Easy Grilled Octopus Recipe

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This easy grilled octopus recipe makes tender, lightly seasoned octopus with just the right char. It’s a dish you’d expect in a Greek seaside taverna, but it’s simple enough to prepare at home.

Paired with a crisp salad and a glass of chilled white wine, it’s an appetizer (or light dinner) that seafood lovers shouldn’t miss.

I live in Europe now and go to Greece quite often. I rarely happen to taste a better cooked octopus than mine.

This cooking method is amazing!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Great as an appetizer, mezze dish, or main course.
Perfectly tender, never rubbery.
Simple ingredients: olive oil, lemon, garlic, herbs.
Works with baby, medium, or large octopus.

Ingredients For Homemade Octopus

2 pounds fresh octopus (baby, medium, or large)
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Clean the Octopus (if needed)
- Rinse under cold water. Remove the beak (where the tentacles meet), eyes, and any innards from the head. Many fishmongers will do this for you.

Overhead photo of grilled octopus recipe ingredients arranged on a light background, including raw octopus, lemon slices, red onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, ground pepper, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice, each labeled with bold text.

2. Boil for Tenderness

Place the octopus in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Cook for 40–60 minutes (about 45 minutes per 2 pounds), until a fork slides easily into the thickest part where head meets tentacles.

Liquid ready for octopus to be boiled.

Pot filled with octopus, lemon slices, fresh parsley, bay leaf, and beet simmering in water to tenderize.

Raw Octopus added to water with onion, salt, pepper, lemon and parsley

Cooked octopus tentacle lifted with tongs from a pot of lemon and herb boiling water.

Octopus inside boiling pot with aromatics

Pot of water with lemon slices, parsley, onion and bay leaf prepared for cooking octopus.

3. Rest And Marinate

Remove from the pot, drain, and place in a bowl.
Drizzle with olive oil and add chopped garlic. Let cool and rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes (or refrigerate overnight).

Octopus Out Of The Boiling Liquid

Cooked octopus tentacle lifted from pot with tongs.

Boiled octopus on a cutting board.

Cooked octopus tentacles drained on cutting board with lemon and olive oil.

Cut octopus into bite-sized pieces

Cooked octopus tentacles cut on cutting board

Octopus pieces ready to be grilled/pan seared

Chopped octopus pieces ready for grilling on cutting board.

Octopus pieces with olive oil and garlic

Marinated octopus with garlic and olive oil on plate.

Sliced octopus tentacles pan seared in a cast iron pan

Octopus pieces searing in hot skillet with olive oil.

4. Grill

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Cut the tentacles into 2–3 inch pieces.
Grill for 3–4 minutes per side, until lightly charred.
Alternatively pan sear in a hot skillet, if no grill is present.

5. Finish and Serve

Drizzle with more olive oil and lemon juice.
Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley.
Serve warm with lemon wedges.

Charred grilled octopus on a speckled plate

Recipe Tips

Portions: Plan on – 1 pound per person if serving as a main.
Frozen vs. Fresh: Fresh octopus tastes better, but frozen can work – thaw fully before boiling.
Tenderizing: Freezing overnight naturally tenderizes octopus if using fresh.
Flavor Boosts: Add bay leaf or peppercorns to the boiling water for subtle flavor.

Grilled octopus tentacle on a fork garnished with garlic and parsley.

How long to boil octopus for ?

Boiled it for 40-45 minutes.
Then I let it rest for 30 minutes.
You can let it sit in the fridge overnight or even freeze it for up to 1 month.
While the octopus was resting at room temperature, I drizzled some olive oil over it and added some chopped garlic, so it can get some seasoning, before grilling.
I cut its tentacles and grilled it over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
Then I added some seasoning and served it.
If you are cooking for a crowd, I recommend cooking 1 pound of octopus per person.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size octopus is best for grilling?

Small to medium octopus cook faster and are easier to handle, but large octopus works if boiled longer.

Do I have to boil before grilling?

Yes — boiling ensures tenderness. Grilling alone will leave octopus tough and chewy.

How do I know it’s done boiling?

Pierce with a fork where the tentacles meet the head. If it slides in easily, it’s ready.

What’s the best seasoning?

Classic Mediterranean flavors: olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano, parsley. Add thyme, rosemary, or chives if you like.

Close view of grilled octopus tentacles with garlic and chopped parsley.

Serving Suggestions

Alongside Oven Baked St. Louis Style Ribs or Lamb Loin Chops for a surf-and-turf spread.
As an appetizer with a glass of chilled white wine.
With a light salad like my Cucumber Radish Salad.

Other Seafood Recipes:

5 from 17 votes