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Stewed Octopus

Learn how to make tender, flavorful stewed octopus with tomato, garlic and parsley: a traditional recipe for a special dinner with friends.
Recipe Stewed Octopus
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation 20 minutes
  • Cooking 40 minutes
  • Servings for 4 people

Imagine welcoming friends and family with an inviting aroma that fills the whole house: it is the perfect moment to bring stewed octopus to the table. This octopus and tomato dish brings together tradition and authentic flavor, winning over adults and kids alike with a thick sauce and wonderfully tender meat. Knowing how to cook stewed octopus will make any occasion special, whether it is a relaxed dinner with friends or a Sunday lunch with the family. The secret to tender stewed octopus is slow cooking: let the octopus simmer gently with ripe tomatoes, garlic, fresh parsley and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and the result will be hard to resist.

The heart of this braised octopus recipe is keeping the octopus incredibly tender, so that every bite is a real pleasure. If you are wondering how to keep stewed octopus tender, follow the cooking times and tips in the method carefully, and you will have a succulent, fragrant dish. Octopus pairs beautifully with its tomato sauce, whether as octopus stewed in tomato or in the stewed octopus with potatoes variation, perfect with rustic bread, hot polenta or boiled potatoes to soak up every drop of sauce.

This easy stewed octopus recipe is a real ace up your sleeve in the kitchen: all it takes is a little patience and a few wholesome ingredients to make a quick stewed octopus for dinner with a deep flavor. If you love seafood main courses, take inspiration from variations such as Stewed Baby Octopus, Cuttlefish with Peas or Stewed Squid with Potatoes. If you want to experiment further, also try Squid in Tomato Sauce and the elegant Penne with Pesto and Octopus, for a truly memorable journey through the flavors of the sea.

Ingredients for 4 people

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Method

  1. To make the stewed octopus, start by cleaning the octopus thoroughly. Once that is done, rinse it under cold running water and blanch it in a pot of salted water for 5 minutes. After that, lift it out of the pot with a slotted spoon and cut it into small pieces.
  2. Pour the oil into a large pot and cook the onion, chopped beforehand with a mezzaluna, the garlic, peeled and also chopped with the mezzaluna, the bunch of herbs and the octopus pieces. Let the octopus cook for 5 minutes, then add the cognac and flambé it. When the flame has died out, add the flour to bind everything together, then the tomato paste and the diced tomatoes.
  3. Pour in the white wine and stir well so the octopus is fully covered; if needed, thin the sauce with a little more hot water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook over low heat for 35 minutes, or until the octopus is tender. When it is ready, serve the stewed octopus. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

To make your stewed octopus heartier, you can add potatoes, olives, peas or beans.

Tips

For the stewed octopus, I recommend using fresh octopus. If you are not sure how to clean it, you can buy it already cleaned from your trusted fishmonger. If fresh octopus is not available, you can also use frozen.

Storage

You can keep the stewed octopus in the refrigerator for a couple of days in an airtight container.

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