Pulpo a la Gallega
A proper Spanish vegan built around octopus and waxy potatoes β roughly 60 minutes start to finish, and rated easy to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, the ingredients are plant-based.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- If using fresh octopus, clean it and tenderise by freezing then fully thawing, or by beating it, then bring a large deep pot of unsalted water with the bay leaf to a rolling boil.
- Holding the octopus by the head, dip it fully into the boiling water and lift it out three times to 'scare' it so the skin sets and the tentacles curl, then lower it in completely.
- Simmer gently for 35 to 50 minutes depending on size until a knife slides easily into the thickest part of a tentacle, then turn off the heat and let it rest in the cooking water for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes until tender, then drain, peel while warm, and cut into thick rounds to arrange over wooden plates or a platter.
- Lift out the octopus, snip the tentacles into bite-sized pieces with scissors, and lay them over the potatoes.
- Sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt and both paprikas, then drizzle a good amount of olive oil over everything and serve warm, traditionally with bread and a glass of young red wine.
You'll use: Large pot Β· Saucepan
What to serve with Pulpo a la Gallega
- Seafood fideuΓ Seafood
- Spanish Tortilla Vegetarian
- Migas Miscellaneous
- Spiced tortilla Vegetarian
Tips & common questions
How long does Pulpo a la Gallega take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 6 steps and 7 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Pulpo a la Gallega vegan?
Based on its ingredients, this recipe contains no meat, fish, dairy or egg, so it looks vegan-friendly. Always double-check labels on packaged items.
Related recipes
Pulpo a la Gallega is an original Spanish recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Pulpo a la gallega con cachelos.jpg by Juan Emilio Prades Bel, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.