Croatian Octopus Salad or also called Salata od hobotnice is a very popular traditional Croatian salad, where the octopus is cooked, then cut into smaller pieces and mixed with potatoes and herbs. Octopus is popular in Mediterranean (Europe) and it is the perfect summer refreshment.

Croatian Octopus Salad
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Octopus Salad

This makes a perfect salad as a starter or light lunch and it goes well with a nice glass of white wine and some crusty bread.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr 30 mins
Total Time1 hr 45 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Croatia
Keyword: lemon, octopus, potatoes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 frozen octopus
  • 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 5 small Yukon gold potatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • red wine vinegar, to taste
  • olive oil, to taste
  • 1 ½ squeezed for juice and half for garnish slices.

Instructions

  • Clean the fresh octopus, rinse well and freeze it so the meat during the cooking will get tender.
  • You can defrost it before preparation and place it into a large pot of water and bring to a boil.
  • You can add a few wine corks as they will soak up the bitter flavors during cooking and ensure tenderness. After it starts boiling, lower the temperature to medium-low and cover the pot and leave it for about 1½ hours until tender.
  • Peel the skin from the tentacles by rinsing the octopus under warm water. Chop the octopus into cubes of about 1 ½ inches in length, tentacles into slices.
  • Prepare the the potatoes by peeling them and add them to boiling water. When tender, drain the water and slice the potatoes on a cutting board.
  • Use a large bowl to transfer the octopus, potatoes, add onion, garlic and tomato season with some salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle on top red wine vinegar, olive oil and the juice of ½ lemon.
  • After mixing everything well, you can serve with fresh parsley on top and lemon slices.

Notes

If you want to freeze fresh octopus, remember to remove the innards, tooth, and the eyes before freezing it.

Inspiration and adaptation: internationalcuisine.com, croatiaweek.com, tasteatlas.com

Explore other recipes from the traditional Croatian cuisine.

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