Calamari Recipe
This Calamari Recipe is the appetizer that makes every table feel like a seaside restaurant on the Mediterranean coast. Shatteringly crispy golden rings on the outside. Tender, sweet and perfectly cooked squid inside. Furthermore, a light, airy coating that crunches magnificently with every single bite.
Moreover, the secret to extraordinary calamari is technique rather than complexity. For more wonderful seafood and snack recipes, also explore our crispy Crispy Fish Burger Recipe, our vibrant Fish Tacos Recipe and our full Snacks and Appetizers collection.
The Secret to Tender Calamari in This Recipe
The most common mistake with calamari is ending up with chewy, rubbery squid. Furthermore, avoiding this is entirely a matter of understanding one fundamental rule. Squid must be cooked either very quickly over very high heat or very slowly for a very long time. Consequently, for this Calamari Recipe the fast frying method at high temperature is used. Each ring spends only 2 minutes in hot oil and emerges tender, sweet and perfectly cooked.
The Buttermilk Soak
Soaking the squid rings in buttermilk for 30 minutes before coating is the single most important technique in this Calamari Recipe. Furthermore, the acidity in the buttermilk gently tenderizes the squid and produces a noticeably more tender finished ring. Additionally, buttermilk helps the seasoned flour coating adhere more firmly to the squid. Consequently, the finished crust is thicker, crispier and stays attached throughout the eating experience.
The Coating for This Calamari Recipe
The coating is what gives this Calamari Recipe its extraordinary crunch. Furthermore, a well seasoned combination of plain flour, semolina and spices produces a coating that is crispy, flavorful and light all at once.
Why Add Semolina
Semolina is the secret ingredient that makes this coating superior to plain flour alone. Moreover, semolina is coarser than flour and produces a much crispier and more textured crust. Additionally, it stays crispy for longer after frying than a pure flour coating. Consequently, the calamari remains shatteringly crispy even if it sits for a few minutes before serving.
The Seasoning Blend
Season the flour mixture generously with smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, cayenne and salt. Furthermore, a well seasoned coating means the flavor is in the crust itself rather than relying entirely on the dipping sauce. Consequently, every ring is delicious even eaten completely plain without any sauce.
Frying Temperature for This Calamari Recipe
Oil temperature is the most critical factor in producing perfect calamari. Furthermore, the oil must be at exactly 180 to 185 degrees C before the first ring goes in. Consequently, a kitchen thermometer is strongly recommended for this recipe.
Why Temperature Matters
Oil that is too cool produces greasy, soggy calamari that absorbs oil rather than frying crisply. Moreover, oil that is too hot burns the coating before the squid is cooked through. Consequently, the target temperature of 180 to 185 degrees C produces a perfectly golden, crispy crust and a tender interior every single time.
Frying in Small Batches
Never add too many rings at once. Furthermore, overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature dramatically. Consequently, the rings steam rather than fry and produce a pale, soft and greasy result rather than a crispy golden one. Fry in batches of 6 to 8 rings at most for the best result.
How to Make This Calamari Recipe
The method is fast and straightforward. First, soak the squid in buttermilk. Then make the seasoned coating. Next, dredge and fry in hot oil in small batches. Finally, drain and serve immediately with marinara sauce and lemon. The full method is in the recipe card below.
What to Serve with Calamari
This Calamari Recipe is spectacular as a standalone appetizer. However, these accompaniments make it a complete and impressive seafood spread:
Perfect Pairings
- Homemade marinara dipping sauce or aioli alongside for the most classic pairing
- Our vibrant Caprese Salad Recipe as a fresh Italian starter before the calamari
- Our crispy Crispy Fish Burger Recipe as a main course after calamari starters for a full seafood feast
- Our fresh Nicoise Salad Recipe as a light and elegant accompaniment
- Wedges of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the freshly fried rings immediately before serving
Easy Variations for This Calamari Recipe
Salt and Pepper Calamari — Add a generous amount of ground black pepper and Chinese five spice to the coating. Moreover, serve with a punchy chili and spring onion dipping sauce for a vibrant Cantonese inspired take on the classic.
Grilled Calamari — Score the cleaned squid tubes in a crosshatch pattern. Marinate in olive oil, garlic and lemon. Furthermore, grill over very high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side for a lighter, char kissed alternative to the fried version.
Coconut Calamari — Replace half the semolina with desiccated coconut in the coating. Additionally, serve with a mango habanero dipping sauce for a tropical and visually stunning variation.
Air Fryer Calamari — Spray the coated rings generously with cooking oil spray. Air fry at 200 degrees C for 8 minutes, turning halfway. Consequently, this lighter version produces a surprisingly crispy result with significantly less oil.
Make This Calamari Recipe Tonight
In conclusion, this Calamari Recipe is the most impressive, crowd pleasing and deeply satisfying seafood appetizer you can make at home in just 20 minutes. Therefore, whether it is a dinner party starter, a casual gathering snack or a Friday night treat, this recipe always delivers extraordinary results. Browse more of our wonderful Snacks and Appetizers and share your results in the comments below!
Calamari Recipe
Tender squid rings soaked in buttermilk, coated in seasoned flour and semolina and fried until shatteringly crispy and golden. Served with marinara and fresh lemon.
Ingredients
- The Squid
- 600 gFresh or frozen squid, cleaned and cut into 1cm ringsFrozen squid tubes are excellent quality and very convenient - thaw fully before using
- 250 mlButtermilk for soakingIf unavailable, mix 250ml whole milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice and rest for 5 minutes
- The Seasoned Coating
- 100 gPlain flour
- 60 gFine semolinaSemolina gives the coating extra crunch that stays crispy for longer than plain flour alone
- 1 tspSmoked paprika
- 1 tspGarlic powder
- 1/2 tspDried oregano
- 1/2 tspCayenne pepper
- 1 tspSalt
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper
- 750 mlNeutral oil for frying (sunflower or vegetable)
- The Quick Marinara Dipping Sauce
- 200 mlPassata or crushed tomatoes
- 1 cloveGarlic, finely minced
- 1 tbspOlive oil
- 1/2 tspDried oregano
- PinchChili flakes
- SaltTo taste
- To Serve
- 2Lemons, cut into wedges
- As desiredFresh flat leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
- As desiredFlaky sea salt for finishing
Equipment
Method for This Calamari Recipe
- 1 Soak the squid: Place the cleaned squid rings in a bowl and pour over the buttermilk. Stir well to make sure every ring is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Furthermore, this buttermilk soak is essential for tender calamari. The acidity gently breaks down the tough proteins in the squid and also helps the coating adhere perfectly during frying.
- 2 Make the marinara sauce: Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant. Add the passata, dried oregano and chili flakes. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt. Moreover, making the sauce first means it has time to develop flavor while the squid soaks and the oil heats. Keep warm over very low heat.
- 3 Prepare the coating: Combine the flour, semolina, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Mix well until completely uniform. Furthermore, mixing the seasoning thoroughly into the flour ensures every ring gets an evenly seasoned coating rather than patches of plain flour alongside patches of concentrated spice.
- 4 Heat the oil: Pour the oil into a deep heavy pan to a depth of at least 6cm. Heat over medium high heat until the oil reaches 180 to 185 degrees C. Use a kitchen thermometer to verify the temperature. Furthermore, testing the oil by dropping in a small piece of the coating is unreliable compared to a thermometer. Consequently, a thermometer is the only way to guarantee the correct frying temperature every time.
- 5 Coat and fry the calamari: Remove the squid rings from the buttermilk in small batches, allowing the excess to drip off for 2 seconds. Dredge in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing firmly to coat all sides. Shake off any excess flour. Carefully lower 6 to 8 rings into the hot oil. Fry for exactly 2 minutes until deeply golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack. Furthermore, frying for no longer than 2 minutes keeps the squid tender rather than rubbery.
- 6 Season and serve: Immediately season the freshly fried calamari with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt while still hot. Scatter over freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately on a warm plate with the marinara sauce in a small bowl alongside and lemon wedges to squeeze over. Moreover, calamari is at its absolute best eaten within 2 minutes of leaving the oil while the coating is at maximum crispiness.
Nutrition (Per Serving - with marinara sauce)
* Nutritional values are estimates per serving. Air fryer version reduces fat by approximately 5g and calories by approximately 60 kcal per serving.
Notes
- Do not skip the buttermilk soak. This is the single most important step in this Calamari Recipe. Furthermore, calamari soaked in buttermilk for 30 minutes is noticeably more tender than unsOaked calamari. The acidity tenderizes the squid and makes the coating adhere far more effectively.
- Always fry in small batches. Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature and causes the rings to steam rather than fry. Furthermore, steamed calamari is pale, greasy and soft rather than golden and crispy. Fry no more than 6 to 8 rings at a time and let the oil return to temperature between batches.
- Season immediately after frying while still hot. Salt adheres to freshly fried food much more effectively than to cooled food. Furthermore, immediate seasoning ensures the salt bonds to the hot crispy surface and enhances every bite. Seasoning after cooling produces a much less impactful result.
- This Calamari Recipe serves 4 generously as a starter. To serve 6, increase the squid to 900g and increase all coating quantities by 50%. Furthermore, fry in three or four batches to maintain the correct oil temperature throughout.
- Frozen squid tubes are an excellent and very practical option for this recipe. They are often of superior quality to fresh squid as they are frozen at sea immediately after catching. Furthermore, thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight and pat very dry before cutting and soaking.
Tips for the Perfect Calamari Recipe Every Time
- Pat the squid very dry before soaking in buttermilk. Any surface water dilutes the buttermilk and reduces its tenderizing effect. Furthermore, dry squid also means the buttermilk clings more effectively to every surface of each ring. Consequently, a thorough pat dry before soaking produces a better tenderized and better coated finished ring.
- Use a kitchen thermometer for the oil. The difference between 160 degrees C and 185 degrees C oil produces dramatically different results. Furthermore, 160 degrees C produces pale, greasy calamari while 185 degrees C produces deeply golden, crispy rings with almost no oil absorption. Consequently, a thermometer is the single most valuable piece of equipment for this recipe.
- Shake off all excess coating before frying. Too much flour in the oil causes it to burn quickly and turn bitter. Furthermore, excess coating creates thick, uneven patches on the rings rather than a light, even and delicate crust. Consequently, a firm shake of each ring before lowering into the oil is always worthwhile.
- Drain on a wire rack not paper towels. Paper towels trap steam under the calamari and soften the crust almost immediately. Furthermore, a wire rack allows air to circulate on all sides and keeps the coating crispy for significantly longer. Consequently, calamari drained on a rack stays crispy for up to 3 minutes after frying.
- Serve on a warm plate immediately. Calamari cools and softens rapidly. Moreover, a warm plate slows this process and keeps the rings at the best temperature and texture for the entire eating experience. Place serving plates in a low oven for 5 minutes before plating for the best result.