Difficulty Level: easy
Don’t get scared off by the main ingredient in this Ceviche de Pulpo recipe. We know it can expensive and some may find it off-putting to prepare, even try, but this is a classic dish that may just surprise you.
The star ingredient being octopus.
If you’re still reading, know that the dish is citrusy, cool, and bright. It’ll turn heads when it’s served up, trust me.
I like to test out recipes like this when we get stuck in a routine, food wise. For this recipe, we cook the octopus first, then toss in a mix of lime, lemon, and orange juice. Along with onion, jalapeño, cilantro, tomato, and avocado. It’s a lot of ingredients, but it comes together with a clean fresh flavor.
The one detail that matters most is that it needs a proper chill. Giving it thirty minutes helps, but an hour is better. You’ll be surprised by the difference.
If ceviche de Pulpo sounds like a dish you want to try, check out the ingredients and steps below.
Ceviche de Pulpo Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh octopus
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 8-10 limes)
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Ceviche de Pulpo Instructions
- Rinse the octopus under cold water to remove any sand.
- Remove the head, discard the beak, then separate the tentacles.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the octopus, lower to a simmer, and cook about 45 minutes, until a fork slides in easily.
- Lift the octopus out and let it cool at room temperature.
- Once it’s cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, stir together the lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.
- Add the octopus, tomato, and avocado. Toss gently so the avocado stays in pieces and the octopus gets fully coated.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the top and mix lightly.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld. For the best bite, give it 1 to 2 hours.
- Taste before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add extra cilantro on top if you want it greener.
- Serve chilled with tortilla chips, or spoon it onto crisp lettuce leaves for a lighter plate.