Fried Calamari

If you’ve been keeping up with my Twitter account and FaceBook and Google Plus and all that junk where I post my most intimates, then you know Chris and I just got back from a trip to the Texas Riviera — a.k.a. Port Aransas. We ate a boatload (not literally) of fried seafood while we were there and loved it so much we came home and ate some more.

Fried Calamari Recipe
I know it’s not, like, the most dietary thing for those of you who are trying to eat healthier this year, but uh, it’s real good. I learned this super quick and simple calamari recipe from a Greek lady I used to work with.

There is really only one thing to remember when frying squid and that is not to overcook it. Like, just two minutes or less. Fer real. So, if you can manage that you can make perfect fried calamari whenever and pretend that you, too, are on the Texas Riviera.

Fried Calamari Recipe Video

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Perfect Fried Calamari

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5 from 2 reviews

Simple fried calamari

  • Yield: 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound small squid
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • Vegetable or olive oil for frying
  • Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Separate the bodies from the tentacles and remove the beaks from inside if that hasn’t already been done by the fishmonger.
  2. Rinse the squid bodies and tentacles. Drain well.
  3. Slice the bodies crosswise into rings about 1/3-1/2″ wide. Leave the tentacles whole.
  4. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a paper bag.
  5. Drop a handful of squid in the bag at a time and shake to coat. Remove excess flour and set aside on a plate.
  6. Heat the oil (4 inches deep) to between 360-365 degrees F.
  7. Use a slotted spoon or a spider to lower several pieces of coated calamari into the oil.
  8. Fry no longer than 2 minutes, until the calamari and light golden color and the sputtering has subsided.
  9. Drain on paper towels briefly then serve with lemon wedges.
  10. Continue with the rest of the squid.

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11 Comments

  1. Great Stone Face on January 6, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    Lemon wedges are nice, but i also like to dip (not cover) the fried rings in a spicy marinara sauce. Maybe some vinegary coleslaw on the side.

    • Hilah on January 7, 2012 at 8:47 pm

      Mmm, vinegar coleslaw is the best with seafood! I’m also picturing a fresh tomato marinara, almost like a salsa. But maybe I just want to put salsa on everything… 😉

  2. Tom "The Winegeek" on January 7, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    You can’t get anything this good at the fancy Olive Garden. These are great!

    • Hilah on January 7, 2012 at 8:44 pm

      Ha! Thanks Tom! Wonder what wine would go well with these…

  3. Nikki on November 7, 2012 at 10:51 pm

    Hilah, I’m a big fan of your videos. Do you know of an enticing dip for these that’s convenient to make at home? I rarely carry marinara on hand but I have an issue with not being able to serve these with dip. Thanks.






    • Hilah on November 8, 2012 at 10:25 am

      Hi Nikki!
      You could try this tartar sauce recipe or the lemon butter sauce in this post. A storebought cocktail sauce would be nice, too! Enjoy!

    • Great Stone Face on November 8, 2012 at 10:53 am

      You could make a simple “Louis” sauce with mayonnaise, Heinz chili sauce, and whipping cream (3:1:1 ratio), and grated onion or minced green onion. Add hot sauce to taste.






    • Janet on May 18, 2013 at 8:48 am

      Best calamari dipping sauce for me is Tzatziki! Trust me 🙂

      • Hilah on May 19, 2013 at 9:21 am

        I believe it, Janet! That sounds delicious! Thanks for the idea!

  4. Chris on January 29, 2015 at 9:23 pm

    I made this the other night and it was great. Cleaning the squid was a bit of a chore but nothing I wouldn’t do again. It was fun watching my kids faces as they ate them and realizing it was delicious. Do you have a good suggestion to spice the batter up a bit? Thanks for the great meal.

    • Hilah on February 2, 2015 at 9:22 am

      Awesome! So glad the kids enjoyed it, too, Chris. For a spicier calamari, add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the flour, then a sprinkle of hot paprika on the finished calamari. Yum!

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