Octopus grilled with cayenne pepper and lemon juice. You can’t go wrong with this restaurant-quality grilled octopus served with a salad in Spain!

OCTOPUS

An octopus has eight arms and legs (a soft-bodied mollusk or cephalopod). Octopus is one of my favorite seafood dishes, despite its bizarre appearance.

I haven’t had the opportunity to dine out at any of my favorite spots for a few months. As for grilled octopus with salad, I’m genuinely missing it.

I acted on my own initiative and purchased some from my local seafood market.

This Spanish grilled octopus was the perfect way to kick off my summer!

GRILLED OCTOPUS RECIPE

This dish just calls for a few everyday items, making it a breeze to prepare:

• Lemon juice
• Octopus
• Salt and pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Olive oil

HOW TO MAKE GRILLED OCTOPUS?

Octopus can be purchased fresh, raw, and uncooked, or bought boiling and cooked.

Because the octopus is naturally salty, you don’t need a lot of other ingredients to make this dish come together quickly. Good olive oil and a few simple spices are all you need. As soon as the grill is hot, you’re done!

Once it’s been grilled, thinly slice it and serve it with a simple green salad of your choice.

Adding a few fresh lemon slices to the meal will make it even better.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW TO GRILL OCTOPUS WITHOUT BOILING?

• Any octopus that you can get your hands on should be cooked quickly on a grill over high direct heat. At this point, they’re done cooking, as the flesh turns white or opaque in hue.
• Don’t overcook them, or they’ll become chewy and rubbery. Octopus cooked to perfection will be juicy and soft to the bite.

WHICH SIDE DO DISHES GO WELL WITH THIS RECIPE?

• Octopus pairs well with fresh green salads. Salads of many kinds can be used. This salad is one of my favorites.

What is the average number of calories in one serving?

• Each serving of this recipe contains only 240 calories.

With this recipe, what are its complementary dishes?

Make a fresh salad to go with this entrée. I’ve compiled a collection of recipes that are both healthy and quick enough to prepare on a weeknight.

• PARMESAN ASPARAGUS
• BASIL BUTTER CORN
• BUTTERY BROWN SUGAR ROASTED CARROTS
• SPANISH CHICKEN AND POTATOES

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pack (5 oz. /150 g) spring mix salad
• Lemon wedges
• Ground black pepper
• 3 dashes of cayenne pepper
• 1 lb. (0.4 kg) boiled octopus
• Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add olive oil, salt, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper to the boiling octopus.
2. Grill the octopus over direct heat until the surface is slightly browned, then remove it from the grill. Grill the other side after flipping it over.
3. Slice the cooked octopus into bite-sized chunks. Fresh spring mix salad and lemon wedges are a must-have with this dish. Serve right away.