Pulpo a la Gallega
Tender boiled octopus drizzled with paprika-infused olive oil and garnished with sea salt. A traditional Galician tapa that's elegant yet simple.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- 2 lb octopus, whole (cleaned)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large pot with water until it reaches 3 inches from the top, then set it on high heat and bring to a rolling boil — you'll hear a loud, steady bubble sound and see large rolling bubbles breaking the surface, about 12 minutes.
- 2
Once boiling, add 2 tablespoons of salt, stir once with a wooden spoon, then carefully lower the whole octopus into the water using tongs to avoid splashing.
- 3
Return the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium so the water gently simmers with small bubbles occasionally breaking the surface, about 30 minutes.
- 4
Pierce a tentacle with a fork — it should slide through easily like cooked potato. If it resists, continue simmering and check every 2 minutes until tender.
- 5
Using tongs, lift the octopus out of the water and place it on a cutting board to cool for 3 minutes until it's comfortable to touch.
- 6
While the octopus cools, pour 0.33 cup of olive oil into a small skillet, add 2 whole unpeeled garlic cloves, and set over medium heat until the oil shimmers and smells gently fragrant, about 2 minutes — do not let it smoke.
- 7
Remove the skillet from heat and stir in 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, mixing until the oil turns reddish-brown and smells smoky, about 30 seconds.
- 8
Remove and discard the garlic cloves from the oil, then pour the oil into a small bowl so you can drizzle it later.
- 9
Slice the octopus tentacles crosswise into 0.5-inch-thick rounds — the same thickness as coins — cutting straight down through the length of each tentacle.
- 10
Arrange the octopus slices in a single layer on a serving plate, slightly overlapping them in the center to make a neat circle.
- 11
Drizzle the warm paprika oil evenly over all the octopus slices, allowing it to pool slightly in the center.
- 12
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sea salt across the top, then serve immediately while the oil is still warm.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot (6–8 quarts)
- wooden spoon
- kitchen tongs
- fork
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- small skillet
- small bowl
- serving plate
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