Fried Calamari

Fried calamari is one of my favorite appetizers for good reason! Crispy fried calamari comes together in around 30 minutes, making it perfect to prepare on a busy weeknight or as an elevated holiday appetizer. It can even be part of a main meal when paired with fries and a salad.

Fried calamari is basically squid that has been sliced into rings, breaded, and fried. While several cultures around the world have dishes using squid, fried calamari is particularly popular in countries around the Mediterranean, often being served with a squeeze of lemon.

This particular squid recipe is a little different from the Mediterranean version as it includes a cornmeal coating seasoned with bold spices like Old Bay seasoning, paprika, and garlic powder. The cornmeal in the coating adds a wonderful crunch and sweet flavor that makes this calamari recipe particularly delicious.

While fried calamari is perfectly delicious on its own or with a side of marinara sauce and lemon juice squeezed on top, you could also serve it with these recipes: Sweet Chili Sauce, Popeyes Fries, and Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread.

Fried Calamari – An Elevated Appetizer

With the delicate sweet taste of the calamari and crispy yet flaky coating, this easy calamari recipe may become a go-to seafood dish in your kitchen. While many calamari recipes include a coating of a simple batter with eggs, flour, and salt, this version comprises plenty of robust seasonings and cornmeal for added flavor and crunch. 

Here are just a few reasons you’ll love it:

• Can use fresh or frozen squid: Fresh squid offers the best and freshest flavor for homemade calamari, but you could easily prepare it with frozen squid instead. This possibility means that you can make this calamari dish wherever you are in the world, even if fresh calamari isn’t available where you are.
• It’s easy to make: With a simple dry batter and only 20 minutes of prep time, this fried calamari comes together quickly.
• It has a crisp yet tender texture: With the seasoned cornmeal and flour coating, it achieves a crisp texture while ensuring tender calamari.

Ingredients You Need

Squid is the star of this recipe! You’ll also need a few kitchen staples.

Note: The full list of ingredients with measurements is provided in the recipe card below.

• Squid – You can use fresh or frozen squid for this recipe. Feel free to purchase ones that have the tentacles attached if you enjoy that texture. 
• Heavy Cream – Soaking the squid in heavy cream helps it tenderize while also reducing the squid’s fishy taste. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can use milk instead.
• Flour – Use all-purpose flour to form the base of the dry batter that coats the squid rings.
• Yellow Cornmeal – Cornmeal is wonderful as it offers extra crunch to the coating along with a sweet flavor.
• Cornstarch – While cornstarch has a neutral taste, it is another component that aids in the calamari’s crisp and tender coating.
• Old Bay Seasoning – Commonly used in seafood recipes, Old Bay seasoning is a wonderful spice blend comprising celery salt, paprika, red pepper, and black pepper.
• Paprika – Paprika gives the coating a slight reddish hue along with a smoky taste.
• Onion Powder – Slightly sweet and savory, onion powder is an essential component of this savory fried calamari.
• Garlic Powder – With an aromatic and robust taste, garlic powder gives the calamari a garlicky taste.

How to Make Fried Calamari

These crispy fried calamari rings comes together relatively easily in just a few steps. It’s an easy impressive appetizer to pull together for any meal!

1. Slice the squid: Slice the squid in even rings.
2. Marinate the squid: Place the squid in a large bowl and stir it with the heavy cream and salt. Allow it to marinate for 20 minutes to tenderize the squid. While the squid is marinating, pour 3 inches of oil into a large skillet. Preheat the oil to 350°F.

3. Mix the dry batter: In a bowl, stir the flour with the cornstarch, cornmeal, Old Bay seasoning, paprika, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder until combined.
4. Dredge the squid: Coat the wet squid in the dry batter, shaking off the excess. You can use a skimmer or spider strainer to shake off the excess and strain the liquid when frying.

5. Fry the squid: Fry the squid in small; batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes. After frying, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

TIP: Slice the squid into even-sized rings to ensure they fry evenly. Avoid overcooking the squid or else it will have a rubbery texture.

Expert Tips

• Soak the calamari: Soaking squid in milk, cream, or buttermilk is a common step that ensures you have the best tasting fried calamari that also has a tender texture. The lactic acid in the milk helps tenderize the squid while also reducing its fishy taste.
• Maintain an even frying temperature: You can use an instant-read thermometer to check the oil temperature between frying batches of the calamari. A temperature that is too cold will mean that the calamari will require a longer cooking time and may result in it absorbing too much oil. Meanwhile, a temperature that is too hot will likely lead to the coating burning and the squid becoming chewy.
• Drain on paper towels: When the calamari is cooked, remove it with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to absorb the excess oil.

Recipe FAQs

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