What to Stir-Fry with Octopus? 14 Delicious, Chewy, and Crispy Dish Ideas

Octopus is a familiar ingredient in family meals thanks to its natural sweetness, appealing chewy texture, and its ability to pair flexibly with various vegetables and spices. However, many people still wonder what to stir-fry with octopus to ensure the dish is flavorful without becoming rubbery or watery. If you are looking for ideas for today’s meal, join Ola Squid to discover 14 delicious and easy-to-make stir-fried octopus dishes in the article below!

1. What is delicious to stir-fry with octopus?

To answer the question of what is delicious to stir-fry with octopus, the key is to choose a method that suits your family’s taste. Octopus can be stir-fried with spicy flavors, sweet and sour sauces, or combined with vegetables to create a dish that is harmonious in both flavor and nutrition. Below are popular suggestions that are easy to apply and loved by many.

1.1. Octopus stir-fried with lemongrass and chili

Ingredients:

• 300g octopus
• 4 fresh chilies, 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 1 bunch of green onions, 4 cloves of garlic
• 50ml cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions for stir-fried octopus with lemongrass and chili:

• Step 1: First, peel and mince the garlic. Crush and finely chop the lemongrass. Remove the chili stems and mince them. Wash the green onions and chop them.
• Step 2: Next, heat oil over high heat, sauté the garlic, lemongrass, and chili until fragrant. Season with sugar and fish sauce, add the octopus, and stir-fry quickly for about 5 minutes until it absorbs the seasoning.
• Step 3: Finally, sprinkle with green onions, stir well until the octopus firms up and turns a beautiful color, then turn off the heat and enjoy.

1.2. Spicy stir-fried octopus

Required ingredients:

• 300g octopus
• 1 onion, 1 stalk of leek
• 1 bulb of garlic, 1 onion
• 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons Korean chili paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• A little toasted sesame seeds, dried seaweed

How to cook spicy stir-fried octopus:

• Step 1: Clean the octopus, rub with salt to remove odor, rinse, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Mix together Korean chili paste, ketchup, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, honey, chili powder, and vinegar to create a rich, spicy sauce.
• Step 2: Next, sauté garlic in oil, add the onion and stir-fry quickly until just cooked, then pour in the sauce and stir well.
• Step 3: Add the octopus to the pan, stir-fry over high heat for 3-5 minutes until crispy, add the leeks, adjust seasoning to taste, and turn off the heat. Plate it, then garnish with toasted sesame seeds and dried seaweed on top.

1.3. Octopus stir-fried with sate

Ingredients:

• 500g fresh octopus
• 2 tomatoes, 1 onion
• 30g minced garlic, 50g green onions
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon shrimp sate
• 1 tablespoon white wine, 1 tablespoon salt
• 1.5 teaspoons seasoning powder, ⅓ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Preparation of stir-fried octopus with sate:

• Step 1: First, remove the ink sac, rub the octopus with salt, white wine, and lime to remove the fishy smell, rinse, and drain. Marinate the octopus with seasoning powder, salt, sate, and fish sauce; mix well and keep in the fridge for about 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• Step 2: Peel the onion and cut into wedges. Wash tomatoes, cut into wedges, and cut green onions into segments.
• Step 3: Sauté garlic in cooking oil, add the octopus and stir-fry over high heat until firm. Continue to add tomatoes and onions, stir quickly until just cooked. Add green onions, a dash of pepper, and turn off the heat.

See more delicious dishes: How to make rich and addictive stir-fried squid with sate

1.4. Mixed stir-fried octopus

Ingredients:

• 1kg fresh octopus
• 1-2 cucumbers, 3 tomatoes
• 1/2 pineapple, 4 bird’s eye chilies
• 1 head of broccoli, 150g baby corn
• 50g green onions, 50g cilantro
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, 3-4 shallots
• 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon MSG
• ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon seasoning powder
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Instructions for preparing mixed stir-fried octopus:

• Step 1: Clean the purchased octopus, remove the ink sac, rub with salt and lime to remove odor, rinse, and drain. Marinate with salt, sugar, seasoning powder, MSG, and fish sauce; mix well and keep in the fridge for 30 minutes to absorb.
• Step 2: Peel the cucumber, wash and slice diagonally; cut pineapple and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Wash broccoli, separate into florets, and cut baby corn into pieces. Chop green onions and cilantro; mince shallots, garlic, and chilies.
• Step 3: Next, sauté shallots and garlic in oil, add the octopus and stir-fry quickly until firm, then set aside.
• Step 4: Add vegetables to the pan, season to taste, and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes. Add the octopus back in, stir well to combine, add chilies, green onions, and cilantro, then turn off the heat.

See more: Guide to making simple yet irresistible mixed stir-fried squid

1.5. Octopus stir-fried with onion

Ingredients:

• 500g octopus
• 5 cloves of garlic, 1 onion
• A little cilantro, 2 stalks of green onions
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1.5 teaspoons seasoning powder

How to make octopus stir-fried with onion:

• Step 1: Rinse the octopus in diluted saltwater, remove the ink sac and eyes, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Cut green onions and cilantro into segments, crush the garlic. Peel the onion, wash, and cut into wedges.
• Step 2: Heat the pan with oil and butter, sauté the garlic, then add the octopus and stir-fry quickly until firm.
• Step 3: Add seasoning powder, sugar, oyster sauce, chili powder, and soy sauce, stir over high heat until the octopus is cooked. Continue to add the onions and stir until just cooked, adjust seasoning. Finally, add green onions and cilantro, stir gently, and turn off the heat.

1.6. Sweet and sour stir-fried octopus

Ingredients:

• 500g octopus
• 200g pineapple, 200g tomatoes
• 150g onion, 200g cucumber
• 30g celery
• 1 knob of ginger, 1 bulb of garlic
• 2 teaspoons seasoning powder, 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon white wine

Steps to make sweet and sour stir-fried octopus:

• Step 1: Cut octopus into bite-sized pieces, mix with sugar, seasoning powder, and pepper; let sit for 10 minutes to absorb.
• Step 2: Cut the onion into wedges and mince the garlic. Cut pineapple, tomatoes, and cucumber into bite-sized pieces; cut celery into segments. Sauté the garlic in oil, add the octopus, and stir-fry quickly until firm and color changes.
• Step 3: Add pineapple, cucumber, tomatoes, and a little water to the pan; season with sugar, seasoning powder, and oyster sauce; stir well. Finally, add the onion, celery, and sprinkle with pepper, then turn off the heat.

See more: Revealing the way to make simple yet appealing sweet and sour stir-fried squid

1.7. Octopus stir-fried with pineapple

Ingredients:

• 500g octopus
• 1/2 pineapple, 3 cucumbers
• 4 stalks of celery, 4 stalks of green onions
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 1 teaspoon MSG
• 1.5 teaspoons sugar

How to cook stir-fried octopus with pineapple:

• Step 1: Defrost the octopus (if frozen), clean, remove the beak and ink sac, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Peel the pineapple, remove the core, and cut into small pieces. Slice cucumber diagonally; cut green onions and celery into segments.
• Step 2: Sauté garlic in cooking oil, add the octopus and stir-fry over medium heat until cooked and seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, and MSG, then remove the octopus separately.
• Step 3: Continue by adding pineapple to the pan to release the natural sweet and sour flavor, then add cucumber and stir well. Adjust seasoning, add green onions and celery, add the octopus back in, stir quickly, and turn off the heat.

1.8. Octopus stir-fried with cucumber

Required ingredients:

• 6 octopuses
• 6 cucumbers, 2 stalks of green onions
• 2 slices of ginger, 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/3 teaspoon MSG, 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Guide to stir-frying octopus with cucumber:

• Step 1: Clean the octopus, remove intestines, eyes, and beak. Soak in vinegar and crushed ginger for about 15 minutes to remove odor, then rinse and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Step 2: Wash cucumber, slice diagonally, and crush the garlic. Separate the white parts and green parts of the green onions.
• Step 3: Sauté garlic and the white part of the green onion in oil, add the octopus and stir-fry over medium heat until firm, then season with salt, sugar, and MSG to taste. Finally, add the cucumber and the green onion leaves, stir quickly until just cooked, then turn off the heat.

1.9. Octopus stir-fried with celery

Ingredients to prepare:

• 600g octopus
• 300g celery
• Garlic, green onions, chili, cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/3 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon MSG, 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 teaspoon seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon fish sauce

How to cook octopus stir-fried with celery:

• Step 1: Rinse the octopus, rub with salt and lime to remove slime, rinse again, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Separate celery stalks and leaves, de-vein the stalks and cut into segments. Cut green onions into segments, mince garlic, and slice chilies.
• Step 2: Next, mix the octopus with salt, sugar, MSG, seasoning powder, pepper, and fish sauce, then marinate for 15-20 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• Step 3: Sauté garlic in oil, add the octopus and stir-fry quickly over high heat until firm, then set aside.
• Step 4: Stir-fry the celery stalks first until just cooked, add the leaves and stir briefly. Finally, return the octopus to the pan, adjust seasoning, add green onions and chilies, stir well, and turn off the heat.

See more: How to make delicious, flavorful, and appealing stir-fried squid with onion and celery

1.10. Octopus stir-fried with turmeric

Required ingredients:

• 500g octopus
• 300g onion, 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 4 chilies, 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 knob of ginger, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• A little sea salt, 1/2 tablespoon seasoning powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar

How to prepare stir-fried octopus with turmeric:

• Step 1: Clean the octopus, remove the beak and organs, rub with sea salt to remove odor, then rinse clean. Mince the garlic, cut chilies in half or leave whole depending on desired spiciness. Cut the onion into wedges; slice lemongrass and ginger.
• Step 2: Boil water with lemongrass, ginger, chilies, and a little salt. Blanch the octopus quickly for about 4 minutes, drain, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Step 3: Next, sauté garlic, lemongrass, and ginger in oil, add sugar, seasoning powder, fish sauce, and turmeric powder, then stir well. Add octopus and onions, stir-fry over medium heat until onions are just cooked, adjust seasoning, and turn off the heat.

1.11. Octopus stir-fried with pickled mustard greens

Ingredients

• 1.5kg octopus (about 6 octopuses)
• Pickled mustard greens
• 2 tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 small knob of ginger
• 1 stalk of sawtooth herb, 1 stalk of green onion
• 2 tablespoons lard or cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon MSG, 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon seasoning powder

Guide to stir-frying octopus with pickled mustard greens:

• Step 1: Clean the octopus, remove intestines and beak, rub with salt to remove odor, then rinse. Blanch quickly in boiling water with ginger for about 1 minute, soak in cold water to make it crunchy, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Step 2: Rinse the pickled greens, cut into square pieces. Mince garlic, julienne the ginger, and cut tomatoes into wedges. Wash green onions and sawtooth herb, then chop.
• Step 3: Next, sauté garlic and ginger in lard, stir-fry tomatoes slightly, then add the pickled greens. Season to taste, stir well until vegetables are just cooked.
• Step 4: Add the octopus to the pan, stir-fry quickly for about 1 minute to absorb flavor. Finally, sprinkle with green onions and sawtooth herb, turn off the heat, and enjoy.

1.12. Octopus stir-fried with water spinach

Ingredients:

• 300g octopus
• 300g water spinach
• 3 cloves of garlic, 10g ginger
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• A little salt, 2 teaspoons seasoning powder

How to prepare stir-fried octopus with water spinach:

• Step 1: Clean the purchased octopus, rub with salt to remove fishy smell, and rinse. Blanch quickly with boiling water and ginger, then soak in ice water to keep it crunchy, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Step 2: Clean and wash the water spinach, then blanch quickly in boiling water. Remove and soak in cold water to keep it green and crunchy, then drain.
• Step 3: Sauté garlic in oil, add the octopus and stir-fry quickly, season with seasoning powder to taste. Continue to add the water spinach and oyster sauce, stir well until all ingredients are cooked and coated with seasoning. Finally, plate it and serve hot with white rice or as a drinking snack.

>>> Similar delicious dish: Tips for stir-frying squid with water spinach so it’s green, crunchy, and not rubbery

1.13. Octopus stir-fried with onion and ginger

Ingredients:

• 300g octopus
• 1/2 knob of ginger, 1/2 onion
• 1 chili, 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 stalks of green onions
• 1/2 tablespoon cooking oil, 1/3 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon MSG, 1 teaspoon seasoning powder

How to stir-fry octopus with onion and ginger:

• Step 1: Clean the octopus, cut into bite-sized pieces, and marinate with seasoning powder, MSG, and sugar for about 10 minutes to absorb. Julienne the ginger, cut the onion into wedges, and cut green onions into segments.
• Step 2: Heat the pan with oil, sauté garlic and half of the ginger. Add the octopus and stir-fry quickly over high heat until firm.
• Step 3: Continue by adding onions, stir well, then add green onions and the rest of the ginger, and stir-fry for a few more minutes. Season to taste, turn off the heat, and sprinkle with pepper and chilies on top.

1.14. Octopus stir-fried with scallion bulbs

Ingredients:

• 500g octopus
• 100g scallion bulbs, 100g green onion roots
• 5 shallots, 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 calamansi, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons shrimp sate, 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning powder, 2 teaspoons sate
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

How to execute octopus stir-fried with scallion bulbs:

• Step 1: Clean the octopus, rub with salt and calamansi to remove odor, remove beak, then rinse clean. Drain, then marinate with sate, oyster sauce, sugar, and seasoning powder for 15-30 minutes to absorb flavor.
• Step 2: Clean scallion bulbs, drain. Wash green onion roots and cut into bite-sized pieces. Peel shallots, mince garlic.
• Step 3: Next, sauté garlic, shallots, and onion roots in hot oil. Add the octopus and stir-fry until firm, continue to add scallion bulbs and stir quickly over medium heat for 5 minutes to maintain crunch, then turn off the heat.

See now: What is delicious to make with octopus? Suggestions for easy-to-cook dishes at home

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2. Tips for choosing fresh and delicious octopus

Choosing fresh ingredients is an equally important step to ensure your stir-fried octopus is perfectly flavored and not fishy. Below are some tips you should note when buying octopus:

• Observe the eyes: Prioritize choosing ones with clear, sparkling eyes that are not cloudy or slimy.
• Check the belly and skin color: Fresh octopus usually has a bright white belly, smooth, shiny skin, and natural color. Avoid choosing ones with yellow, ivory-white, or dull-colored flesh as these are signs they have been stored for a long time.
• Feel the firmness: Press lightly; fresh octopus will have good elasticity, firm flesh, not mushy or soft. Ones with unusually swollen bodies may have been stored for a long time and be of low quality.
• Choosing frozen octopus: You should choose those with a natural greenish-grey-brown color, clear eyes, and bright white flesh. Avoid buying octopus with lots of ice stuck to it or swollen bodies as they are easily bland and lose their deliciousness.
• Buy at reputable locations: It is best to buy octopus from trusted seafood stores or regular markets to avoid purchasing low-quality goods. You can also ask the seller to process them beforehand to save time during cooking.

3. Frequently asked questions

3.1. Why does stir-fried octopus often release water?

Octopus has a high water content; if not drained and not processed thoroughly, it will easily release water when subjected to high heat. Additionally, seasoning too early or stir-frying over low heat also causes it to release water, making the dish bland and less appealing.

3.2. Secret to stir-frying octopus so it isn’t rubbery?

To keep the octopus from becoming rubbery, you need to stir-fry quickly over high heat and not stir for too long. Octopus should only be stir-fried until just cooked; as soon as it firms up, turn off the heat immediately. Avoid overcooking because prolonged high heat will make the octopus flesh rigid, losing its natural crunchy sweetness.

3.3. Do I need to blanch the octopus before stir-frying?

Blanching octopus before stir-frying is not mandatory, but a quick dip in boiling water mixed with ginger or vinegar will help remove the fishy smell and make the octopus firmer. If blanching, only submerge for a few seconds and then remove immediately to avoid making it rubbery when stir-frying again.

Hopefully, these suggestions will help you answer the question “what is delicious to stir-fry with octopus,” so you can choose the dish you like best. Wishing you success, and if you are looking for delicious cooking recipes for your family meals, visit the Ola Squid Blog to explore more in detail!