If you like fish and tacos, try making grilled Octopus Tacos. They’re a delicious twist on a classic favorite.
Today, we’re diving into a world of tempting flavor combinations. These grilled octopus tacos will delight your taste buds. And fill your hunger, paired with an irresistibly fresh homemade pico de gallo. Imagine soft, smokey octopus that has been marinating in a zesty mix of citrous, garlic, and herbs and then grilled until it is crispy on the outside and melts in your mouth.
After being carefully wrapped in a warm, soft tortilla, these amazing tacos are taken to a whole new level with a big spoonful of fresh, colourful pico de gallo. This traditional Mexican sauce bursts with flavor. Juicy tomatoes, spicy onions, and jalapeños. Fragrant cilantro. A lively splash of lime. It pairs perfectly with rich, smoky octopus. The balance of freshness, spice, and acidity is just right. Together, they create a memorable symphony of tastes and textures.
One bite takes you to a sunny beach taquería. Prepare for an amazing cooking adventure. We’ll show you how to make the best grilled octopus tacos. And the freshest, tastiest homemade pico de gallo. Put on your apron and come with me on this tasty adventure that will make you and your family want more.
Table of Contents
How to Cook Octopus the Best Way
I think that putting octopus in a big saucepan of cold water is the best way to cook it. Spice it up with lemon, bay, salt, and pepper, and put something heavy on top of the octopus. For about one to two hours, or until the octopus is fork-tender, simmer it on low heat. It’s important to let the octopus cool off in the water. This is done because the octopus is still very fragile, and any rough handling will hurt its cute little limbs. Yes, it takes longer too.
After the tentacles have cooled, cut them into separate pieces, oil and salt them, and then put them on the grill or in a grill pan. It takes about two to three minutes to get a good character at this point.
I can see that octopus isn’t one of those meals that I can make right now. I like to put on the octopus early in the morning on days when I’m being a house god. You could also cook it the night before. I’m having a glass of Hidden Sea Chardy while sitting back on the couch with my feet up.
Things used:
Octopus
1/2 to 1 tablespoon Sunshine State of Mind Craft BBQ Rub
A lot of salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of cilantro just to look nice
Poblano peppers
Tacos made of flour
What’s in Pico de Gallo:
6 diced roma or San Marzano potatoes
½ chopped red onion
30 grammes of chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 of a jalapeño pepper, seeds and chopped
lime, squeezed out
1 chopped clove of garlic
One pinch of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin, or more if you like
To taste, add salt and black pepper.
How to Grill Octopus Tacos
Gather all your ingredients into one large, deep pot. Bring water to a boil before adding pulpo. Keep heat at medium. Boil for approximately 30 minutes.
Your octopus is now ready for the grill. Enjoy the process!
Chop up the tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, cilantro, and garlic for the pico de gallo while the octopus is cooking. Then, add the lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix everything together. Put it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
While the octopus is boiling, get your grill ready. To keep the wooden skewers from burning while they’re on the grill, put them in water. Cover the pulpo in olive oil and then Sunshine State of Mind Craft BBQ Rub once it is cool. Make sure they are all the same size so they cook evenly. If the octopus limbs are too big, you may need to cut them down to make them fit through the grill grates more evenly. They only need a minute or two on each side of direct heat on the grill. The taste will be even stronger if you use a fire grill.
Take the pulpo off the grill and cut it up into little chunks to put in the tacos.
Warm up the flour tortillas on the grill, then serve them with fresh salsa and lime wedges.
How to Make
Before you can make Grilled Octopus, you need to par boil the Octopus.
Fresh Mex or Mediterranean flavours go well with grilled octopus. If you don’t want to use Sunshine State of Mind Craft BBQ Rub, you can use Mediterranean flavours instead.
Fresh ingredients make the best “Fresh Mex” tacos. For these Grilled Octopus Tacos, use fresh lime juice and pico de gallo instead of store-bought salsa.
Make sure your knife is very sharp before you start making the pico de gallo. It will make a huge difference.
Here is the FAQ:
Q: What are grilled octopus tacos with fresh salsa verde?
A: Grilled Octopus Tacos with Fresh Pico de Gallo are a delicious mix of flavours, with soft, spicy grilled octopus and a bright, homemade pico de gallo salsa. This dish is a unique and tasty take on classic Mexican street food. It is served in a soft tortilla and has Mediterranean seafood flavours.
Q: How do I get the octopus ready to grill?
A: Clean the octopus well and take out the beak and eyes before putting it on the grill. Then, boil the octopus until it’s soft in a big pot of salted water with bay leaves, peppercorns, and other aromatics. Let the octopus cool down before cutting it up into small pieces that you can easily eat. Let the pieces sit in a mixture of garlic, herbs, and citrous for at least 30 minutes. This will add flavour and make the meat even more soft.
Q: How do I make fresh salsa verde?
A: Cut up ripe tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro into small pieces to make fresh pico de gallo. In a bowl, mix these things together and add a lot of fresh lime juice. You can add salt and pepper to taste, and then let the food sit for a few minutes so that the flavours can blend.
Q: Can I use a different protein instead of the octopus?
A: Of course! If octopus isn’t available or you’d rather not eat it, you can use shrimp, fish, or even a plant-based meat replacement like tempeh or seitan, Just make sure to change the cooking time to fit the protein, as they all need different amounts of time.
Q: What other things can I put on top of the grilled octopus tacos?
A: You can add more to your Grilled Octopus Tacos than just fresh pico de gallo. You can add sour cream, pickled onions, chopped cabbage, avocado slices, or crumbled cotija cheese. You can be artistic and add your favourite toppings to your tacos to make them your own.
Q: How do I keep the Grilled Octopus Tacos and pico de gallo that I make extra?
A: You can store extra Grilled Octopus Tacos in the fridge for up to three days by wrapping each one in its own plastic wrap or aluminium foil. Any extra pico de gallo can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days in a jar that won’t let air in. To keep the tortillas from getting soggy, warm the octopus on its own before putting the tacos together.
