🐙 Greek grilled octopus
Htapodi sta karvouna is octopus first simmered until tender, then grilled over charcoal until the tentacles are charred and smoky at the edges. It is dressed simply with olive oil, vinegar, lemon and dried oregano. The texture is tender with a slight chew. It is a classic seaside meze, usually served with other small plates.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 octopus (about 1.2 kg), cleaned
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Put the octopus in a pot without water, cover and cook over low heat for 50–60 minutes until a knife slides in easily; it releases its own liquid.
- Let it cool, then cut into tentacles.
- Toss the tentacles with 1 tbsp of the oil and a pinch of salt.
- Grill over a very hot grill or griddle for 3–4 minutes per side until charred.
- Dress with the remaining oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano and pepper and serve warm.
How to make it lighter
- Octopus itself is lean — the oil makes the difference; 1 tbsp olive oil ≈ 120 kcal.
- Use more lemon and vinegar and less oil in the dressing.
- Serve it with a tomato and cucumber salad rather than fried potatoes.
History
Octopus has been caught and eaten around the Aegean since antiquity, and fishermen traditionally beat it against rocks to tenderise it. In island ports, octopus hung up to dry in the sun outside tavernas is still a familiar sight before it goes on the grill. The dish is a summer staple of Greek ouzeri and fish tavernas.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →