Octopus Tentacles
Seafood·intermediate

Octopus Tentacles

Yield
Prep
Total
Serves 2
5m
13m
gluten-freedairy-freeketolow-carbappetizerdinnerMeal-Prep

Air frying pre-cooked octopus tentacles is a quick way to achieve a crispy, charred exterior. This method requires minimal ingredients and is ready in minutes. Find the simple instructions and air frying time below.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pre-cooked octopus tentacles
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, smoked paprika
  • Lemon wedges
Season it upPairs with Simple Salt & Pepper, Smoked Paprika & Brown Sugar, Chimichurri Dry, or Citrus PepperSee all seasonings →

Steps

  1. 01Pat the pre-cooked tentacles dry with paper towels.
  2. 02Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
  3. 03Ready for the air fryer.
Buy PRE-COOKED octopus. This is critical. Raw octopus needs to be braised, boiled, or slow-cooked for 1 to 2 hours before it's tender enough to eat. The air fryer step is only for crisping and charring the exterior of already-tender octopus. If you put raw octopus in the air fryer, you'll get a rubbery, inedible disaster. Pre-cooked octopus is available at Mediterranean and Asian grocery stores, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's, usually in the frozen section.
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How to Air Fry It

Temp
Cook
Prep
Flip?
400°F
8m
5m
Yes
  1. 01Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
  2. 02Pat pre-cooked octopus tentacles dry with a paper towel.
  3. 03Toss with olive oil and spices.
  4. 04Arrange in a single layer in the basket.
  5. 05Air fry for 4 minutes.
  6. 06Flip the tentacles to ensure even charring.
  7. 07Cook for 4 more minutes until charred and crispy on the edges.

Recipe Notes

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Season it up

Meal Prep

Stores 2 days refrigerated. Reheat at 375°F (190°C) for 3-4 minutes. Actually improves on reheat since it gets crispier.

Discussion

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