Dinner · 90 min · greek

Htapodi sti Skhara (Grilled Octopus)

A Greek dinner built around octopus and red wine vinegar — on the table in 90 minutes. Each serving lands at 492 calories with 52g of protein, so it eats like a much heavier meal. Leftovers keep well, so it doubles as next-day lunch without any extra work.

✓ USDA-verified nutrition data

Ingredients

• 3 lb Octopus
• 1/2 cup Red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp Dried oregano
• 2 Lemons
• 2 Bay leaves
• 2 tbsp Capers
• 1 tsp Salt

Steps

1. Simmer the octopus in water with the vinegar and bay for 50 to 60 minutes until a knife slides into the thickest tentacle with no resistance. Undercooked octopus is rubber; properly cooked octopus is silk.
2. Cool it in its own liquid for 20 minutes — it relaxes and reabsorbs moisture instead of seizing.
3. Separate the tentacles, pat dry, and brush with olive oil and salt. Dry surface plus fierce heat is what chars instead of steams.
4. Grill over the hottest heat you have, 3 minutes per side, until the edges crisp and blacken in spots. The char is not optional — it is the dish’s signature flavor.
5. Slice thick, dress with olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and capers. Serve warm with nothing but bread and more lemon; great octopus needs no garnish beyond confidence.

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