Octopus with Smoked Paprika and Soft Potato

Spanish

Medium · Warm

Octopus with Smoked Paprika and Soft Potato

A Galician classic where tender octopus rests on soft boiled potatoes, finished with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of smoked paprika. Simple, honest, and rooted in the tradition of the feira.

Recipe by

Anxo Rivera

The Pulpeiro

Prep

20 min

Cook

1h 10m

Rest

10 min

Total

1h 40m

Method

Prepare and Poach the Octopus

Rinse the octopus under cold running water. If the tentacles are still attached to the head, separate them using a sharp chef knife or kitchen scissors, reserving the body cavity clean.

In a large stockpot, bring 2 liters of water to a rolling boil with the garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of salt. The traditional method uses seawater, but this simple aromatized water works beautifully.

To tenderize the octopus, dip the tentacles into the boiling water three times, holding each time for 3 seconds. This is the classic Galician '吓三次' conditioning step that helps the skin tighten and the flesh stay tender. On the fourth immersion, submerge the octopus completely.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the octopus, partially covered, for 45 to 60 minutes until a knife pierces the thickest part of the tentacle with little resistance. Check at 45 minutes.

Remove the octopus from the poaching liquid and let it rest on a wooden board for 10 minutes. Reserve the cooking liquid if desired for a light broth.

Prepare the Soft Potato Base

While the octopus rests, peel the potatoes and cut them into thick rounds, approximately 2 centimeters thick.

Bring a separate pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the potato rounds for 12 to 15 minutes until they are completely tender when pierced with a fork but hold their shape.

Drain the potatoes and arrange them on a wooden serving board or individual plates, creating a bed for the octopus.

Assemble and Finish

Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut the octopus tentacles into bite-sized pieces, roughly 3 centimeters in length.

Arrange the octopus pieces over and around the soft potato rounds, overlapping slightly for an abundant, homey presentation.

In a small bowl, mix the smoked paprika with the olive oil, stirring until the paprika is fully incorporated into the oil.

Drizzle the paprika oil generously over the octopus and potatoes, letting it pool naturally. Finish with a light sprinkle of salt.

Serve immediately while warm, with crusty bread to soak up the paprika-scented oil. The dish is best eaten the day it is made.

Nutri-Score

Good balance

A–E · lower is better · score 2

Calories

595

per serving

High in salt · 3797mgHigh in protein · 60gLow sugar · 3gLow saturated fat · 4g

Protein

60g

Carbs

35g

Fat

22g

Sat. fat

Fiber

Sugar

Sodium

3797mg

Gluten FreeDairy FreePescatarianHeart HealthyLow CholesterolHigh ProteinLow Carb Option

Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.

Flavor Profile

Umami

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Spicy

Textures

TenderSucculentSoft

Aromas

SmokyBrinyHerbal

Kitchen Equipment

Primary Tool

Stockpot

Stockpot Chef Knife Cutting BoardKitchen ScissorsWooden BoardSmall BowlSlotted Spoon

Counter FootprintMedium

Techniques

Poaching Simmering

Safety & Storage

Handling

Rinse octopus under cold running water and use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw seafood preparation. Avoid contact between raw octopus and ready-to-eat foods like potatoes.

Cooking Temperature

Poach octopus at a rolling boil (212°F/100°C) then simmer at 180-185°F (82-85°C) for 45-60 minutes until a knife pierces thick tentacles with little resistance to ensure complete doneness.

High Risk Population

This dish contains raw seafood and is not recommended for pregnant women, young children, elderly, or immunocompromised individuals without verifying octopus was frozen to -4°F (-20°C) for 7+ days to kill parasites.

Storage

Store raw octopus at 32-39°F (0-4°C) and use within 1-2 days. Once cooked, refrigerate within 2 hours at 40°F (4°C) or below and consume within 3-4 days. Do not leave cooked octopus at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Cross Contamination

Use dedicated utensils and surfaces for raw octopus. Sanitize cutting boards, knives, and containers that touched raw octopus with hot soapy water or a bleach solution before using for other foods.

Pro Tips

Technique

The three-dip method for conditioning octopus isn't superstition—it's how we taught the tentacles to tighten so the flesh stays tender and doesn't fall apart in the pot. Each dip for three seconds, that's the rhythm my grandmother taught me, and twenty winters later I still do it the same way.

Substitution

If fresh octopus isn't available, frozen works perfectly. Just thaw it slowly in the refrigerator overnight, never under hot water. You can also use a good quality pre-cooked octopus from a trusted fishmonger if you're short on time, though the poaching liquid will lack depth.

From the chef

Tender octopus resting on soft boiled potatoes, finished with a pour of good olive oil and a dusting of smoked paprika — this is Galicia on a plate, and it has not needed changing in generations. The three-dip method in boiling water is the old Galician trick that keeps the skin tight and the flesh yielding without going rubbery. The potatoes go in a separate pot so they stay firm enough to hold the octopus up. Just good olive oil, smoked paprika, and salt at the end — because some things don't need updating, they just need doing right.

Anxo RiveraThe Pulpeiro

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TagsSeafoodGalicianTraditionalPaprikaOlive OilOctopusPotato

AllergensMollusks

Source: generated · June 10, 2026