Crispy Fried Calamari

Crispy Fried Calamari is a lot easier to make at home than you might think! This recipe has a super crispy batter, fried to a golden brown crunch.

Are there any foods you can think of that you MUST get if you see it on a restaurant 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 calamari coated in a super crispy, crunchy shell, dipped in a little marinara or aioli…the BEST!

For the superbowl my husband and I set up the deep fryer so we could make ourselves some fried chicken wings, and I wanted to get one more use out of the oil later that week before discarding it. I saw squid on sale at the grocery store and it was a done deal! Fried calamari.

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 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. This is so important!

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 three 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:

Enjoy and devour! The full recipe is below for reference and for printing.

What are your favorite crispy fried foods?

I also love these Mozzarella Sticks:

And these Chorizo Potato Croquettes:

Oh, the cravings…

Crispy Fried Calamari

Yield: Serves 2-4

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:15 minutes

Total Time:1 hour

Crispy Fried Calamari is a lot easier to make at home than you might think! This recipe has a super crispy batter, fried to a golden brown crunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cleaned calamari, tubes cut into rings, and tentacles left whole
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp cayenne
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup buttermilk or milk
• vegetable or canola oil, for deep frying
• marinara sauce, lemon wedges, or aioli, for serving, optional

Directions:

1. Place the calamari into a bowl with the lemon juice, and let sit for 30 minutes. This will tenderize the calamari.
2. Preheat frying oil to 375 degrees F, either in a deep fryer or a large cast iron pot, no more than 1/2 full.
3. 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.
4. 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.
   
5. Fry the calamari in batches for about 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 Information

Yield: Serves 2-4, Serving Size: 1/4 of total

• Amount Per Serving:
• Calories: 390
• Total Fat: 7.6g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Cholesterol: 265mg
• Sodium: 760mg
• Carbohydrates: 51.9g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 4g
• Protein: 24.9g

All images and text ©Fifteen Spatulas.