🐙 Octopus Salad (Insalata di Polpo)
Insalata di polpo is a classic Italian seafood salad of tender boiled octopus cut into pieces and tossed with boiled potatoes, crunchy celery, chopped parsley, lemon juice and olive oil. It tastes clean, citrusy and gently briny, with soft potato balancing the chewy octopus. It is served lukewarm or cool as an antipasto or a light main.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 octopus, about 1 kg, cleaned
- 400 g waxy potatoes
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, dip the octopus in three times, then simmer it gently for 45–60 minutes until a knife slides in easily.
- Let the octopus cool in its water for 15 minutes, then drain and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, peel and cut into chunks.
- Combine octopus, potatoes and celery in a bowl.
- Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, pour over the salad, add parsley and toss. Serve lukewarm or chilled.
How to make it lighter
- Measure the olive oil: 1 tbsp oil ≈ 120 kcal, and lemon juice carries most of the flavour.
- Swap part of the potato for extra celery or other crisp vegetables to lower the carbs.
- Octopus is lean and high in protein, so a larger octopus-to-potato ratio keeps you full for fewer calories.
History
Octopus salad is a staple along Italy's southern coasts, especially in Campania, Puglia and Sicily, where octopus is a traditional catch. The version with potatoes is common in seaside trattorias across the south today.
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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 →