Shrimp Stuffed Octopus & Cheesy Polenta

A beautifully plated dish of Shrimp Stuffed Octopus and Cheesy Polenta, served in a stylish white bowl. Plump, juicy shrimp rest on a creamy, golden bed of polenta, garnished with fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and thin lemon zest strips. A spoon rests elegantly in the bowl, ready to dive into this rich, comforting seafood dish.

This Shrimp-Stuffed Octopus with Cheesy Polenta is the ultimate blend of comfort food and gourmet elegance. The vibrant purple octopus, tender shrimp, rich tomato ragu, and creamy golden polenta create a show-stopping dish full of layered textures and flavors.

Each bite delivers a perfect balance—the brininess of anchovies, the richness of Parmesan, the brightness of basil, and the depth of hand-crushed Italian tomatoes. This recipe is worth every step, making it an impressive centerpiece for any special occasion.

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Serving Size: 4
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Ingredients

  • 4 octopus (about 2 pounds) cleaned and tentacles separated
  • 1/2 lb shrimp
  • 4 anchovies
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • a few leaves of basil
  • 2 tbs grated parmesan
  • 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
  • 2 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1/2 of 1 red bell pepper finely diced
  • 3 tbsp roughly chopped basil
  • 3 tbs olive oil

Instructions

  1. Begin by rinsing the octopus. Though it is already cleaned, you will need to snip out the hard piece found underneath the body which is the mouth of the octopus. You will find it in the area that looks to be an eye. Ensure no grit remains inside the cavity. Kitchen scissors are the best tool for this task. Cut each tentacle from the body. The very thin ends of each tentacle may be discarded.
  2. Dice the tentacles and raw shrimp into 1/4 inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Finely chop anchovies and gently fold into the bowl. Add one beaten egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, basil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Mix until combined. Using your hands stuff each octopus with the mixture.
  3. In a large pan, drizzle three tablespoons of olive oil and heat to a medium-high heat. Sear each side of the stuffed octopus until browned then remove and set aside. In the same pan the octopus were removed from add garlic and red pepper to begin the ragu. Add hand crushed tomatoes. Stir in 1 cup of water, chopped basil and salt and pepper and simmer for ten minutes. Place octopus back into the pan cover pot and simmer for an additional half hour. The octopus will become tender and the sauce will thicken.
  4. While the sauce is simmering, prepare polenta by adding four cups of cold water to a separate pot over low heat with salt and olive oil. Whisk in polenta and bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Polenta will start to pull away from the pot about 15 minutes when fully cooked. Stir in parmesan cheese.
  5. Serve in shallow bowls. Layer a generous portion of creamy, cheesy polenta and top with a generous spoonful of ragu and a luxurious stuffed octopus. Sprinkle with more parmesan and fresh basil.

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