Fried Calamari (Calamari Fritti)
Making your own fried calamari at home is easier than you think! This classic Italian recipe for calamari fritti will transport you straight to the shores of the Mediterranean. With just a few simple ingredients and some basic kitchen skills, you can recreate this popular restaurant dish in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 244kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh squid tubes and tentacles, cleaned
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cherry peppers or banana peppers, jarred, sliced & drained (optional)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Neutral oil for frying such as peanut, grape seed, canola
- Lemons wedges for serving
Instructions
- Slice the tubes of squid into rings about ½ inch wide. Don’t slice them too thin or they will overcook more easily.
- Add the buttermilk, salt and drained cherry peppers to a bowl along with the calamari rings and tentacles. Mix to combine, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder and black pepper.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a large pot or pan with high sides until it reaches approximately 375℉. Prepare a baking sheet with a wire rack or several layers of paper towels on top.
- Use a strainer or a clean hand to scoop up some squid from the buttermilk mixture, and let the liquid drain off. It’s important to let as much liquid drain off as you can here.
- Transfer the squid to the flour mixture and use a fork to toss to coat. Make sure the flour gets into every nook and cranny. Then use a clean, dry strainer to lift the squid out of the flour and shake off the excess.
- Working in batches, carefully drop the breaded calamari pieces into the hot oil, then use a spider or clean, dry wire strainer to move the pieces around in the oil to make sure they are separated and not sticking together.
- Fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden, moving around every so often to ensure they cook evenly.
- Transfer to paper towels or wire rack to drain, then repeat with the remaining squid until it’s all used up.
- Serve immediately, hot out of the fryer with plenty of lemon wedges, marinara sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- It’s really important the squid doesn’t have too much buttermilk on it when being added to the flour. You want to make sure you really shake most of it off first, or else it will clump up and make the coating thicker and more dense.
- Don't overcook the calamari or it will get tough and rubbery. 2-3 minutes max in the hot oil.
- Either use a candy or oil thermometer to make sure the oil is at approximately 375℉. Don’t let it get lower than 350℉. Work in batches - don’t overcrowd the oil or it will lower the temperature, which will cause the calamari to become greasy and rubbery.
- If you don’t have a thermometer, dip the back of a wooden spoon into the hot oil and if it rapidly bubbles, the oil is ready.
Nutrition
Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 1162mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 2mg
