Roasted Octopus with Green Beans and Garlic Oil
Prep
20 mins
Cook
45 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
This is one of my favorite dishes to make when I want something impressive yet surprisingly simple. Tender roasted octopus paired with crisp green beans and silky garlic oil comes together in just over an hour, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner or casual entertaining. The beauty of this recipe is that it requires minimal hands on time and uses just a handful of quality ingredients. Octopus is wonderfully lean and packed with protein and selenium, which supports your immune system beautifully. Once everything goes into the pan, you can relax while the oven does the work. The result is restaurant quality food that tastes like you spent far more effort than you actually did.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 1½ kgfresh octopus(cleaned and tentacles separated)
- 400 ggreen beans(trimmed)
- 8garlic cloves(thinly sliced)
- 150 mlextra virgin olive oil
- 2lemon(one juiced, one cut into wedges)
- 200 mldry white wine
- 3bay leaves
- 2 teaspoonssea salt
- 1 teaspoonblack pepper(freshly ground)
- ½ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- 20 gfresh parsley(chopped)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil with bay leaves. Add octopus tentacles and simmer gently for 35-40 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and allow to cool slightly, then cut into 5cm pieces.
Tip: The gentle boil prevents the octopus from becoming rubbery. Test tenderness regularly as size varies.
- 2
While octopus cooks, prepare the garlic oil. Heat 100ml olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add sliced garlic and cook gently for 4-5 minutes until golden and fragrant, being careful not to burn.
Tip: Keep heat low to infuse the oil without browning the garlic, which becomes bitter.
- 3
Toss green beans with 30ml olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking tray and roast at 200°C for 18-20 minutes until tender with some charred edges, stirring halfway through.
Tip: High heat creates a slight char which adds depth of flavor to the beans.
- 4
Heat the remaining 20ml olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cooked octopus pieces and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly caramelized.
Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan; work in batches if needed for proper browning.
- 5
Deglaze the skillet with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Pour in the garlic-infused oil and lemon juice. Add the roasted green beans to the octopus and gently toss to combine.
Tip: The wine and lemon juice brighten the dish and balance the richness of the oil.
- 6
Season with additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Tip: Taste and adjust seasonings before serving; the flavors should be bright and balanced.
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