Tagliatelle with Grilled Octopus is an elegant, Mediterranean-inspired dish that’s perfect for seafood lovers seeking something a little different. Combining tender grilled octopus with fresh tagliatelle and a light, herbaceous sauce, it’s simple, sophisticated, and full of bold coastal flavor.
The secret to perfect octopus lies in the prep. Simmered slowly until tender, then finished on the grill, octopus takes on a beautifully charred, smoky exterior while staying soft and delicate inside. A quick marinade of olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and oregano before grilling adds flavor without overpowering the natural sweetness of the seafood.
For the pasta, tagliatelle is a great match. Its broad, ribbon-like shape holds up well next to the meaty octopus and provides a silky texture that pairs beautifully with a light sauce of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and chopped parsley. A few crushed cherry tomatoes or olives can be added for a touch of color and brininess, though the dish shines just as well with minimal ingredients.
Once the octopus is grilled and sliced, toss it with the hot tagliatelle and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and a touch of chili flakes for subtle heat. The result is a light but deeply flavorful pasta that celebrates the simplicity of good ingredients.
Perfect for a summer evening or an impressive weekend dinner, Tagliatelle with Grilled Octopus brings refined Mediterranean flavor to your plate with ease. Serve with a crisp white wine like Albariño or Assyrtiko, and let the flavors transport you to the coast of Italy or Greece.
Ingredients
- 500 g tagliatelle
- 500 g octopus cleaned and tentacles separated
- 250 g cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tagliatelle according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Season the octopus with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Grill the octopus for about 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through and charred. Remove from the grill and let it cool slightly before chopping it into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they start to soften.
- Add the cooked tagliatelle and grilled octopus to the skillet. Sprinkle with dried oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together until well combined and heated through.
- Serve the tagliatelle with grilled octopus and cherry tomatoes garnished with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Waste of time! Who even eats octopus? I’m sticking to my spaghetti Bolognese.
Yummy! But can I use shrimp instead? My family don’t like octopus much.
Yummy yummm! I never grilled octopus before, turn out good with ur recipe!
Nice, but I burnt the garlic. Oops! Next time, I’ll be more careful.
Absolutely delicious! The combined flavors of the octopus and garlic really worked well. Will make this again!
How do I grill octopus? Mine just fell apart. Any tips?
I made something similar once—octopus is always the tricky part. 5 minutes per side might be too quick depending on thickness, but the flavor balance sounds great.
Looks delicious but I’m skeptical about the timing. Also “500 g octopus cleaned” — do they mean raw cleaned octopus? Because if it’s fresh, that grill time may not be enough.
Agreed—octopus timing is always sketchy. If it’s truly fresh and tender, 5 min/side might be okay, but if it’s been frozen or tougher, you’ll probably need longer (or pre-cook). Still, the tagliatelle + tomatoes sounds amazing.
I love tagliatelle, but 500g octopus feels like a lot for one skillet meal. Still tasted great though—just stretched it with extra tomatoes.
Totally get you—500g octopus is hefty for one skillet. But I love that you stretched it with extra tomatoes; that’s a smart way to balance the richness and keep it from feeling too “octopus-heavy.” Also, grilling + char sounds amazing.
I wasn’t sure about the chili flakes, but wow it added a nice kick! 5 stars!
I totally agree! The chili flakes really brought out the flavors. Just perfect for a summer dinner!
I don’t know, chili flakes in pasta with octopus? Sounds weird to me. I like my pasta plain.