Spanish / Galician · Spain
Tender octopus, smoked paprika, olive oil, and potatoes — Galicia’s most copied seafood plate.
Prep
20 min
Cook
50 min
Servings
4 as a tapa / 2 as a main
Difficulty
Medium
Pulpo a la gallega (or polbo á feira) is simple on the plate and strict about texture: the octopus must be tender, sliced, and dressed with oil, salt, and pimentón — not drowned in sauce.
Serve as a tapa or a light main, then chase the real thing in Spanish marisquerías on our Barcelona, Madrid, and Galicia-minded city guides.
If using frozen octopus, thaw in the fridge. Frozen/thawed octopus is often more tender. Optional: dip the tentacles three times into boiling water so they curl, then submerge.
Simmer octopus with optional bay and onion until a knife slides into the thickest tentacle, 35–50 minutes depending on size. Do not hard-boil. Cool 10 minutes in the liquid.
Boil potatoes in salted water (or a ladle of octopus broth) until just tender. Slice into rounds.
Slice tentacles into thick coins. Layer potatoes, then octopus. Dress with olive oil, paprika, and coarse salt. Serve warm.
Dine out
Want the restaurant version in Madrid? See seafood restaurants in Madrid · Spain
Yes after boiling until tender, then a hard char. That is a different (also excellent) plate. This recipe is the classic boiled-and-dressed Galician style.
Sweet or bittersweet smoked pimentón is classic. A pinch of hot is optional, not the point of the dish.