(By Priyanka Sharma (traveller , Photographer , cook) – Guest Post)
I am a young Indian woman, travelling solo in Portugal with just a backpack, one packing cube of clothes, a universal adapter, and a notebook full of food names I wanted to try.
But no matter what I tasted – francesinha in Porto, cataplana in Algarve, feijoada in the north, duck rice in Coimbra – nothing shocked my soul more than Polvo à Lagareiro.
This was the dish that made me close my eyes and whisper – Portugal cooks with love, not style.
My foodie path through Portugal
I began in Porto, eating francesinha. It was so heavy that I needed almost two hours to recover.
Then in Algarve, I ate seafood cataplana that smelled like the ocean.
In Trás-os-Montes, I tried feijoada which tasted like warm family and winter.
In Beira Litoral I ate crispy arroz de pato – duck rice, baked golden brown.
Each dish had its own soul.
But when I reached a small coastal town near Aveiro, I ordered Polvo à Lagareiro.
The waiter smiled at me:
“You like octopus? Try this. This is love.”
And yes. It was love.
What is Polvo à Lagareiro?
It is grilled octopus, served with olive oil and garlic and roasted potatoes.
That sounds simple.
But Portuguese olive oil is taken very seriously.
And the octopus is slow-cooked first, then grilled, so it becomes soft like butter.
I never thought octopus could be tender like that.
Recipe – Polvo à Lagareiro (Step by Step)
Serves: 3 people
Prep time: 20 minutes (hands-on)
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes approx.
Ingredients
- 1 medium octopus (1.5 kg to 2 kg)
- 6–8 baby potatoes (skin on)
- 6 large garlic cloves (crushed or sliced)
- Extra virgin olive oil (¼ cup or more)
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley (optional)
Steps
Step 1: Cook the octopus
Wash the octopus. Put it in a big pot with water and 1 bay leaf.
No need to add salt.
Boil it for 45–60 minutes until it becomes soft when poked.
Step 2: Roast the potatoes
While the octopus is boiling, place the baby potatoes on a baking tray.
Rub them with a little olive oil and salt.
Bake them at 200°C until soft (about 45 minutes).
When done, press each potato lightly to crack them.
Step 3: Grill the octopus
After boiling, remove the octopus, drain it, and pat it dry.
Cut into serving pieces.
Brush with olive oil and grill in a hot oven or on a grill pan until the edges get a little brown.
Step 4: Finish in garlic oil
Heat olive oil in a small pan.
Add crushed garlic.
Do not brown the garlic – just gently cook it till soft.
Step 5: Bring it all together
Place grilled octopus and roasted potatoes on a plate.
Pour garlic olive oil on top.
Sprinkle salt and pepper.
Add fresh chopped parsley if you like.
That is it.
So simple. So soulful.
Nutrition (approx per serving)
- Calories: 450–550 kcal
- Protein: high
- Fat: medium (mostly healthy monounsaturated fat from olive oil)
- Carbs: medium (mainly from potatoes)
This dish is filling but not heavy like francesinha.
You can eat it for lunch and still walk the whole afternoon.
What I learned as a solo woman traveller
People in Portugal are soft spoken.
When I eat alone, nobody stares.
Waiters often talk to me kindly, asking where I am from, what I think about the food.
Food became my connection to strangers.
Every time I tasted a dish, someone explained the story behind it.
I felt safe. I felt accepted.
Polvo à Lagareiro is not just grilled octopus.
It is the exact taste of the Portuguese coastline – gentle, salty, warm, full of sunlight, and full of care.
If you ever visit Portugal – taste this.
And taste it slowly.
Let the olive oil teach you why this country is calm.
