How to Make Fried Octopus

Octopus is a favorite and common food in the Mediterranean, Asian, Portuguese, and Hawaiian cuisines. From sushi to salads, there's many unique possibilities and ways to consume it. In the Portuguese culture, many desire to fry octopus, or to make "polvo frito". Here is a simple recipe on how to do it.

Ingredients

2.2 pounds (1 kg) octopus
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 (60 mL) cup milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 bunch chopped parsley
Olive oil

Steps

1
Cook the octopus until done. Allow it to drain and cool completely.^{[1]
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2
Cut the octopus into pieces. The size is up to you, however while frying, keep in mind that large chunks work better.^{[2]
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3
Make the egg mixture. Combine the beaten eggs, milk, parsley, and salt/pepper in a large bowl.
4
Prepare the pan. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan and place it on a medium high heat.
5
Dip the octopus in the egg mixture. Coat thoroughly.
6
Shallow fry the octopus. Cook until golden brown on both sides of each piece.^{[3]
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7
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I refreeze the octo-nuggets after they're cooked and fried? If yes, how so?

Community Answer

No, you cannot do that.
Question

How long do I cook the octopus?

Community Answer

You just cook the octopus until it's a golden brown color on the outside, so probably just a few minutes (or even less!).
Question

Can I make vegan fried octopus? If yes, how so?

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Community Answer

Octopus is a living animal, but not really. However, you can use the above steps with mushrooms, which are probably the vegan food most similar to octopus (especially morel mushrooms) - just don't cook them first.