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
Absolutely delicious! The combined flavors of the octopus and garlic really worked well. Will make this again!
This recipe is fantastic! The grilled octopus adds a unique flavor to the pasta. Definitely a 5-star dish!
Why would you grill octopus? Boiling them is a better option. This seems wrong.
Tagliatelle is my fav type of pasta! This looks bomb. Gonna try it tonight!
The recipe was too complicated for me. I’m not a fan of cooking with seafood.
10/10 would eat again!!
10/10? Really? I don’t know, octopus is kinda weird. How does it even taste? 🤔
This sounds amazing! I’ve never tried octopus before, but you’ve convinced me to give it a shot. 😍
Lol, I thought this was gonna be too complicated, but it was easier than I thought. Nice job!
Thanks! I was worried I’d mess it up but it turned out great!
Really? It looks way too hard for me. I don’t trust octopus….
Tasted amazing! I didn’t have fresh parsley, but it still was nice. Will try next time with garnish.
I was skeptical at first, but this actually turned out pretty good. My family loved it! 4 stars.
Octopus? Really? I’m just sticking with my spaghetti and meatballs. Still, looks nice for the adventurous ones.
I get it, octopus isn’t for everyone! But you should try it at least once, it could surprise you! 😋
Absolutely loved this dish! The octopus was so tender and the flavors were just perfect.
So happy you enjoyed it! The octopus can really make or break a dish, right?
Really? I don’t know about octopus… it’s kinda chewy sometimes. You sure it wasn’t undercooked?
It was ok but I think it needed more seasoning. The cherry tomatoes were too sweet for my taste?
Tasty! But I ended up using spaghetti instead of tagliatelle. Still yum!
Okay, this was impressive. Looks fancy but really easy to make! Will make again!
Never thought I’d like octopus, but this recipe changed my mind! So good!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Octopus is actually delicious when prepared right. 😋
I just made this and I think I burnt my octopus…oops! Still tasted good tho, haha!
What’s the point of this dish? Tagliatelle and octopus? Just stick to pasta, man.
The cherry tomatoes r great! But I couldn’t find good octopus at the store. 😞
Why would anyone want to eat octopus? Yuck! I’m giving this a 1 just for that. No thanks!
I totally get you! Octopus just seems weird to eat. I stick to chicken and pasta, haha. 1 star for me too. 😅
Neh. Just didn’t taste like anything special. I added some cheese, maybe that helped?
I tried this but the octopus was too chewy for my liking. Not sure if I cooked it right.
I get what you mean! Octopus can be tricky. Maybe try cooking it a bit longer or at a lower temp next time. Hope that helps!
I never cooked octopus before, this was intimidating. But it turned out great! I’m feeling like a chef now.
Delicious!!! I added some lemon juice, made it even better! 🍋
I dunno. Lemon juice? Seems weird for pasta, right? Just stick to the recipe! 🤔
Sounds amazing! Lemon juice definitely adds a nice touch to seafood dishes. I’m gonna try that next time! 🍋
It’s Tagliatelle with GRILLED octopus, not fried! Learned that the hard way. Oops!