Tender potatoes and golden-seared octopus tossed with black olives, capers, parsley, and a savory garlic-anchovy vinaigrette.
This Spanish potato and octopus salad gives traditional ensalada campera a seafood twist by combining tender potatoes with slices of quickly seared octopus. Black olives and capers add salty Mediterranean flavor, while fresh parsley keeps the finished dish bright and fresh.
Instead of a conventional vinaigrette, the salad is dressed with garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil. The warm potatoes absorb the savory dressing particularly well, making this satisfying enough for a light lunch or dinner while still feeling fresh enough for summer.
Medium waxy or all-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold hold their shape well while remaining creamy inside. Cooking them with their skins on also helps prevent them from becoming waterlogged.
Using precooked octopus makes this recipe especially simple. Searing the tentacles briefly adds browned flavor and improves their texture without requiring a long cooking process.
Anchovy fillets dissolve into the vinaigrette and provide savory depth rather than a strongly fishy flavor. Oil-packed fillets work particularly well.
Mild black olives add a salty, fruity flavor to the potatoes. Use pitted olives so the salad is easy to eat.
Capers contribute sharp, briny bursts of flavor. Drain them thoroughly before adding them so their packing liquid does not overwhelm the dressing.
Lemon juice balances the richness of the olive oil and the saltiness of the anchovies. Freshly squeezed juice provides the cleanest flavor.
Serve the salad slightly warm or at room temperature as a light Spanish lunch or dinner.
For a tapas spread, serve smaller portions alongside roasted peppers, olives, tortilla española, and other chilled seafood dishes.
Pair it with a crisp green salad, sliced tomatoes, or chilled gazpacho during warm weather.
A chilled Albariño, Verdejo, dry cider, or sparkling water with lemon pairs naturally with the seafood and citrus dressing.
Store leftover potato and octopus salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep it at 40°F (4°C) or colder and return it to the refrigerator within 2 hours of serving. The salad can be eaten chilled or allowed to stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving. Reheating is not necessary, although individual portions can be warmed gently if preferred. Freezing is not recommended because cooked potatoes tend to develop a watery, grainy texture after thawing.
Yes. Thaw fully cooked frozen octopus overnight in the refrigerator, pat it very dry, and sear it briefly before slicing.
Yes. Prepare it several hours ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. For the best flavor, let it stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Yes. The vinaigrette will be milder, so add a little extra salt and optionally a teaspoon of caper brine to restore some of the savory, salty flavor.
It can be served cold, but it is also excellent slightly warm or at room temperature. Dressing the potatoes while they are still somewhat warm helps them absorb the vinaigrette.
Fork & Olé Recipe
Ready-cooked octopus tentacles are widely available at many seafood counters, specialty markets, and some US supermarkets. Frozen fully cooked octopus is also a practical option; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before searing.
Spanish-style black olives work especially well, but Kalamata or other mild black olives are practical US supermarket alternatives.
Anchovies provide much of the dressing's saltiness, so taste the finished salad before adding any additional salt.
Pat the cooked octopus dry before searing so it browns instead of steaming in the skillet.
The potatoes are easier to peel while still slightly warm, but allow them to cool enough to handle safely.
The calorie estimate assumes 800 grams of potatoes, 250 grams of cooked octopus, 50 grams of black olives, 20 grams of capers, three anchovy fillets, and approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil consumed between searing and dressing.
Although octopus is a mollusk rather than a crustacean, this recipe is not categorized as Shellfish-Free because people with shellfish allergies may need individualized guidance regarding mollusks.
The dietary and intolerance categories describe the written formulation only and do not guarantee the absence of cross-contact.
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