This fresh Octopus Salad Recipe features smoky grilled octopus, crisp shaved fennel, briny olives, and juicy Valencia orange segments, all tossed in a bright citrus dressing made with fresh Valencia orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Light, elegant, and surprisingly easy to make.
Looking for more great fennel recipes? Try my fennel apple salad.
Recipe Summary: Octopus Salad Recipe with Grilled Octopus, Fennel & Olives
- ✅ Recipe Name: Octopus Salad Recipe with Grilled Octopus, Fennel & Olives
- 🕒 Ready In: 20 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4 (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 275 per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Octopus, Valencia oranges, Castelvetrano olives, fennel.
- 📖 Dietary Info: Make-a-head friendly, naturally glute-free
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A show-stopping appetizer with bold Mediterranean flavors and surprisingly little effort.
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I love making this octopus salad when I want something that's equal parts elegant and effortless. It's light, refreshing, and just a little bit show-offy. The kind of dish that always gets people talking.
If you've never tried octopus before, don't let it intimidate you. When cooked properly, it's tender with a mild, slightly sweet flavor that's often compared to lobster or scallops. It's also naturally gluten-free, making it an easy choice for entertaining guests with different dietary needs.
Pair it with a glass of my strawberry vodka lemonade for the perfect summer meal, or start dinner with my baked feta with honey before serving this salad as a light main course.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy but elegant. A restaurant-worthy appetizer, with minimal effort.
- Fresh Mediterranean flavors. Smoky octopus, citrus, fennel, and olives shine.
- Quick to make. Ready in about 20 minutes with pre-cooked octopus.
- Perfect for entertaining. Light, refreshing, and impressive enough for guests.
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Ingredients
- Cooked frozen octopus legs. I like to use the frozen cooked octopus to make things simple. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then pat dry, coat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill just long enough to develop smoky flavor and beautiful char.
- Fresh fennel. Thinly slice the fennel bulb (a mandoline works great) for a crisp, delicate texture. Save a few fennel fronds for garnish, if desired.
- Celery. Thinly sliced celery adds fresh crunch. Don't skip the celery leaves: they're full of flavor.
- Valencia oranges. You'll use both the orange segments in the salad and the fresh juice in the dressing for bright, sweet citrus flavor.
- Castelvetrano olives. These buttery green olives add a mild, briny bite. If they're not pitted, simply crush them gently with the side of a chef's knife and remove the pits.
- Extra virgin olive oil. Used to coat the octopus before grilling and as the base of the citrus dressing.
- White balsamic vinegar. Adds a touch of sweetness and acidity without overpowering the fresh citrus.
- Flaky sea salt. Finish the salad with flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, just before serving for the best flavor and texture.
See the recipe card at the end for the full list of ingredients with the quantities.
Variations
| Swap the citrus. | Use blood oranges, naval oranges, or Cara Cara oranges. |
| Change the vinegar. | Champagne or sherry vinegar work well in place of white balsamic. |
| Add avocado. | For extra creaminess and richness. |
| Use different olives. | Try Kalamata, or Cerignola olives. |
| Make it spicy. | Add more red pepper flakes or sliced Fresno chiles. |
| Serve over greens. | Arugula or mixed greens make it a heartier salad. |
How to make Octopus Salad
- Step 1: Peel the oranges, and cut into segments over a large bowl, reserving the juice.
- Step 2: Remove the top of the fennel, and reserve the fronds. Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise, and remove the core. Slice thinly.
- Step 3: Thinly slice the celery and shallot.
- Step 4: Add orange juice, olive oil, white balsamic, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a bowl.
- Step 5: Whisk to combine.
- Step 6: Add fennel, shallot, celery, and pitted olives to a bowl. Toss to combine with dressing. Set aside.
- Step 7: Pat octopus dry with paper towels.
- Step 8: Coat octopus in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill on preheated hot grill for 2-3 minutes a side.
- Step 9: Arrange dressed fennel mixture on.a platter.
- Step 10: Arrange orange segments over top.
- Step 12: Cut octopus into small pieces and arrange over top. Garnish with fennel fronds, a drizzle of olive oil and flakey sea salt, if desired.
Expert Tips
- Dry the octopus well. Pat the octopus completely dry with paper towels before seasoning. This helps it develop a beautiful char instead of steaming on the grill.
- Get your grill hot. Preheat your grill or grill pan to high heat so the octopus sears quickly, adding smoky flavor and grill marks without overcooking.
- Serve immediately. This salad is at its best served fresh, while the octopus is still warm and the vegetables are crisp.
Octopus Salad Recipe FAQs
Yes! Octopus salad can be a healthy, nutrient-dense meal. Octopus is high in lean protein and provides important nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Paired with fresh fennel, celery, oranges, and olive oil, this salad is brings plenty of fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats to the table.
Octopus salad typically includes tender cooked octopus, fresh vegetables, and a bright vinaigrette. This version combines grilled octopus with shaved fennel, celery, olives, and orange segments, all tossed in a simple citrus dressing.
If you tried this Octopus Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Octopus Salad Recipe
Equipment
- mandoline or sharp knife
- grill or grill pan
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb cooked frozen octopus tentacles, thawed
- 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced (fronds reserved) , use mandoline or sharp knife for paper thin slices
- ½ cup celery, with leaves , thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted
- flakey sea salt, for finishing
- 2 Valencia oranges, peeled and cut into segments, (reserve juice for dressing)
- Reserved fennel fronds, for garnish
Dressing/marinade
- 5 tablespoon fresh squeezed Valencia orange juice
- 3 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil , plus more for serving
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Segment the oranges. Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of the oranges. One at a time, stand them upright, then carefully cut away the peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit. Holding the peeled orange over a bowl, cut between the membranes to release each segment. Squeeze the remaining membranes over the bowl to extract any extra juice for the dressing.
- Thinly slice the fennel, shallot, and celery, and prep the olives. To prepare the fennel, trim off the stalks and fronds (reserve a few fronds for garnish if desired), sloice build in half lengthwise, remove the tough core, then slice the bulb as thinly as possible with a sharp knife or mandoline. If your olives have pits, remove them with an olive pitter or gently crush each olive with the side of a chef's knife and discard the pits.
- Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together fresh orange juice, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss. Add the fennel, shallot, and celery to a large bowl, and toss with the dressing. Set aside.
- Grill. Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat, and grill octopus for 2-3 minutes a side, until lightly charred. Do not over-cook, as it can result in rubbery octopus.
- Add fennel mixture to a large platter, and arrange orange segments over top.
- Slice octopus into small pieces, and arrange over salad.
- Top with flakey sea salt, fennel fronds and a drizzle of olive oil.
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