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Italian Seafood Salad

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Bright, citrusy, and full of ocean-fresh flavor, this Italian Seafood Salad (Insalata di Mare) features tender octopus, calamari, and shrimp tossed in a refreshing tangerine-lemon Dijon dressing. A Southern Italian favorite, this elegant appetizer is perfect for warm days, holidays, or antipasti spreads—and it’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

Ingredients

For the Seafood:

  • 1 1/2 lbs octopus

  • 4 squid tubes (about 400g), cleaned and sliced into rings

  • 8 tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 1 celery rib, chopped

  • 1 tsp whole peppercorns

  • 2 tsp salt (for cooking water)

  • 1 wine cork (optional, for tenderizing octopus)

For the Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • Juice of 2 lemons

  • Juice of 2 tangerines

  • 2 tsp honey Dijon mustard

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 pinches salt

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

For Garnish:

  • 1 lemon, sliced

  • 2 tangerines, sliced

  • Extra parsley

Instructions

  1. Cook the Octopus:
    In a large pot, bring water to a boil with bay leaves, celery, peppercorns, salt, and wine cork (if using).
    Submerge octopus in the boiling water 2–3 times to curl the tentacles, then fully immerse and simmer for 40–50 minutes until fork-tender. Remove and let cool.

  2. Cook the Calamari and Shrimp:
    In a separate pot, boil the squid rings for 2 minutes and shrimp for 3–4 minutes until pink and opaque. Drain and let cool.

  3. Prepare Seafood:
    Cut the octopus into bite-size pieces. In a large mixing bowl, combine octopus, squid, and shrimp.

  4. Make the Dressing:
    In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, tangerine juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, and salt until emulsified.

  5. Toss and Chill:
    Pour the dressing over the seafood, add chopped parsley, and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours to marinate and chill.

  6. Serve:
    Arrange on a platter with lemon and tangerine slices and extra parsley for a vibrant, elegant presentation.

Notes

  • You can substitute tangerines with oranges for a sweeter citrus flavor.

  • Use pre-cooked octopus for a shortcut if available.

  • Pairs beautifully with crusty bread or as part of a full antipasti spread.

Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/italian-seafood-salad/