemon: The octopus cooks in water with white wine and half a lemon. The recipe also includes two wine corks in the pot; follow the listed method, checking tenderness rather than relying on a fixed cooking time.

Gentle finish: Once a fork pierces the octopus easily, cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Letting it cool covered before cutting is part of the recipe’s sequence.

Getting tender potatoes

Quartered potatoes: Boil the large potatoes until tender, then drain them and remove their skins. Cutting them into roughly 5 cm pieces gives them enough size to hold together when mixed.

Doneness: Test a potato with a knife or fork; it should pass through without much resistance. Avoid boiling them until they crumble, as they need to keep their shape in the bowl.

A light lemon dressing

Olive oil: Add just enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the potatoes lightly. Since the recipe gives no fixed quantity, start sparingly and add more only if the potatoes seem dry.

Lemon and parsley: Lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley season the potatoes before the octopus is added. Mix gently so the potatoes do not break apart.

Cutting and combining

Separate the pieces: When cool, remove the tentacles from the head and cut them into 2.5–5 cm pieces. Cut the head into pieces too, so each portion can include both parts.

Final mix: Fold the octopus into the dressed potatoes rather than stirring vigorously. This keeps the potato pieces intact and distributes the seafood through the bowl.

Serving the dish

Serve the dish once the octopus and potatoes have been combined, either at room temperature or chilled. A simple green salad or other lightly dressed vegetables can accompany it without competing with the lemon and seafood.

If preparing ahead, keep the cooked components covered while they cool and combine them before serving. Add the capers only if you want their salty, tangy flavour in the finished dish.

Recipe notes & tips

• Check the octopus regularly near the end of cooking, as the recipe gives no fixed simmering time.
• Keep the octopus covered as it cools, as directed in the method.
• Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they are easier to mix and serve.
• Add olive oil gradually, aiming to coat the potatoes lightly rather than leave a pool in the bowl.
• Fold the octopus through the potatoes gently to help the pieces stay intact.
• Rinse and drain the capers if they taste particularly salty before adding them.

Variations

• Skip the capers: Leave them out for a milder, less briny result.
• Add more parsley: Use extra chopped parsley for a greener, more herb-forward bowl.
• Adjust the lemon: Add the juice gradually if you prefer a less sharp dressing.
• Serve chilled: Refrigerate the combined dish for a cool, make-ahead meal.
• Add black pepper: Finish with a little freshly ground pepper for a warmer note.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the potatoes: Boil them only until tender so they do not fall apart when mixed.
• Guessing octopus doneness: Check it with a fork and continue cooking until the fork pierces it easily.
• Cutting while hot: Let the octopus cool to room temperature before handling and cutting it.
• Adding too much oil at once: Pour it in gradually so the potatoes are coated lightly.
• Mixing roughly: Fold the octopus and potatoes together gently to keep the potato pieces whole.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Serve chilled, or let the portion stand briefly at room temperature; avoid reheating the mixed salad, which can soften the potatoes.

Frequently asked questions