I’m a fan of canned fish—I’m not shy about it—and I’ve gone on at length about my love for canned sardines (the sardine toast), anchovies (on my pane e pomodoro), tomato tonnato and a tinned tuna and tomato salad. This octopus salad with potatoes and olives is no different. It’s super quick to throw together, thanks to canned octopus, and makes a great starter or lunch.
The ease of this salad is all thanks to the canned octopus. I used the Octopus in Spanish Olive Oil from Matiz, but any brand you like will work. It’s perfectly cooked, has great texture, is shelf-stable, and ready in a moment. There’s no boiling or dealing with a raw octopus. And if you’re not into octopus, swap in some canned sardines, tuna in oil, or just make the potato salad and top it with a few anchovies. All excellent variations.
I’m a fan of canned fish—I’m not shy about it—and I’ve gone on at length about my love for sardines and anchovies. This octopus salad with potatoes and olives is no different.
Why Use Canned Octopus?
If you’re into octopus, but have never made it at home, canned octopus is the way to go. It’s tender, flavorful, perfectly cooked and makes recipes like this a breeze.
You want to look for high-quality brands like Matiz, Jose Gourmet or Gueyu Mar, to name a few. You can eat it straight from the can, in salads like this or even quickly sautéed to warm it up.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Canned Octopus – Get a high quality canned octopus in oil.
- Waxy Potatoes – Any waxy variety you like, they hold their shape and stay nice and creamy.
- Castelvetrano Olives – Their buttery flavor and texture are perfect here. But you could swap in any green olive you like.
- Capers – You can use capers in brine or salt, either way, make sure to rinse and drain them.
- Shallot – Make sure to give the shallot (or onion) a quick rinse in cold water to help mellow out it’s flavor.
- Parsley – I like to use the stems and leaves for this. Finely chop the stems and roughly chop the leaves.
- Lemon – The lemon brightens everything up and balances out the briny flavors here. You could swap in some red wine or white wine vinegar.
- Olive Oil – Use a good extra virgin olive oil here. You can also use the oil the octopus came in, just taste it to make sure you like the flavor.
How to Make Octopus Salad with Potatoes and Olives
- Cook the potatoes
Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then gently boil for 15–20 minutes, or until a knife slides in easily. Drain and let cool slightly. - Make Your Dressing
In a large bowl, combine the crushed olives, capers, shallot, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir well and taste for seasoning. - Assemble The Salad
Dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and add them to a large bowl. Add the canned octopus, draining off any excess oil first. Toss with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. - Serve It Up!
Transfer your salad to a serving platter. Garnish with extra parsley, some fresh black pepper and a few slices of lemon. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
FAQs
How to eat canned octopus?
You can eat it straight from the can, in salads like this, with pasta, or even sautéed and topped with some vinegar, olive oil and dried oregano for a quick starter. So good!
Can I make this with fresh octopus?
Go for it! Boil your octopus until tender, cool, then chop and use in place of the canned octopus. It won’t be as quick, but it will definitely be tasty.
Is octopus salad served warm or cold?
I like this served at room temperature or just slightly warm from the potatoes, but any chilled leftovers are absolutely delicious right from the fridge.
What can I use instead of octopus?
Swap in canned sardines, tuna packed in olive oil, or even a few anchovies on top.
More Delicious Seafood Recipes
Tuna Tomato Salad – A fresh and easy tuna tomato salad made with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and canned tuna in olive oil. Ready in under 10 minutes, it’s the perfect summer lunch or easy dinner.
Pane e Pomodoro with Anchovies – Pane e pomodoro is proof that the simplest ingredients make the best dishes. Toasted bread, ripe tomatoes, and this version is topped with white anchovies (boquerones). So easy, quick, and absolutely delicious!
Tomato Tonnato – The classic Italian tuna sauce served with tomatoes, fried capers, and crispy breadcrumbs.
Sardine Toast – Spicy piri piri sardines on garlic-rubbed sourdough with cultured butter, shaved fennel, fresh parsley, and lemon. This sardine toast recipe is fresh, briny, and buttery in all the best ways.
Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon & Hollandaise – A recipe for eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, creamy homemade hollandaise, and perfectly poached eggs.
Shrimp Pil Pil (Chili Garlic Shrimp) – Grilled shrimp tossed in a chili garlic sauce with sambal oelek and lemon. This shrimp pil pil recipe is a spicy, summery take on a beloved dish inspired by a legendary Philly restaurant.
Pink Crab Caesar Salad – Make this stunning pink radicchio and crab Caesar salad with radicchio, blood orange dressing, and crispy pumpernickel croutons. A vibrant twist on a classic that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Easy Grilled Scallops with Chimichurri – This grilled scallops recipe is simple, quick, and packed with flavor. Perfectly seared scallops get topped with a bright chimichurri sauce for an easy seafood dinner!
Did you make this Octopus and Potato Salad recipe?
Leave a rating and comment below—or tag @TheMostHungry on Instagram. I can’t wait to see it!
Octopus Salad with Potatoes and Olives
Ingredients
- 1 can octopus in oil about 4 oz, drained — I like Matiz for this recipe
- 2-3 medium waxy potatoes boiled whole
- 1 tbsp capers drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp parsley roughly chopped, reserve some for garnish
- 1/2 shallot thinly sliced and rinsed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon 1/2 juiced, 1/2 sliced for garnish
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives pitted and torn
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then gently boil for 15–20 minutes, or until a knife slides in easily. Drain and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the crushed olives, capers, shallot, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir well and taste for seasoning.
- Dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and add them to a large bowl. Add the canned octopus, draining off any excess oil first. Toss with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Transfer to your serving platter. Garnish with extra parsley, lemon slices and some fresh black pepper. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Video
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Hi, I'm Rachel — the cook, photographer, and recipe developer behind Most Hungry.
This is my go-to spot for bold, approachable recipes rooted in Italian and Italian-American cooking, from hand-rolled fresh pasta to fall-off-the-bone ribs. Great food should be fun, doable, and absolutely delicious. Learn more about me →
