If you love Portuguese seafood, this Portuguese Octopus Lagareiro is a recipe you need to try. Also known as Polvo à Lagareiro, this traditional dish combines tender octopus with crispy roasted potatoes, garlic, parsley and generous amounts of olive oil.
Portuguese Octopus Lagareiro, or Polvo à Lagareiro, is a traditional Portuguese recipe made with tender octopus, roasted potatoes, garlic and plenty of olive oil. The octopus is cooked until tender, then roasted until lightly golden and served with potatoes that soak up all the delicious olive oil and garlic flavors.
It's a simple Portuguese recipe with a few classic ingredients, but the result is incredibly flavorful. Serve it as a family meal, especially on weekends, holidays or other special occasions.
Looking for more traditional Portuguese recipes? Try Portuguese Pork and Clams (Carne de Porco à Alentejana), Traditional Roast Veal, Portuguese Style Baked Fish, or Portuguese Octopus Rice for more delicious family meal ideas.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
A classic Portuguese recipe: Polvo à Lagareiro is a very popular dish in Portuguese cuisine.
Simple ingredients: You only need a handful of traditional ingredients to create plenty of flavor.
Tender and flavorful octopus: The octopus is cooked until tender before being roasted with garlic and olive oil.
Delicious roasted potatoes: The potatoes absorb the garlic-infused olive oil and make the perfect accompaniment.
Perfect for sharing: This is a wonderful seafood dish for a family lunch, Sunday meal or special occasion.
Authentic Portuguese flavors: Olive oil, garlic, potatoes and octopus bring together some of the most recognizable flavors of Portuguese home cooking.
Ingredients for Portuguese Octopus Lagareiro
Here you'll find all the ingredients needed to make this Portuguese octopus recipe:
- Octopus - The main ingredient, providing a tender, meaty texture and rich seafood flavor.
- Onion - Adds sweetness and depth of flavor while helping season the octopus as it cooks.
- Small potatoes - Become tender and golden in the oven, soaking up the flavorful olive oil and garlic.
- Unpeeled crushed garlic - Adds a rich, aromatic garlic flavor to the octopus and potatoes as they roast.
- Pepper - Adds a slightly spicy touch and enhances the natural flavors of the octopus.
- Bay leaf - Adds extra flavor to octopus and potatoes.
- Olive oil - A key ingredient that keeps the octopus and potatoes moist while adding a rich flavor.
- Chopped parsley or chopped coriander - Adds freshness and color to the dish.
- Salt - Enhances all the flavors and seasons the octopus and potatoes.
Below you’ll find the correct measurement of all ingredients and the step-by-step guide for this recipe.
How to Make Portuguese Octopus Lagareiro (Polvo à Lagareiro)
Step 1: Clean and rinse the octopus. Place it in a large saucepan with enough water to cover it and add a peeled onion. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for about 45 minutes, or until tender.
Step 2: Turn off the heat, drain the octopus, and let it cool slightly. Cut off the tentacles and set aside.
Step 3: Wash the potatoes well, leaving the skin on. Place them in a pot of salted water and cook over medium-high heat for about 25 minutes.
Step 4: Turn off the heat, drain the potatoes, and let them cool slightly. Gently crush each potato with your hand or the bottom of a glass, just enough to flatten it slightly while keeping it intact.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
Step 6: Place the octopus tentacles and potatoes in a baking dish. Season with the unpeeled, crushed garlic, pepper, and bay leaf. Drizzle generously with olive oil and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until lightly golden. Baste the octopus and potatoes with the olive oil from the baking dish from time to time while they roast.
Step 7: Turn off the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Tips for Portuguese Octopus Lagareiro
• Cook the octopus until tender: This is the most important step. The octopus should be tender before it goes into the oven for the final roasting.
• Don't be afraid of olive oil: Olive oil is one of the defining ingredients of this dish. Use enough to coat the potatoes and octopus well and create that characteristic à lagareiro flavor.
• Use plenty of garlic: Garlic works particularly well with both the octopus and olive oil.
• Roast until lightly golden: The final roasting gives the octopus more flavor and a slightly roasted exterior while allowing the potatoes to become perfectly golden.
FAQs
What is Octopus Lagareiro?
Octopus Lagareiro, known in Portuguese as Polvo à Lagareiro, is a traditional Portuguese dish made with tender octopus, roasted potatoes, garlic and plenty of olive oil. The octopus is roasted until lightly golden and flavorful.
What does "à Lagareiro" mean?
"À Lagareiro" refers to a Portuguese style of cooking that traditionally uses generous amounts of olive oil, often together with garlic.
What do you serve with Portuguese Octopus Lagareiro?
Roasted potatoes are the classic accompaniment.
Is Octopus Lagareiro a traditional Portuguese recipe?
Yes. Polvo à Lagareiro is a traditional Portuguese seafood dish and is particularly popular for family meals and festive occasions.
How do you make octopus tender?
The octopus should be cooked until tender before the final roasting stage. Cooking time can vary depending on the size of the octopus, so check it with a fork before proceeding with the recipe.
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- Octopus à jardineira
- Easy baked cod with potatoes
- Roasted pork loin with chestnuts
- Cuttlefish stew with potatoes
- Traditional baked cod
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Portuguese Octopus Lagareiro (Polvo à Lagareiro)
If you love Portuguese seafood, this Portuguese Octopus Lagareiro is a recipe you need to try. Also known as Polvo à Lagareiro, this traditional dish combines tender octopus with crispy roasted potatoes, garlic, parsley and generous amounts of olive oil.
- 1.5 kg (3 1/3 pounds) octopus
- 1 medium onion to cook the octopus
- 800 grams (1 3/4 pounds) small potatoes
- 8 cloves of garlic
- Parsley or coriander (to taste)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 250 ml (about 1 cup) olive oil
- Salt (to taste)
- Clean and rinse the octopus. Place it in a large saucepan with enough water to cover it and add a peeled onion. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for about 45 minutes, or until tender.
- Turn off the heat, drain the octopus, and let it cool slightly. Cut off the tentacles and set aside.
- Wash the potatoes well, leaving the skin on. Place them in a pot of salted water and cook over medium-high heat for about 25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, drain the potatoes, and let them cool slightly. Gently crush each potato with your hand or the bottom of a glass, just enough to flatten it slightly while keeping it intact.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
- Place the octopus tentacles and potatoes in a baking dish. Season with the unpeeled, crushed garlic, pepper, and bay leaf. Drizzle generously with olive oil and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until lightly golden. Baste the octopus and potatoes with the olive oil from the baking dish from time to time while they roast.
- Turn off the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
