Grilled Octopus with Aubergine
Prep
20 mins
Cook
35 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
This is one of my favorite summer dishes to make when I want something impressive but manageable. Grilled octopus with aubergine comes together in just over an hour, making it perfect for weeknight entertaining or a special dinner at home. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity: tender octopus and smoky aubergine need nothing more than good olive oil, fresh herbs, and a hot grill to shine. Octopus is wonderfully lean and packed with protein and selenium, supporting heart and thyroid health. Best of all, it's surprisingly affordable and requires minimal prep work, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the meal with loved ones.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 1½ kgwhole octopus(cleaned and tentacles separated)
- 2 wholeaubergine(sliced lengthwise into 1cm planks)
- 5 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 2 wholelemon(1 juiced, 1 sliced for garnish)
- 6 wholegarlic cloves(minced)
- 15 gfresh parsley(finely chopped)
- 10 gfresh mint(torn)
- ½ tspred chilli flakes
- 1 tspsea salt
- ½ tspblack pepper
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the cleaned octopus and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and cool slightly, then cut tentacles into 8cm pieces.
Tip: The octopus can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated until grilling.
- 2
While the octopus cooks, pat the aubergine slices dry with paper towels. Brush both sides generously with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Tip: Drying the aubergine prevents excess moisture and allows better charring on the grill.
- 3
Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat. Grill the aubergine slices for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply charred and tender. Transfer to a plate.
Tip: Don't move the aubergine too much while cooking—let it develop colour undisturbed.
- 4
Pat the octopus pieces dry and toss lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side until the tentacles have charred edges and develop a slight crust.
Tip: High heat creates the perfect contrast between the charred exterior and tender interior.
- 5
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, red chilli flakes, parsley, and mint.
Tip: Make this dressing while the octopus and aubergine are still hot so flavours meld beautifully.
- 6
Arrange the grilled aubergine on a serving platter. Top with the grilled octopus pieces and drizzle the herb and lemon dressing over everything.
Tip: Serve immediately while the vegetables are still warm.
- 7
Garnish with extra fresh herbs, lemon slices, and a pinch of sea salt before serving.
Tip: A final sprinkle of quality sea salt enhances all the Mediterranean flavours.
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