fried squid

This fried calamari recipe is tender pieces of squid soaked in buttermilk, then coated in seasoned flour and deep fried to golden brown perfection. A quick and easy appetizer option that&#x27;s even better than what you&#x27;d get at a restaurant!

Fried Calamari

calamari (rings and tentacles)

buttermilk

all purpose flour

salt (plus more for serving)

paprika (smoked

pepper

garlic powder

vegetable oil

parsley

Place the calamari in a bowl with the buttermilk and stir to combine.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 3-4 inches of oil in a large deep pot to 375 degrees F.

Place the flour, salt, paprika, pepper and garlic powder in a medium bowl; stir to combine.

Remove each piece of squid from the buttermilk and dredge in the flour. Repeat the process until all pieces are coated.

Place 8-10 pieces of squid in the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove the squid from the oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat the process with the remaining squid.

Sprinkle additional salt over the squid if desired, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/cj9DFkiC.mp4

This fried calamari recipe is tender pieces of squid soaked in buttermilk, then coated in seasoned flour and deep fried to golden brown perfection. A quick and easy appetizer option that's even better than what you'd get at a restaurant!

Quick, crispy deep fried calamari is the perfect appetizer to enjoy with any dinner but especially alongside some more wonderful seafood! The squid is made extra tender with a soak in rich buttermilk before being fried to perfection!

Calamari

squid

buttermilk ((see buttermilk substitutes))

cooking oil

all-purpose flour

yellow cornmeal

tsp Old Bay Seasoning

tsp Kosher salt ((divided

lemon wedges ((optional garnish))

soak

Pat your cleaned squid dry using paper towels (especially if it has been thawed) then place in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over it, tossing to coat evenly. Cover with plastic cling film wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours at a maximum.

heat

Heat your deep fryer or a deep skillet or Dutch oven with cooking oil to 375°F (190°C).

combine

While the oil is heating, prepare the breading. In a shallow dish combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, Old Bay Seasoning, and the first 2 teaspoon portion of Kosher salt.

dredge

Work in batches as needed and use a fork to remove the squid pieces from the bowl of buttermilk. Allow the pieces to drip dry as much as possible, then transfer into your shallow dish of breading mixture. Lightly dredge each piece of squid then shake off the excess.

Gently place breaded squid pieces into the heated oil and fry until a light golden color and crisp, about 45 seconds is all it takes! Use a slotted spoon or metal tongs to remove the fried calamari to a wire cooling rack (with paper towels beneath it to catch the oil).

serve

When all of the calamari is fried, place the calamari in a large bowl and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt. Toss to coat then serve immediately. Garnish with lemon if desired, and serve with marinara.

Recipe video above. It only took us 3 years to crack the ultimate, truly crispy Salt and Pepper Squid! Hand on heart, this is crispier than any squid I&#39;ve had in a restaurant, ever. The fry batter is light, super crunchy and not greasy at all. In fact, it&#39;s so crispy it stays crispy even when it&#39;s stone cold!After eliminating rice flour, potato flour and tapioca, we found the perfect ratio of flour to cornflour (cornstarch). But the final key was refrigerating the batter for 30 minutes. This allowed the gluten to develop so the batter clings to the slippery squid better and doesn&#39;t fry up chewy or greasy.

Crispy Salt & Pepper Squid

700 g / 1.4 lb medium whole baby squid

cornflour / cornstarch

plain / all-purpose flour

tsp baking powder

tsp cooking / kosher salt

tsp white pepper powder

water

vegetable

Cooking / kosher salt

White pepper powder

whole egg mayonnaise

tsp garlic

Cut one side of the squid tube to lay it out in one flat piece. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel.

Lightly score the inside with a small sharp knife in 1.5 cm / 0.6&quot; diamonds (don&#39;t cut all the way through). (Note 3)

Cut the squid into pieces 5 x 2cm (2 x 1&quot;) rectangles (approximately).

Preparing squid:

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes (up to 24 hours).

Aioli:

Batter - Whisk the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Then whisk in water until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Note 4)

Heat oil - Fill small heavy based pot or large saucepan with 4cm / 1.5&quot; of oil. Heat to 160°C/320°F on medium high heat.

Give the batter a quick whisk then add all the squid in a toss to coat.

Batter:

Cook the squid in 3 batches.

Pick up some squid and let the excess batter to drip off. Careful place in the oil. Use chopsticks to seperate the pieces so they frying individually.

Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until light golden. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove the squid on a paper towel lined tray.

Fry remaining squid, making sure the oil comes back to temperature before cook batches 2 and 3.

Fry 1:

Increase oil temp - Increase the stove to high and bring the the oil up to 200°C/390°F.

Bowl - Line a large mixing bowl with double layer of paper towels.

Fry - Place half of the squid in the oil (it&#39;s ok to crowd the pot). Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until it becomes deep golden and crispy. Remove into the bowl. Bring the oil back up to 200°C/390°F then fry the remaining squid.

Season - Remove paper towel. Taste first then sprinkle lightly with as much salt and pepper as you want (the batter has a good amount of salt in in it already). Toss well.

Fry 2 - crisp it!

Pour into a serving bowl and serve with aioli! This batter is so good, it will stay crispy even once the squid has gone cold.

Serve:

This Air Fryer Calamari recipe offers a crispy, golden-brown appetizer with a fraction of the oil used in traditional frying. Using a simple breading station with flour, eggs, and seasoned panko breadcrumbs, the calamari rings are air-fried to perfection, resulting in a light yet crunchy texture. Ready in just 18 minutes, it’s a quick and delicious way to enjoy tender squid with minimal fuss and maximum flavor.

Air Fryer Calamari Recipe

eggs (beaten)

panko breadcrumbs

breadcrumbs

salt

black pepper

smoked paprika

Italian seasoning

calamari tubes (cut into 1 inch rings)

Non-stick cooking spray

Slice the Calamari

Start by slicing the squid tubes into rings about 1 inch in diameter, ensuring even thickness for uniform cooking.

Preheat the Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for approximately 5 minutes to ensure it’s ready for cooking.

Prepare the Breading Station

Set up three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, Italian breadcrumbs, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning.

Bread the Calamari Rings

Dip each calamari ring first into the flour, then into the beaten eggs, and finally coat them evenly with the seasoned breadcrumb mixture. Make sure each ring is thoroughly coated for a crispy finish.

Prepare the Air Fryer Basket

Lightly spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking during cooking.

Arrange the Rings

Place the coated calamari rings in a single layer inside the air fryer basket without overlapping. Lightly spray the tops of the rings with cooking spray for extra crispiness.

Cook the Calamari

Cook at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes until the calamari rings turn golden brown and crisp. Shake the basket halfway through cooking to promote even browning.

Serve Immediately

Remove the calamari from the air fryer and serve immediately with your favorite dip or a squeeze of fresh lemon to enhance the flavors.

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Fried Calamari

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Top 4 fried squid recipes from across the web

The most viewed fried squid recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Fried Calamari

Calamari

Crispy Salt & Pepper Squid

Air Fryer Calamari Recipe

The most viewed fried squid recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine