BHA & BHT Free Octopus with Olive Oil and Lemon
Tender, garlicky octopus dressed in bright lemon and grassy olive oil is the kind of dish that feels like a seaside taverna meal, and it's surprisingly straightforward to pull off at home. The ingredient list is refreshingly clean — fresh or thawed octopus, whole peppercorns, a bay leaf, and a punchy dressing built from extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, zest, garlic, and dried oregano. For anyone avoiding synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT, that simplicity is the whole point: every component here is a real, whole food with nothing added to extend shelf life or stabilize color. Many store-bought seafood products and bottled dressings quietly contain those additives, so making the dressing yourself from scratch is what keeps this recipe genuinely clean. The technique is low-fuss — a steady simmer with aromatics until the tentacles are perfectly tender, then a quick toss in the warm dressing so every piece soaks up that citrusy, herby coating. A scatter of fresh flat-leaf parsley and a few lemon wedges on the side finish it off with color and a final hit of brightness. It's elegant enough for a dinner party but honest enough for a Tuesday night when you want something a little out of the ordinary.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the octopus
- 2 lb octopus, cleaned (fresh or thawed from frozen)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 whole black peppercorns
For the dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Place the octopus in a large pot with the bay leaf and peppercorns. Add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
- 2
Simmer uncovered for 45–60 minutes, until the thickest part of a tentacle is tender when pierced with a knife and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads at least 145°F (63°C). Cooking time will vary with the size of the octopus — start checking at 45 minutes.
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