Octopus Stew with Vegetables (Polvo à Jardineira)

Octopus stew with Vegetables, known in Portugal as Polvo à Jardineira, is a comforting meal that highlights the rich flavors of traditional Portuguese cuisine. Tender pieces of octopus slowly cooked with potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, and tomatoes, that resulting in a hearty, nutritious and delicious stew.

Simple to prepare yet full of Mediterranean flavor, this traditional octopus recipe is perfect for a cozy family dinner or whenever you're craving an authentic Portuguese dish. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the rich, flavorful sauce, and pair with a good red wine for a truly satisfying gastronomic experience.

Here are some comforting Portuguese dishes, perfect for any occasion, especially on cold winter days when we crave warm and flavorful meals. Try the traditional Portuguese Bean Stew with Poached Eggs (Feijoada), the comforting Easy Fish Pie (Cod Fish Pie with Mashed Potatoes), or the simple and delicious Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin.

How to Make Octopus Stew with Vegetables (Polvo à Jardineira)

Step 1: Clean and rinse the octopus thoroughly. Place it in a pressure cooker and cover with water seasoned with a pinch of salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and a small unpeeled onion. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the octopus is tender.

Step 2: Once cooked, remove the octopus from the pressure cooker, drain well, and cut into small pieces. Set aside. Reserve the cooking water for later use.

Step 3: Meanwhile, peel and wash the potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Cut the potatoes into quarters and the carrots and green beans into small pieces, then set aside until needed.

Step 4: Place the chopped onion, chopped garlic, olive oil, pepper, and green pepper cut into strips in a large saucepan and sauté over low heat until the onion becomes lightly golden, stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Add the peeled tomatoes cut into small pieces, and cook over low heat until they begin to break down into a sauce, stirring occasionally. Add the octopus pieces, stir well, and cook for about 5 minutes, allowing them to absorb all the flavors.

Step 6: Pour 400 ml (1 3/4 cups) of the reserved cooking water into the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 7: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the peas, green beans, carrots cut into small pieces, and potatoes cut into quarters. Season with a little more salt, stir gently, and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.

Step 8: Remove from the heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

Octopus Stew with Vegetables (Polvo à Jardineira)

This octopus stew with vegetables is a very popular dish in Portuguese cuisine. Polvo à jardineira is a healthy and nutritious recipe that combines tender octopus with a variety of vegetables. The result is a comforting and flavorful stew, where the natural taste of the octopus blends beautifully with the vegetables, creating a delicious and satisfying dish.

4.50 from 2 reviews

Print Recipe

by Pedro Barbosa
Category:Fish, Main dishes, Mediterranean Recipes, Recipes, Seafood Recipes
Cuisine: Portuguese
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4
Prep Time:15 m
Cook Time:1:20 h
Total Time:1:35 h
SharePin It
INGREDIENTS
• 1.2 kg (2 2/3 pounds) octopus
• 200 grams (7 ounces) green beans
• 200 grams (1 1/3 cups) peas
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 medium onion
• 1 small onion to cook the octopus
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 kg (2 1/4 pounds) potatoes
• 50 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• A drizzle of olive oil to cook the octopus
• Parsley (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Clean and rinse the octopus thoroughly. Place it in a pressure cooker and cover with water seasoned with a pinch of salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and a small unpeeled onion. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the octopus is tender.
2. Once cooked, remove the octopus from the pressure cooker, drain well, and cut into small pieces. Set aside. Reserve the cooking water for later use.
3. Meanwhile, peel and wash the potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Cut the potatoes into quarters and the carrots and green beans into small pieces, then set aside until needed.
4. Place the chopped onion, chopped garlic, olive oil, pepper, and green pepper cut into strips in a large saucepan and sauté over low heat until the onion becomes lightly golden, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the peeled tomatoes cut into small pieces, and cook over low heat until they begin to break down into a sauce, stirring occasionally. Add the octopus pieces, stir well, and cook for about 5 minutes, allowing them to absorb all the flavors.
6. Pour 400 ml (1 3/4 cups) of the reserved cooking water into the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
7. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the peas, green beans, carrots cut into small pieces, and potatoes cut into quarters. Season with a little more salt, stir gently, and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
8. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
Octopus Stew with Vegetables (Polvo à Jardineira)
Nutrition facts
Serves 4
Per Serving:
% DAILY VALUE
Calories 624
Total Fat 15.5 g(24%)
Saturated Fat 2 g(9%)
Cholesterol 0 mg(0%)
Sodium 87 mg(4%)
Total Carbohydrate 60.5 g(20%)
Protein 60.5 g