Korean Spicy Octopus Skewers

Quick answer

Total time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Blanched octopus is cut into bite-sized pieces, threaded onto skewers, and grilled on a pan or open flame while being basted repeatedly with a spicy sauce of gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and sesame oil.

Octopus toughens dramatically with prolonged heat, so high-temperature, quick grilling is essential. Adding a slice of ginger to the blanching water removes any fishiness before the octopus hits the grill. The layered sauce builds up with each basting: gochujang contributes heat, sugar balances it with sweetness, soy sauce deepens the umami, and sesame oil finishes with a nutty fragrance. Keeping the heat at medium-high and turning the skewers frequently prevents the sugar in the glaze from burning while still achieving light char marks. The result has a caramelized, sticky crust over a chewy, springy center. Equally at home as street food or as bar snacks alongside cold beer or soju, these skewers are a reliable crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

octopus300 gg

gochujang2 tsts

soy sauce1 tsts

sugar1 tsts

garlic2 cloveclove

sesame oil1 tsts

skewers6 piecepiece

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Bring water to a full boil and blanch 300 g octopus for about 30 seconds only.

Add a slice of ginger if available to reduce fishiness, then lift it out before it starts tightening too much.
2

Heat

Drain the blanched octopus and cut it into bite-size pieces.

Pat the surface lightly with paper towels, because excess moisture thins the glaze and keeps it from clinging during grilling.
3

Season

Mix 2 teaspoons gochujang, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

Stir until the sugar dissolves so the sauce brushes on evenly.
4

Step

Thread the octopus onto 6 skewers without packing the pieces too tightly.

Leave small gaps between pieces so heat reaches the edges evenly and the skewers can be turned without tearing.
5

Control

Heat a pan or grill over medium-high heat, add the skewers, and brush on a thin layer of sauce.

Turn them about every minute, adding more sauce lightly to prevent the sugar from burning.
6

Finish

Remove the skewers as soon as the outside looks glossy, sticky, and lightly charred.

Stop while the center still feels springy and serve warm, before extra heat makes the octopus tough.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Small octopus segments undergo a ginger-water blanch before threading onto skewers and grilling with a thick glaze of gochujang, garlic, soy sauce, and sugar.
Finish cue: Remove the skewers as soon as the outside looks glossy, sticky, and lightly charred.
Avoid this: Turn them about every minute, adding more sauce lightly to prevent the sugar from burning.