Pulpo a Lagareiro Recipe: Portuguese Octopus and Potatoes 2026

Pulpo a lagareiro is one of Portugal's most beloved seafood dishes, and it is easier to make at home than you might think. A whole octopus is simmered until tender, then baked over smashed roast potatoes with sliced garlic, bay leaf, and a very generous pour of extra virgin olive oil. The result is rich, comforting, and deeply savory.

The name comes from the lagareiro, the traditional olive press workers of Portugal, who were known for cooking with abundant olive oil. That is exactly what gives this dish its character: good oil, roasted potatoes, and garlic doing the heavy lifting. Serve it with crusty bread to soak up every last drop.

For four people you need just nine ingredients and about an hour and twenty minutes. If you can plan ahead, freeze the octopus for two or three days before cooking, then thaw it slowly in the fridge the night before. That step is the secret to a meltingly tender result.

Ingredients for Pulpo a Lagareiro

This recipe makes 4 servings as a main course.

• 1 small octopus (ours weighed 1,350 g / about 3 lb)
• 1 onion
• 1 kg (2.2 lb) roasting potatoes
• Coarse salt
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 100 g (about 1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
• Ground black pepper

How to Make Pulpo a Lagareiro Step by Step

1. Boil the Octopus with Onion

For this recipe I use a raw octopus, but you could just as easily use one that is already cooked and ready to eat; in that case, simply skip the boiling step. If you do start with a raw octopus, remember that it is essential to freeze it for two or three days before cooking so it turns out tender. The day before you plan to make the dish, move it from the freezer to the fridge so it thaws slowly.

Cooking time depends on the weight of each octopus, but as a rule you need about 20 minutes of cooking per kilogram. In this recipe we boil a 1,350 kg octopus, so it will be ready in about 27 minutes. Once cooked, it is important to let it rest in the pot for about 10 minutes so it finishes perfectly.

To start, bring a large pot of plenty of water to a boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, add the octopus and 1 whole peeled onion. Cook over medium-high heat for 27 minutes, or as long as needed for the size (20 minutes per kg), counting from the moment the water comes back to a boil. After that time, check that the octopus is tender by piercing it with a toothpick. Turn off the heat and let the octopus rest in the pot for 10 more minutes, then lift it out and set it aside.

2. Season the Potatoes with Coarse Salt

While the octopus cooks, roast the potatoes in the oven. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) with top and bottom heat, and wash 1 kg of roasting potatoes very well, since they will be roasted with the skin on. Place the potatoes in a baking dish and sprinkle coarse salt over the top.

3. Roast the Potatoes at 180 °C

Put the dish in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 50 minutes at 180 °C (350 °F), until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned.

4. Cut the Cooked Octopus Tentacles

Once the octopus has cooled down, cut the tentacles into pieces.

5. Smash the Roasted Potatoes

Place the roasted potatoes in a wide baking dish and press down on them lightly with a spatula to smash them a little.

6. Add the Octopus and All the Toppings

Arrange the octopus tentacles on top of the potatoes, then add 5 garlic cloves cut into thin slices, 2 bay leaves torn in half, 100 g of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of very finely chopped cilantro, a few grains of coarse salt, and a little ground black pepper.

7. Bake at 200 °C and Serve

Put the dish in the upper-middle part of the oven and bake at 200 °C (400 °F) for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the octopus turns golden. Take the dish out of the oven, sprinkle 1 more tablespoon of chopped cilantro over the top, and serve immediately.

Tips for the Best Pulpo a Lagareiro

Freeze the Octopus First

Freezing a raw octopus for two or three days before cooking is the easiest way to guarantee a tender result at home. Thaw it slowly in the fridge the night before, and never rush the defrost in warm water.

Cook by Weight, Not by the Clock

Figure on about 20 minutes of simmering per kilogram of octopus, then let it rest in the hot cooking water for 10 minutes off the heat. Piercing a tentacle with a toothpick is the surest way to know it is done.

Be Generous with the Olive Oil

The lagareiro tradition is all about abundance, so do not skimp on the extra virgin olive oil. It mixes with the garlic and the potato juices to create a sauce that is worth mopping up with good bread.

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