Pulpo a la Gallega
Galician octopus with paprika & olive oil
Ingredients
- 1500 g Octopus
- 800 g Potatoes
- 100 ml Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp Pimenton dulce (sweet smoked paprika)
- 1 tbsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pimenton picante (hot smoked paprika) (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil.
- Holding the octopus by the head, dip it into the boiling water for 10 seconds, then lift it out; do this three times. This sets the skin so it won't slip off. Then lower the whole octopus in to stay.
- Simmer gently 45 minutes. Pierce a tentacle — it should give like soft butter.
- Off heat, let the octopus rest in the cooking water 10 minutes.
- Scrub and quarter the potatoes (skin on).
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until knife-tender, about 18 minutes.
- Slice the potatoes into 1 cm discs. Arrange across a warm wooden board or plate.
- Lift the octopus out and cut the tentacles into 1 cm rounds. Pile on top of the potato.
- Drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil. Scatter coarse sea salt and the two pimentóns (Spanish smoked paprikas) over everything.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Pulpo a la Gallega
Pulpo a la gallega is the signature dish of Galicia in Spain's rainy northwest, where it's known as pulpo á feira — octopus of the fair — because it was traditionally cooked in great copper pots at festivals and market days. It's deceptively minimal: tender octopus sliced over rounds of boiled potato, dressed with nothing more than good olive oil, coarse sea salt, and both sweet and hot pimentón. The whole identity of the dish rests on texture and that smoky paprika, which is why the cooking of the octopus matters more than any long list of ingredients.
The technique here is the traditional Galician trick that makes or breaks it: the octopus is dipped into boiling water three times — asustar el pulpo, or scaring the octopus — before it goes in to simmer, which sets the skin so it won't slip off and helps the tentacles cook up tender rather than rubbery. A rest in the cooking water finishes the job, leaving it soft enough to give like butter under a knife. Served warm on a wooden board, ideally with bread and a glass of crisp Galician wine, it's a tapa or shared appetizer meant to be picked at slowly — humble in its parts but with a smoky, briny depth that has made it famous well beyond Spain.
Pulpo a la Gallega: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Pulpo a la Gallega?
A serving has about 383 calories — 33.7g protein, 24.2g carbs, 17.7g fat, 3.4g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 33.7g of protein, roughly 35% of its calories.
Is Pulpo a la Gallega gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Pulpo a la Gallega has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Pulpo a la Gallega take to make?
About 90 minutes start to finish, but only around 14 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Pulpo a la Gallega?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out pimenton picante (hot smoked paprika) — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Pulpo a la Gallega make?
This recipe makes 6 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.