Crispy Fried Octopus Recipe

This fried octopus recipe is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. Plus, it's surprisingly easy to make! In fact, just 3 simple steps are all you have to follow to make it.

My Take On Fried Octopus

If you've been wondering how to cook octopus, this fried octopus recipe is the best way.

The octopus always comes out incredibly tender with a little bit of springiness and the perfect amount of crunch from the golden brown coating.

It's truly a stunning appetizer - or main dish - that will always leave a long-lasting impression on your dinner guests.

In addition to all that, fried octopus is pretty healthy. It provides you with just 139 calories in total, and alongside that, it has a ton of nutritional benefits - such as being rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids.

So, it's tasty and good for you. I mean, who would say no to that?

Now, octopus usually gets a bad rap because it can end up too chewy if it's overcooked. But this recipe will have you making tender and tasty octopus like a pro! Oh, and it goes great with a side of this tartar sauce, seafood boil sauce, or bloves sauce for dipping.

INGREDIENTS

One of the best things about this fried octopus recipe is that you don't need a lot of ingredients to make it.

As you'll see below, this recipe is mostly pantry staples with a couple of special spices thrown in to give it that one-of-a-kind flavor.

Anyway, here's everything you need to make the octopus:

• Precooked and cleaned octopus
• Vinegar
• Oil
• Bay leaves
• Parsley
• Garlic clove
• Black garlic paste 
• Salt and Pepper
• Allspice berries
• Water
• All-purpose flour
• Corn starch

Here are the ingredients for the sauce:

• Mayonnaise
• Curry
• Lemon zest 
• Lemon juice 

So, the most important ingredients you'll need for this fried octopus recipe are vinegar and black garlic paste. The vinegar tenderizes the octopus, while the black garlic brings a sweet and savory umami flavor that's unlike anything you've had before.

You can easily find black garlic paste online or at a seafood market, but you can also use regular garlic paste in a pinch. The flavor won't be exactly the same, but it'll be just as addictively delicious.

Oh, and before getting started on how to cook fried octopus, just keep in mind that the octopus will usually shrink to half its size after being cooked. So you'll want to buy one that's larger than what you think you'll need.

HOW TO COOK OCTOPUS

Ok, so the secret behind making this octopus super flavorful and tender is boiling it with vinegar and spices. This step will take less than an hour on the stovetop or about 15 minutes in an Instant Pot.

Then, all you have to do is coat and fry the octopus. And if you precook the octopus in the water ahead of time, you can have some tender and crunchy fried octopus on the table in under 30 minutes!

With all that said, let's dive into this fried octopus recipe.

STEP 1: PREPARE THE OCTOPUS

If you haven't precooked your octopus yet, this is what you should do.

First, add the water, vinegar, allspice berries, bay leaves, garlic, and parsley to a deep pot.

Then, cut off the tentacles and separate them.

By the way, make sure that the octopus has been thoroughly cleaned before separating the tentacles. Tentacles usually have a little sand stuck between the suctions, even when it was cleaned at the store.

Anyway, now put the octopus into the pot and over the stove on medium heat. Cover it and stew for around 40-50 minutes. Alternatively, you can also cook it in the Instant Pot for 15 minutes on high pressure.

Anyway, after cooking the octopus, you'll want to take it off the heat and let it cool. Then, chop it into 1-inch pieces and pat with kitchen paper until completely dry.

STEP 2: FRY THE OCTOPUS

Next, take a medium-sized bowl and add the flour, salt, cornstarch, and pepper. Blend well.

Now, take out a large pot and heat the oil to 350°F (180ºC).

Then, transfer the dried octopus pieces to the bowl with the flour mixture and coat. Also, for best results, you'll want to make sure all surfaces of the octopus are covered in the mixture.

So, once all octopus pieces are evenly coated, you can add them to the hot oil in batches and fry for 3-4 minutes. They'll turn nicely golden brown when they're done.

Then, when you've got the pieces looking good you can transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Doing this will help soak up any excess oil and keep the octopus crispy as well.

STEP 3: PREPARE THE SAUCE

For the B'love sauce, take a medium bowl and combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, curry, and mayonnaise.

Then, transfer it to a dipping bowl and garnish it with parsley. 

Serve your fried octopus with this creamy mayo dip and enjoy!

HOW I RECOMMEND STORING AND REHEATING THIS RECIPE

You can store any leftover fried octopus in the fridge for up to 3 days. To keep it for longer, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe bag for up to 9 months.

My favorite way to reheat it is in the air fryer at 350°F for about 5 minutes until it's crispy. You can also reheat it in the oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes.

More Seafood Recipes To Try Next

If you like seafood recipes and want to give some more a try next, we have a ton on the blog that I think you'll really like.

Here are some easy recipes to try next:

• Seafood boil
• Air Fryer Catfish
• Air Fryer Mahi Mahi 
• Fried Mahi Mahi 
• Instant Pot Paella
• General Tso Shrimp
• Lobster pasta

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