There are recipes we make because they’re delicious, and then there are recipes we make because they bring us home. For us, octopus and potato salad (polpo e patate) has always been both.
It’s the salad waiting in the fridge when we arrive back in Italy after months away. The one Fabio’s mum, Ivana, always makes because she knows how much we love it. In all the years we’ve lived in the UK, she has prepared a generous bowl for us every time we visit. She knows it’s one of the first things we’ll reach for, especially Agnes, who could happily eat far more than she probably should.
There is something deeply comforting about knowing that, no matter how much time has passed, some things never change. Familiar faces around the table, slowing down a little more, and a bowl of octopus and potato salad waiting in the kitchen. It has become one of those family traditions that nobody ever planned, yet everyone now expects.
Perhaps that’s why we’ve never really thought of it as just a recipe.
It’s comfort.
It’s belonging.
It’s a reminder that home isn’t always a place. Sometimes it’s a familiar flavour waiting for you at the table.
From Fabio’s mum’s kitchen to our table
Fabio grew up with fish at the heart of family life. His mum, Ivana, is Venetian and has always had a wonderful instinct for seafood. From her, he learned not only to love fish, but how to choose it well and cook it with care. Some of his earliest memories are of doing just that: watching his mum choose the fish they would eat.
Going to the fish market was never simply about buying dinner. There was always a conversation with the fishmonger. Which polpo had arrived that morning? Where had it been caught? Which one would he recommend? Those little conversations were just as important as the cooking itself.
Over the years, Fabio has found himself asking the same questions at our local fishmonger every Saturday morning. Because recipes like this don’t begin in the kitchen. They begin with choosing good ingredients and learning from the people who know them best.
Ivana taught him the other part: how to cook octopus gently until it becomes beautifully tender, and how to know when it’s ready without relying only on the clock. Those little pieces of knowledge, learned through years of cooking the same dishes, have become part of this recipe too.
Our version is wonderfully simple. There are many variations of this salad, but we like ours just as it has always been: tender octopus, waxy potatoes, finely sliced celery, plenty of fresh parsley, Taggiasca olives, good extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, sea salt and black pepper.
Nothing more.
It’s the kind of food we grew up with: good ingredients, prepared with care and allowed to speak for themselves. And perhaps that’s why this salad has stayed with us for so many years.
Like so many of our favourite family recipes, this salad carries memories, belonging, and the feeling of being home.
We hope this recipe finds a place on your table, as it has on ours, for so many years.
Notes from our Venetian kitchen
With so few ingredients on the plate, there is nowhere to hide. The octopus, potatoes, olive oil and herbs each have their moment, so choosing them with care makes all the difference.
A little patience makes all the difference
If you’re buying fresh octopus, freezing it for at least 24 hours before cooking helps to tenderise the flesh naturally. Many fishmongers will have already frozen and thawed their octopus before selling it, so it’s always worth asking.
When it comes to cooking, we always recommend treating the timings as a guide rather than a rule. Our octopus weighed around 1 kg, with the flesh several centimetres thick at the base of the tentacles, and took about 1 hour of gentle simmering to become beautifully tender. Smaller octopus will cook much more quickly, while larger ones may need a little longer. Rather than watching the clock, we prefer to let the octopus tell us when it’s ready. A small knife should slide easily into the thickest part of a tentacle with very little resistance. That’s the moment to lift it from the water.
A low simmer is the key
The cooking water should barely simmer, with just a gentle ripple on the surface. Keep the lid on and the heat low to maintain that gentle cooking.A rolling boil will make the flesh tougher, so gentle cooking is the way to go.
Use potatoes that stay together
We always choose waxy potatoes for this salad. They hold their shape beautifully once cooked, keeping the salad light rather than turning it into mashed potatoes.
Fresh herbs really matter
Flat-leaf parsley is far more than a garnish here. We use plenty of it. Chop it just before mixing the salad so it keeps its bright colour and fresh aroma. It brings a lovely freshness that lifts the richness of the octopus and olive oil. The celery also plays its role. Slice it as finely as you can so it adds freshness and crunch without overpowering the more delicate flavours.
Our favourite olives
We always reach for Taggiasca olives, if they are available. They’re small, tender and wonderfully savoury, with a rounded flavour that works beautifully with the octopus, potatoes and herbs. If you can’t find Taggiasca olives, choose another good-quality black olive with plenty of flavour rather than the firmer, milder varieties.
Keep the dressing simple
With recipes like this, the olive oil becomes part of the seasoning rather than simply a dressing, so use the best extra virgin olive oil you have. Finish with flaky sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and just enough fresh lemon juice to brighten everything without overpowering the octopus.
Let it rest before serving
We like to let the salad rest for at least 30 minutes before serving. It gives the potatoes time to absorb some of the dressing, and all the flavours come together beautifully.
Ingredients
Serves 4 as a main
1 kg fresh octopus, cleaned
500 g waxy or new potatoes
5 celery sticks
1 generous handful flat‑leaf parsley
150 g black olives, pitted (see notes for our suggestion)
4 tbsp good extra‑virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp whole white peppercorns
Flaky sea salt
Directions
1. Tenderise the octopus
If using fresh octopus, have your fishmongers to clean it for you. Wash it well to remove any impurity and sand from the suckers and freeze it for at least 24 hours before cooking. Thaw it completely in the fridge before you begin the recipe. If your fishmonger has already frozen and thawed it, there is no need to freeze it again.
2. Cook the octopus
Place a large saucepan of water on the heat. Add 3 celery sticks and the white peppercorns, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, add a handful of sea salt, let it return to a simmer, and lower in the octopus. Lift and dip the octopus a couple of times to curl the tentacles before fully submerging it.
Reduce the heat so the water barely boils. Cover with a lid and cook gently until the thickest part of a tentacle is completely tender. For a 1 kg octopus, this is usually around 1 hour, but treat the time as a guide rather than a rule.
Test for doneness with a small knife: it should slide easily into the thickest part of the tentacle with very little resistance.
3. Cook the potatoes
While the octopus cooks, place the potatoes, whole and unpeeled, in a saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until just tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into bite-sized pieces. Cooking time varies according to the size of the potatoes used.
4. Prepare the vegetables and herbs
Finely slice the remaining celery sticks and roughly chop the parsley. Set aside.
5. Cut the octopus
Remove the octopus from the cooking water and allow it to cool slightly. Cut the tentacles and head into bite-sized pieces.
6. Bring everything together
Place the octopus, potatoes, celery, parsley and olives in a large bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Toss gently so the potatoes stay intact.
7. Let it rest and serve
Leave the salad to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving, allowing the potatoes to absorb some of the dressing and the flavours to come together. Taste again just before serving and adjust the seasoning if needed.
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