Calamari Fritti (or Fried Calamari) is a Mediterranean seafood dish that is usually served as an appetizer in restaurants. This popular squid recipe is very easy to make at home and pairs perfectly with Orzo Pasta Salad and homemade Tartar Sauce With Capers. Same as BBQ Prawns (Shrimp), this wonderfully delicious seafood dish is ready in just 20 minutes!
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Fried Calamari is very popular all over the world and is known by different names. This delicious seafood dish is called Calamari Fritti in Italy, Kalamar Tava in Turkey and Kalamarakia Tiganita in Greece. It is light and crispy, extremely straightforward to make, and always a crowd-pleaser.
I learned how to make this dish at home many years ago, before becoming a professional chef. It is less complicated than it appears. The secret to a light and crispy Calamari Fritti is to tenderize the squid rings, coat them in seasoned flour and then deep fry them for no longer than a couple of minutes.
How to Tenderise Calamari?
There are a few ways to tenderize calamari before frying to achieve light and crispy squid rings each time.
The method I use is to rub the calamari rings with some salt, sugar, and bicarbonate of soda for a few minutes before soaking them in soda water or milk. I let the rings marinate for a minimum of an hour, ideally overnight if I have time, before frying them.
This method will help tenderize the squid and keep it from getting too chewy when you bite into it later. However, the cooking time is actually the most important factor in making a tender squid dish. Unfortunately, tenderizing the squid won't be able to save overcooked calamari.
Why This Recipe Works?
- It is an extremely straightforward recipe with only a few ingredients.
- Calamari Fritti is a quick and easy appetizer that’s even better than what you’d get at a restaurant!
- It is the perfect seafood dish to impress your dinner guests with a minimum of preparation.
- The leftovers would keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days. No need to reheat them! Just have them as a snack or turn them into a sandwich with some delicious homemade Tartar Sauce With Capers.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Squid - I like buying whole fresh squid. The fishmonger is usually happy to clean and cut it into rings. Alternatively, you can buy frozen rings which are easy to work with and still delicious.
- Salt, sugar, and bicarbonate of soda - They help to tenderize the squid as well as add flavor.
- Soda water - I buy them in small bottles from Turkish shops. They are also widely available in supermarkets. You can substitute it with an equal amount of milk or buttermilk.
- Flour - I use plain (all-purpose) flour but you can use chickpea flour for a gluten-free option.
- Oil - Ideally you want to use an oil with a high smoke point such as rapeseed, vegetable, sunflower, or canola oil.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe for pan-fried calamari is very easy to make and doesn't require much of your time. However, you need to follow a few simple steps to achieve the best results:
Tenderise The Squid Rings
Start with preparing the squid unless you already bought calamari rings. Cut the cleaned tubes into 2 cm (¾ ") thick rings.
Place them in a bowl along with the tentacles, and sprinkle on the salt, sugar and bicarbonate of soda. Rub them all for a few minutes, until they start softening and form bubbles.
Pour the soda water (or milk) on the calamari rings and tentacles, making sure they all are covered nicely. Cover the bowl with cling film or a lid and marinate for a minimum of an hour, ideally overnight refrigerated.
Coat the Calamari Rings With Flour
Mix the flour, salt, and freshly ground pepper in a bowl and then set it aside. Place the tenderized calamari rings on a colander to drain the excess liquid.
Toss a few calamari rings in the flour mixture until they are all nicely covered, and then transfer them to a colander. Repeat until all the calamari is coated in the flour mixture.
Fry the Calamari and Serve
Fill a small saucepan or a medium-size frying pan with vegetable, rapeseed or sunflower oil, and then heat it to 180° C (350° F).
You can use a cooking thermometer or test it by dropping one calamari ring. To test, drop just one calamari ring in the oil, lots of gentle bubbles should form around it immediately and the calamari and bubbles begin to float to the top.
Fry the squid rings in batches (about eight at a time, depending on the size of your pan) for two minutes or until slightly golden brown.
Prepare a tray and put a wire rack, and then cover the rack with a paper towel. As the calamari cook, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the prepared wire rack. You can use the preheated oven to 100 °C (212 °F) to keep the rings warm while the rest is frying.
Repeat until you are finished with all the rings and then serve immediately with lemon wedges, chopped chilies (optional), and a dipping sauce such as Tartar Sauce With Capers, Haydari (Turkish Yoghurt Dip) or Tarator.
Top Tip From The Chef
Don't cut the calamari rings too thin. Slicing the squid tubes into thicker rings extends the cooking time long enough for the coating to brown and crisp up nicely, while the calamari is still tender on the inside without getting rubbery.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can reheat them with deep-frying for a minute in hot oil. Alternatively, if you have an air fryer, you can use the "extra crispy" function for two minutes to reheat the leftover calamari rings. I don't recommend microwaving them as they would get soggy and rubbery. I personally eat them cold from the fridge or at room temperature as a snack or in a sandwich.
If you used fresh calamari, you can refrigerate the leftovers for up to three days in an airtight container. If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze them and keep them for up to a month.
If you used frozen calamari, you can refrigerate the leftovers for up to 48 hours. Do not freeze them if you used frozen squid rings!
There is 288 kcal in a portion of calamari rings when consumed as an appetizer when following my recipe.
Related Recipes
For more delicious seafood & fish recipes why not try:
I hope you enjoy the process of making these homemade fried calamari rings as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below, tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram, and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
Calamari Fritti
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 g squid
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 200 ml soda water
- 1 cup plain white flour / all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt (to season the flour)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (to season the flour)
- ½ cup vegetable, rapeseed or sunflower oil for frying
- lemon wedges (to serve with)
- sliced red chilli (optional)
Instructions
Tenderise the Squid Rings
- Start with preparing the squid unless you already bought calamari rings. Cut the cleaned tubes into 2 cm (¾ ") thick rings.
- Place them in a bowl along with the tentacles, and sprinkle on the salt, sugar and bicarbonate of soda. Rub the rings for a few minutes, until they start softening and form bubbles.
- Pour the soda water (or milk) on the calamari rings and tentacles, making sure they all are covered nicely.
- Cover the bowl with cling film or a lid and marinate for a minimum of an hour, ideally overnight refrigerated.
Coat the Calamari Rings With Flour
- Mix the flour, salt and freshly ground pepper in a bowl and set it aside.
- Place the tenderised calamari rings on a colander to drain the excess liquid.
- Toss a few calamari rings in the flour mixture until they are all nicely covered, and then transfer them to a colander. Repeat until all the calamari is coated in the flour mixture.
Fry and Serve
- Fill a small saucepan or a medium-size frying pan with vegetable, rapeseed or sunflower oil and heat it to 180° C (350° F). You can use a cooking thermometer or test it by dropping one calamari ring. To test, drop just one calamari ring in the oil, lots of gentle bubbles should form around it immediately and the calamari and bubbles begin to float to the top.
- Fry the squid rings in batches (about eight at a time) for two minutes or until slightly golden brown.
- Prepare a tray and put a wire rack, and cover the rack with a paper towel. As the calamari cook, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the prepared wire rack. You can use the preheated oven to 100 °C (212 °F) to keep the rings warm while the rest is frying.
- Repeat until you are finished with all the rings and serve immediately with lemon wedges and a dipping sauce of your choice.
Video
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Paul
Great recipe and the trick of tenderising the calamari with soda water worked so well. Tasty crispy calamari that’s super tender. Thanks for a great recipe!