← All recipes · Species guide: Octopus
Greece · Octopus

Greek Island Grilled Octopus

Htapodi sta Karvouna

On the Greek islands you’ll see octopus hanging to dry outside the tavernas. Here it’s simmered tender, charred over hot coals and splashed with olive oil, vinegar and oregano.

  • Prep 15 min + 1 hr marinate
  • Cook 1 hr 10 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Medium
Photo: Iannis Karakatsanes from Athens, Greece (Original) Wolfymoza (Commons upload) · CC BY-SA 2.0
Served with: Santorini Yellow Split Pea Purée ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the octopus

For the marinade and dressing

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Braise in its own juices. Put the octopus, bay leaves and 2 tbsp vinegar in a heavy pot with no water. Cover and cook over low heat 50–60 minutes; it will release plenty of pink liquid. It’s done when a knife slides into a tentacle easily.
  2. Marinate. Cool the octopus, cut it into tentacles and toss with half the olive oil, half the vinegar, the garlic and 1 tsp oregano. Let it sit 1 hour (or overnight in the fridge).
  3. Grill. Heat a charcoal grill or grill pan until very hot. Grill the tentacles 3–4 minutes per side, until charred and crisp at the tips.
  4. Dress and serve. Cut into chunks, drizzle with the remaining oil and vinegar, sprinkle with the rest of the oregano, salt and pepper and serve with lemon and fava.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Santorini, Greece

Santorini Yellow Split Pea Purée

Fava Santorinis

Yellow split peas simmered with onion until velvety, then topped with olive oil, red onion and capers. In Santorini’s seaside tavernas it is served with grilled octopus and fish.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 50 min
  • Serves 6
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 1½ cups (300 g) yellow split peas, rinsed
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cups water (about)
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ small red onion, finely chopped (to serve)
  • 1 tbsp capers (to serve)

How to make it

  1. Simmer. Put the split peas, onion, bay leaf and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam.
  2. Cook soft. Simmer gently, partly covered, for 40–50 minutes, stirring often, until the peas fall apart and most of the water is absorbed. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
  3. Purée. Remove the bay leaf. Blend or whisk with the olive oil, lemon juice and salt until smooth and creamy.
  4. Serve. Spread on a plate warm or at room temperature, and top with red onion, capers and a good pour of olive oil.

Photo: Missvain · CC BY 4.0

More ways to cook Octopus

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Galicia, SpainGalician Octopus with Paprika and Olive Oil
Lisbon, PortugalPortuguese Roasted Octopus with Garlic Olive Oil
Luquillo, Puerto RicoPuerto Rican Octopus Salad