Crispy Fried Calamari
Fried Calamari is a lot easier to make at home than you might think! This recipe has a crispy batter that fries perfectly to a golden brown crunch.
Are there any foods you can think of that you MUST get if you see it on the menu when you’re dining out?
For me, Fried Calamari was always one of those must-order dishes. I don’t eat fried food too often, but fried calamari is one of my favorites.
Rings of squid coated in a super crispy, crunchy shell, dipped in a little marinara or aioli…the BEST!
I get the impression that a lot of people are intimidated by deep frying, but it’s actually one of the easiest and quickest cooking methods of all.
This calamari for instance only takes 2-3 minutes total for each batch.
It’s super fast, and the fresh-out-of-the-fryer crispy coating is so much better than what you’d get at a restaurant.
The most important thing when frying is to make sure the temperature is right. If you don’t have a thermometer, please consider getting one! It is one of the most essential tools for the kitchen.
Some people like having a dedicated deep fry thermometer, but I just use my thermapen or this thermometer to check the temperature.
How to Make Fried Calamari:
To get started with the calamari, cut the squid into tubes, then soak in lemon juice for 30 minutes:
This tenderizes the squid and adds flavor.
Next, mix flour with cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt:
Split this between two bowls, then add buttermilk or milk to a third bowl.
Remove the squid from the lemon juice, then dredge in the flour:
Then into the buttermilk or milk:
Then into the second duplicate bowl of flour:
Then deep fry the calamari in batches, for 2-3 minutes:
The calamari should be golden brown and crispy! Drain on a paper towel, and immediately salt the calamari so the seasoning sticks:
Serve plain, with marinara sauce, lemon wedges, or aioli:
Potato Croquettes and these Mozzarella Sticks are two more crispy treats that I enjoy making on occasion. Enjoy!
Fried Calamari
Ingredients
- 1 lb cleaned calamari tubes cut into rings, and tentacles left whole
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or milk
- vegetable or canola oil for deep frying
- marinara sauce, lemon wedges, or aioli, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Place the calamari into a bowl with the lemon juice, and let sit for 30 minutes. This will tenderize the calamari.
- Preheat frying oil to 375 degrees F, either in a deep fryer or a large cast iron pot, no more than 1/2 full.
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cayenne, paprika, and salt. Add half of this mixture to another medium bowl. Place the buttermilk or milk in a third bowl. Place the three bowls on the counter in the following order: spiced flour, buttermilk, and spiced flour.
- Remove the calamari from the lemon juice, then dredge each piece in the flour, shaking off any excess, then into the buttermilk, shaking off the excess, then back into the second bowl of flour. Repeat this process with all the calamari.
- Fry the calamari in batches for about 2-3 minutes total, until golden brown. Then drain on a paper towel and immediately salt the calamari generously so the salt sticks. Serve with marinara sauce and lemon wedges, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated in November 2018. Originally published February 2016.
60 Comments on “Crispy Fried Calamari”
Tasted great but kept losing the breading followed recipe exactly. Want to try again. But disappointed in my breading a little.
Same. Maybe it would have worked better with spiced flour and then a batter. Or maybe egg wash instead of the milk.
I added one beaten egg to the milk, worked well. Plus the excess crispy batter bits that fall off and even the squid less bite are nice and eggy too.
Thanks this was delicious
VERY NICE DISH
Hi
What kind of flour is used?
Will frozen squid rings work for this recipe?
Does the squid need to washed?
I would not soak in lemon at all. It left the calamari chewier and with an odd after taste. Leave that step out. Also, I would use buttermilk or egg as the binder…milk does not seem to do the job for me. I thought I would try something new with this recipe, but my Italian grandmother and mother’s flour, egg, bread crumb combo is still my way to do calamari.