What is Croatian Octopus Salad?
Octopus salad is one of the most popular meals in coastal Croatia. It’s a bursting-with-flavor bowl of seafood heaven that’s hard to say no to.
Octopus salad often comes served in small quantities as a starter. This is how you’ll come across this dish in restaurants. But, at home, we love to eat it as a main course.
The problem is that everyone always wants more, so we had to find a way to make a little go a much longer way. The solution? We created octopus and potato salad. Croatians already adore potatoes. And with them, our beloved mollusk can now feed a proper party.
Some think that the authentic Croatian octopus salad should have no added ingredients. But octopus is incredibly fragrant, so 'diluting' it with potato works wonders.
Try this octopus salad recipe and see what you think. The version with potatoes is creamier, easier to season (potatoes soak up the flavors), and downright irresistible. It’s a crowdpleaser that won’t break the bank.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
For such an impressive seafood dish, octopus and potato salad is a breeze to make at home. Here’s why I love to wow my guests and indulge my family with this recipe.
I make sure there is always an octopus in my freezer. Cooking with a defrosted octopus is even easier than with a fresh one. But more on this later.
Chopping up the cooked octopus
Potatoes and onions are plentiful in my pantry. So all I need is olives and capers. Because these tend to disappear from the fridge overnight (courtesy of my hubby Nik).
Once you have all the ingredients and your octopus is thawed, it takes little time and effort. The result is something else. Mmm... Cold octopus and potato salad. It’ll knock your guests' socks off.
Ingredients You'll Need
To make the Croatian octopus salad you’ll need three groups of ingredients. Octopus and potato make the foundation. But even though octopus has a potent sea aroma, we still need some vegetables with the recipe. Finally, the dressing takes this dish to the level your palate will never forget.
Fresh Octopus: The Star Ingredient
When we talk about healthy and nutritious food, fresh ingredients are the key. But in the world of octopus, things are slightly different.
Imagine the following scene. You’re in a fishing boat with a Dalmatian barba (a tanned, (possibly bearded) local man). You’ve only left the port, and he has already caught an octopus.
He takes the mollusk out of the sea and, with a gladiator's vigor, beats the animal against the side of his boat. Are you cringing? Well, this is what it takes to tenderize the dense and chewy octopus body.
Fresh octopus is the star ingredient in this octopus salad recipe, but cooking with a frozen one is more straightforward. The reason is simple. Freezing tenderizes the octopus meat. And it does so in a gentler manner than banging it against a hard surface.
My suggestion? Even if you get a fresh octopus, pop it in the freezer for 1-2 days. Then, leave it overnight to defrost thoroughly before cooking it.
Potatoes are the back vocals of the Croatian octopus salad. But you still need to cook them to perfection.
Go to this basic Croatian potato salad to learn how to make it.
Essential Vegetables and Herbs
Vegetables give acidity and tanginess to our octopus salad. We are talking olives and capers. Only a tiny amount can deepen the salad’s flavor and give it more texture.
Plus, this octopus salad recipe is all about playing with the Mediterranean tastes. What better to include than olives and capers?
Lastly, the salad needs aromatics to tickle your taste buds. Use finely sliced onions, garlic, and freshly chopped parsley leaves. The last two herbs are staples in Dalmatian cooking. So, if you’re a fan, always have them ready.
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Dressing Ingredients
Most Croatian salad recipes include a four-ingredient dressing. Salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. This octopus and potato salad is no different.
Use salt and pepper to taste and good quality olive oil. In the case of vinegar, the story is more complex. To get that characteristic Dalmatian kick, use kvasina - our homemade red wine vinegar.
Kvasina is made by fermenting red wine. Most winemakers, even hobbyists, will have a bottle to sell. Or you can look for it at farmers’ markets. Substitute it, only if you must, with Balsamic vinegar.
Options for substitutions
Croatian octopus salad is quite flexible. If you can’t get your hands on the fresh or frozen octopus, it’s not the end of the world. Any mollusk will produce an equally sumptuous salad.
For example, use the smaller musky octopus (in Croatian, muzgavac), cuttlefish, or squid. Also, if you have fresh Adriatic squid on hand, why not try the fabulous grilled squid recipe?
Serving Suggestions And Presentation Tips
This cold octopus salad makes eight starters or four main courses. Here are different ways you can serve it.
For appetizers, arrange the salad on a large platter with a serving spoon. Let everyone help themselves. No matter how much we love this dish, we’ll be well-behaved and leave enough for everyone to try.
If the octopus salad is your main course, dish each serving into a deep bowl. You need something similar to a pasta bowl.
Pairing with Wines
Croatian octopus salad calls for white wine. But the wine needs to be dry, not sweet. It should be refreshing but also have a nice body. Here are my two top choices for your wonderful octopus dish.
Chardonnay. The one by Saint Hills Winery on the Pelješac peninsula is my favorite.
Žlahtina from the island of Krk. Try my go-to choice from Katunar Winery.
Storage Tips & Tricks
So what if you have a huge octopus and are confident there’ll be leftovers? Know that octopus salad can keep in the fridge, but with a few things in mind.
How to Store Leftovers
If you end up with more cooked octopus than you can eat on the day, save the cooked octopus in the fridge.
To enjoy the same octopus salad recipe the next day, boil fresh potatoes. And use fresh onion, too. Octopus can last a few days in the fridge, but once it's seasoned and mixed with potato, it is best eaten immediately.
Another scenario is to use the leftover octopus from roasting it peka style. If you made Hobotnica ispod Peke the day before and have some left, just make this salad with it.
How Long It Lasts
It’s best to eat octopus salad on the same day. For example, you can eat it warm for lunch and cold for dinner. Cooked octopus on its own keeps 2-3 days in the fridge.
Use it to make the same recipe the following day, with all other ingredients made from fresh.
Step-by-Step Instructions For How To Make Croatian Octopus Salad
Croatian Octopus Salad
Ingredients
- 1 kg frozen octopus (400 g/0.8 lbs cooked) (2.2 lbs)
- 700 g potatoes (1.5 lbs)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
- 1 large onion
- 100 g olives, without pits (1/2 cups)
- 2 tbsp capers
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp wine vinegar/white Balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Use octopus that has been frozen because this is how it becomes tender. If you have a fresh octopus, pop it in the freezer for 1-2 days and cook once it defrosts. Start defrosting the octopus 1 day ahead.
Boiling the octopus to perfection
- Place the octopus in a pot, cover with water and cook with the lid on for about 1 hour. Add salt during the last 5-10 minutes. The meat must be fork-tender. Do not cook much longer because more cooking will not make the octopus softer.
- Drain the octopus but reserve a small amount of the stock. Set aside to cool.
Prepping and chopping the vegetables
- While the octopus is still cooking, wash the potatoes and place them in a pot with the skin on. Add cold water and salt, cover and cook for about 40 minutes until tender.
- Drain the potatoes and set them aside to slightly cool. Peel and slice them while they're still warm.
- Mince the garlic and chop the parsley leaves. Peel the onion and cut it into thin, elegant slices. Cut the olives in half.
Mixing the octopus with vegetables
- Combine all the vegetables when the potato is still slightly warm. The heat will help it soak up the flavours better.
- Season with olive oil and kvasina (homemade wine vinegar) or white Balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper.
Adding the dressing and ensuring even coating
- Chop the octopus into smaller pieces. Slice the thicker side of the tentacles into disks the thinness of your index finger. Leave the thinner ends longer, about 5 cm (1.5 in).
- Add it to the rest of the salad. If everything seems a bit dry, add a few tablespoons of the octopus stock.
- Serve warm or cold. This amount is enough for 8 starters or 4 standalone meals.
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