Tako (Octopus) Salad for Sushi

If you're new to making sushi, please see the Sushi Beginner's Guide before getting started! This includes guides to all the basics, FAQ, and how to source ingredients. This site focuses on Americanized/Westernized sushi, check out the Types of Sushi page to learn more!

This tako salad recipe is the perfect way to use up the end pieces of an octopus tentacle that won't slice into nice nigiri pieces! I highly recommend purchasing octopus that is already cooked and ready to slice from a Japanese market. This is sold alongside the other sushi fish, typically one tentacle per package, and marked as "boiled octopus" or "octopus sashimi". Octopus prepared for sushi goes through a tenderizing process, so it's more complicated to prepare than simply boiling fresh octopus. At this time I do not have a guide for preparing octopus from scratch on this site, but I may add one eventually.

Serving Size

The amount of filling used in a sushi roll is completely up to your personal preference. If you plan to fill the roll with only this mix this will be enough for one roll. I prefer to add cucumber and/or avocado to my rolls, making 1 batch stretch to fill 2 rolls. One batch can also be used as a topping for two specialty rolls, or for about 12 bite sized pieces such as crispy rice or gunkan.

One batch is enough for:

• 1 very loaded sushi roll
• 2 sushi rolls with other fillings (such as cucumber and/or avocado)
• 2 toppings for sushi rolls (top 2 rolls)
• 12 bite sized pieces (such as crispy rice or gunkan)

Ingredients & Substitutions

Boiled Octopus

• Octopus prepared for sushi goes through a tenderizing process and is then boiled. I don't have a guide for preparing this at home at this time, but you can find prepared boiled octopus at most Japanese grocery stores alongside the other sushi fish.
• Check out my How to Source Fish for Sushi guide for more information on finding prepared octopus for use in this recipe.
• Prepared octopus is typically sold by the tentacle, which can vary in size. This recipe is perfect for using up the end pieces that don't slice nicely for nigiri.

Japanese Mayonnaise

• Japanese mayo is distinct from the mayo that most Americans are used to. Mayo is made by emulsifying (blending) raw egg and oil. American mayo uses the whole egg, while Japanese mayo uses only the egg yolk. This results in a richer flavor and texture that is noticeable in the final recipe.
• You may be able to find Japanese mayo in a US grocery store (check the international aisle if is one), or you can find it at an Asian grocery store or online (link). I recommend Kewpie brand.
• You can substitute regular mayo in a pinch, but this will effect the flavor and texture of the recipe.

Toasted Sesame Oil

• Toasted sesame oil (sometimes listed as roasted sesame oil) has a strong umami (savory) and nutty flavor. It is a must-have sauce for homemade sushi!
• Toasted sesame oil is made from toasted sesame seeds, and has a stronger flavor than regular sesame oil. Typically it will be explicitly marked as "toasted" however not all brands make this distinction, including my recommended brand linked below.
• You can find toasted sesame oil at most major US grocery stores, Asian grocery stores (wider selection), or online (link).

Lemon Juice

• Use fresh squeezed lemon juice for best results, however bottled lemon juice is easy and perfectly acceptable for this recipe! (link)

Soy Sauce

• Any soy sauce you have on hand will do just fine for this recipe, I typically use Kikkoman brand (regular link) (low sodium link) (gluten free link). This should be easy to find at any major grocery store.
• If you're cooking with soy sauce often, consider stocking up with a large jug (regular link) (low sodium link) (gluten free link) I typically purchase the 64 oz jug.
• There's a wide variety of interesting soy sauce options out there, however their uniqueness will likely be lost in this recipe. I recommend saving those for your dipping soy sauce and using a staple soy sauce such as Kikkoman for this.
• I do NOT recommend substituting ponzu sauce for most recipes. The citrus in ponzu sauce can cook raw seafood (think ceviche) so any prolonged contact/marinating is not recommended.

What to Make

So far there's only one recipe on the site that calls for this tako salad, its linked below! You can also substitute tako salad for crab salad in other recipes on the site!

Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!