Delicious squid recipes in 4 easy variations

Have you ever tried to prepare squid?

No? And you would like to, but you just don’t know how?

Try our simple recipes for calamari, as squid are often called.

We will also advise you on how to clean them properly.

Enjoy it!

Fried calamari

Tender chunks of calamari dipped in buttermilk, then coated in seasoned flour and fried until golden brown, are a quick and easy appetizer that can easily compete with a meal at some of the better restaurants.

Ingredients

• 450 g squid rings and tentacles
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 and 1/2 cups plain flour
• 2 teaspoons salt or more per serving
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried garlic
• vegetable oil for frying
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Place the calamari in the bowl with the buttermilk and stir to combine the ingredients well.
2. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat a good layer of oil in a deep pan to about 190 degrees C.
4. Put the flour, salt, paprika, pepper and dried garlic in a bowl and mix well.
5. Remove the calamari from the buttermilk and coat them gradually in the flour and spice mixture.
6. Put 8-10 pieces of calamari in the oil.
7. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden.
8. Remove the calamari from the oil and place them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
9. Repeat the process with the remaining calamari.
10. If you like, add salt to the calamari and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
11. Serve immediately.

Stuffed calamari in tomato sauce

Although Italians almost never add cheese to seafood, they made an exception in this dish. Delicious cheeses give the filling a divine salty taste. This delicious dish is best served with pasta as a main course.

Ingredients

• 1 kg cleaned squid with tentacles (about 8 squid)

Filling

• 2 and 1/2 cups fresh old bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano and Pecorino cheeses
• 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste

Tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• 796 ml glass of tomato passata
• salt to taste

To serve

• 450 g of pasta of your choice

Method

1. Rinse the calamari well under running water and let them dry.
2. Finely chop the mandarins and place in a bowl.
3. Place breadcrumbs, chopped tentacles, grated Parmigiano and Pecorino cheeses, crushed garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and eggs in a medium bowl. Mix well with a fork or your fingers.
4. Use your fingers to fill the calamari with the resulting filling.
5. Be sure to push down as well to fill the bottom end of the squid.
6. Leave about a centimeter of space at the top, as the filling will expand a bit during cooking and may ooze out.
7. Secure the open end with a toothpick.
8. Set aside and prepare the tomato sauce in the meantime.
9. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the garlic and red pepper flakes (optional).
10. Add a glass of tomato passata and bring to a boil.
11. Carefully dip the stuffed calamari into the sauce.
12. Turn down the heat and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.
13. About 10 minutes before the calamari are ready, cook your favorite pasta according to the instructions on the package “al dente”.
14. Carefully transfer the calamari to a plate and remove the toothpicks.
15. Pour the tomato sauce over the pasta and serve with the calamari.

If Italian cuisine is close to you, don’t forget to try our 7 great tips for Italian pasta as you don’t know it.

Grilled squid with lemon and pepper

A simple yet tasty meal that only takes five minutes to grill. It’s a great way to enjoy seafood without having to head to a restaurant.

Ingredients

• squid tubes weighing 250 grams
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• coarsely ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Clean the calamari well under running water.
2. If there is a small membrane or muscle still attached to the bottom, cut it off to allow water to flow freely through the tube.
3. Let dry.
4. Place the calamari in a shallow bowl.
5. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40 minutes.
7. Heat the grill to high heat.
8. Take the calamari out of the fridge and pour the lemon juice over it.
9. Coat the grill with vegetable oil and heat to medium heat.
10. Grill the calamari for 2-3 minutes on each side (they should be white and firm).
11. Cut the calamari into rings and place in a bowl.
12. Mix with pepper and fresh parsley.
13. Serve immediately and warm.
14. Enjoy it!

Roasted calamari with garlic

Delicate calamari with a few ingredients sautéed for just a few minutes. Serve with lemon for acidity and crusty bread to sop up leftover garlic butter sauce. It’s a delicacy!

Ingredients

• 500 g of cleaned squid (cut the bodies into rings and leave the tentacles whole)
• spoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley leaves
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into eighths

Method

1. Dry the calamari with a paper towel.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over high heat.
3. Add the calamari, then add the butter, garlic and parsley.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Saute and toss the calamari during the sauteing process until they are done (this takes about 1-2 minutes).
6. Season with salt and pepper and serve with lemon.

How to clean squid?

If you buy whole squid, you will need to cut and clean them before cooking them. The first step is to rinse the squid under cold water and then tear off the tentacles from the body.

Cut the head from the tentacles and throw it away. Remove the beak from the center of the tentacles. Clean all the guts from the squid body and remove the bone, which looks like a long thin piece of clear plastic.

If there is a membrane on the outside of the squid, remove it and then cut off the large fin from each side of the body. Cut the flesh into rings. Then use the rings and tentacles as directed in the given recipe.

The following video can help you get an even better idea:

How to Clean Calamari

As you can see, it’s a simple process that anyone can do!

Tell us how you managed to prepare the calamari. We look forward to hearing from you.