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Grilled Octopus is not just a recipe for me. It is a rite of passage. As a first-generation American Italian with parents from Naples, the Feast of the Seven Fishes has always been the holiday I look forward to the most. Christmas Eve is all about family, fish, and fun!
This year, I am hosting the Feast of the Seven Fishes for the very first time. In my opinion, it is one of the hardest holidays to host. The fish has to be fresh and often cooked on the spot. My aunts have been keeping the tradition alive for over 20 years, and I finally feel ready to take over….with help from my cousins, of course.
To make things even more dramatic, I decided to take on an octopus. I’ll be serving at least four big, beautiful 6-8 pound beauties. Luckily, my fishmonger friend Mark Drabich owner of Metropolitan Seafood, stopped by to share his foolproof method that makes cooking octopus feel way less intimidating.
Mark’s technique is magic. With his cooking method, your octopus is guaranteed to have the most tender bite. The only twist I add to Mark’s approach is a fast dip of the tentacle ends into boiling water. It coaxes them into those iconic curls that make grilled octopus look instantly impressive.
❤️ Why You’ll Love Grilled Octopus
Grilled Octopus hits that sweet spot where rustic Italian tradition meets simple, modern cooking. It turns a giant sea creature into a surprisingly approachable dinner that feels both festive and low-stress. The best part is that most of the work happens the night before. The first slow cook guarantees tenderness and lets you check the hardest part off your to-do list long before guests arrive. On the day of your Feast of the Seven Fishes, all you have to do is grill and dress with my perfectly balanced gremolata. It is naturally lean and protein rich, holds marinades beautifully, and looks stunning on a platter, which lets you flex just the right amount when guests walk in.
🍲 Ingredients
This recipe for Grilled Octopus is built on simple Italian flavors. The octopus cooks with white wine, vinegar, and aromatics, then it’s charred on a hot grill until the skin crisps. The gremolata brings brightness and subtle heat. The squid ink mayo is the drama.
Ingredients:
🐙 The octopus is the star. A 6 to 8 pound octopus becomes incredibly tender after the first slow roast and develops irresistible smoky edges once it hits the grill.
🥬 Fresh parsley adds herbal brightness that cuts through the richness of the grilled octopus.
🧅 Shallots bring delicate sweetness that balances the heat.
🌶 Fresno chiles add color and just enough attitude.
🍋 Lemon juice and vinegar sharpen everything.
🫒 Olive oil creates the silky base that ties the gremolata together and helps the octopus char beautifully.
🌿 Bay leaves and peppercorns season the braising liquid and infuse the octopus with subtle aroma.
🦑 Squid ink and mayo (optional) create an inky, briny sauce that turns your platter into edible artwork.
👩🍳 How to Make Grilled Octopus
To make this Grilled Octopus, begin by prepping the octopus. If your fishmonger has already cleaned it, you are halfway there. If not, rinse it well, turn the head inside out, remove the internal organs and ink sac, rinse again, and trim out the eyes. Flip it to reveal the round opening where the beak sits, then pop the beak out with your fingers and discard it. If you love curly tentacles, dip the ends into boiling water a few times until they curl and coil dramatically.
Nestle the octopus into a snug baking dish with white wine, red wine vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaves, and aromatics. Cover tightly and roast at 500 degrees for one hour. Handle it gently when you remove it from the liquid because the skin is precious. Once cooled, refrigerate the octopus for at least three hours or overnight.
While it chills, stir together the gremolata ingredients in a bowl until everything glistens. Combine the squid ink and mayo if you are feeling extra.
For the second cook, preheat the grill to high and brush the octopus with olive oil. Grill it for two to three minutes per side until the edges char and crisp. This is the moment the octopus becomes a star.
To finish, spread the squid ink mayo on a platter, add the grilled tentacles, and spoon the gremolata generously over the top. Serve chilled or warm. Either way, guests will hover.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Roast the octopus the day before. This is the secret to both tenderness and a peaceful Christmas Eve.
- Chill it fully before grilling. Cold octopus grills more cleanly and keeps its skin intact.
- Do not skip the snug baking dish. A tight fit helps the octopus braise in its own juices.
- Use tongs gently. The skin is delicate until it hits the grill.
- Taste your gremolata and adjust the heat with more Fresno pepper if you love a little fire.
🗒 Variations & Substitutions
- Swap the gremolata for a smoky romesco sauce for a Spanish twist.
- Use Calabrian chiles instead of Fresnos for deeper heat, but remove the seeds and cut the quantity in half.
- Add chopped olives or capers to the gremolata for a brinier finish.
- Serve the grilled octopus over white beans or fingerling potatoes to turn it into a full meal.
- White wine vinegar can stand in for red wine vinegar in the gremolata.
- Frozen octopus works beautifully and often becomes even more tender once cooked.
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👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover grilled octopus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Keep the gremolata separate so the herbs stay bright.
🤔 Common Questions
Can I use frozen octopus?
Yes. In fact, many chefs prefer it. Freezing helps tenderize the meat, and once thawed it cooks beautifully.
Do I need to remove the skin before grilling?
No. Leave every bit of that skin on. It crisps, chars, and becomes the best part on the grill.
My octopus released a lot of liquid during the first cook. Is that normal?
Totally. Octopus naturally expels liquid as it cooks. That liquid becomes your flavorful braising bath.
What should I do if the skin starts to peel off?
Handle the octopus gently when it is warm and chilling. Once it hits the grill and chars, the skin becomes much more resilient.
Can I serve this cold?
Yes. Grilled octopus is delicious warm or cold. Serve it chilled with lemon wedges and extra gremolata for a bright seafood salad vibe.
Grilled Octopus
Ingredients
Octopus Ingredients
- 1, 6-8 lb octopus
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp peppercorns
- olive oil, for grilling
Gremolata Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 shallots, minced
- 3 Fresno peppers, minced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Squid Ink Mayo
- 3 tbsp mayo
- 1 tbsp jarred squid Ink
Instructions
- First cook. Preheat the oven to 500°F
- If your octopus hasn’t already been cleaned by the fishmonger, here’s how to prepare it for cooking.
- Rinse it under cold running water. Gently rub away any grit or sand. Place it on a clean cutting board.
- Turn the head inside out, just as you would with a small bag. Use your fingers to remove everything inside the head, being careful not to rupture the ink sac. The ink sac looks like a small silvery or dark pouch.
- Rinse the inside of the head thoroughly and turn it right side out.
- Lay the head flat on the cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut out the eyes. Discard the eyes and separate the head from the tentacles.
- Flip the octopus, and you will see a firm, round opening. This is where the beak is located. Use your fingers to push the beak upward from the underside. It will pop out like a small hard kernel. Discard the beak and make a cut between any 2 tentacles so that it opens like a curtain.
- OPTIONAL STEP: If you like the look of the curly tentacles, bring a pot of water to a boil and dip the very ends of the tentacles into the water for 5 seconds, remove, and repeat 2 or 3 times. This will coax them into those iconic curls that make grilled octopus look instantly impressive.
- Place the octopus and its head in a large, deep baking dish. The octopus should fit snugly. Add the bay leaves, onions, peppercorns, vinegar, and white wine. Cover tightly with a heavy fitted lid OR with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Cook in the oven for 60 minutes, then carefully remove the octopus from the pot and place it on a baking tray. Try not to touch the skin. The goal is to keep the skin intact so that it crisps on the grill. Refrigerate the octopus overnight or for at least 3 hours.
- Make the gremolata. Add all of the gremolata ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
- Make the squid ink mayo. Add the squid ink and mayo to a small bowl.
- Second Cook. Remove the octopus from the refrigerator and gently coat in olive oil. Preheat the grill to high. Grill the octopus until slightly charred on both sides, approximately 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
- Time to plate. Spread the squid ink mayo onto your serving tray. Lay the grilled tentacles on top and then cover them in the gremolata.
- Serve warm or cold!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Your octopus looks delicious. I am not Italian burt my family ate a widely diverse diet. However, the only OCTOPUS I had was at the home of friends who were Italian. The part I enjoyed the most were the octopus rings (I believe cut from the sac?) and I loved having the Feast if the Seven Fishes with both families! Yummy!
You may be thinking of calamari, which is squid, not octopus. The body is often cut into rings 🙂
This was delicious and very easy to make. Followed the recipe as written & it was a big hit. Will definitely make this again
So happy to hear that Holly!
FOLLOWED DIRECTIONS COMPLETELY. Opened the baking dish and all the liquids had cooked out. Cooling in fridge now. Us it ruined? Why are liquids gone?
Hi Steve,
I’m not sure why that happened. Are you sure the lid was completely shut and secure? I just finished cooking 5, 7 lb octopus, and all five had tons of liquid when I finished cooking them.