4 Best Recipes for Octopus

It may seem daunting, but octopus is worth tackling at home. Whether grilled or braised, the tender tentacles are incredibly delicious and can be served in a myriad of ways. Here are F&W's best ways to cook your new favorite cephalopod.

Octopus with Chorizo and Potatoes

This recipe is a smart, delicious, Spanish-inflected way to cook octopus. Dipping the tentacles in hot water before cooking helps firm them up so they hold their shape.

Octopus Turnovers with Spicy Creole Mayonnaise

Octopus can be tough, but it becomes amazingly tender when it's cooked for a long time. And it's quite delicious in Jose Enrique's pastries.

Pan-Seared Octopus with Italian Vegetable Salad

Vinny Dotolo describes this salad's genesis: "I originally wanted to do an octopus sandwich, with the flavors of an Italian sub, but the bread got in the way." Now he sears the octopus, braises it in white wine until tender, and tosses it with chickpeas and a tangy mix of marinated carrots, fennel, and celery.

Grilled Octopus with Ancho Chile Sauce

In this dish, the octopus is first braised in sherry and then the skin is removed to make it extra-tender before it's finished on the grill and glazed with a tangy ancho chile sauce.