Best 6 Fried Calamari With Two Dipping Sauces Recipes

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Fried calamari is a classic seafood appetizer that is both delicious and versatile. It can be served with a variety of dipping sauces, from classic marinara to spicy aioli. The key to making the best fried calamari is to use fresh, high-quality squid and to cook it properly. Overcooked calamari will be tough and rubbery, so it is important to cook it just until it is opaque. This article will provide you with a recipe for the best fried calamari, as well as two dipping sauces that are sure to please everyone at your table.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

FRIED CALAMARI



Fried Calamari image

Fried Calamari - deep fried calamari recipe Italian style. Serve with tomato sauce as dipping sauce, this is the best recipe ever, extra crispy, easy and delicious!

Provided by Rasa Malaysia

Categories     Italian Recipes

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 9

8-12 oz. (226 g-340 g) cleaned squid and tentacles
1 large egg, beaten
4 oz. (115 g) all-purpose flour
2 oz. (56 g) corn starch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 dashes cayenne pepper
oil, for deep drying
bottled tomato sauce or pasta sauce, for dipping
chopped parsley, for garnishing

Steps:

  • Cut the tubes of cleaned squid into 1/2-inch ring.
  • Transfer the squid to a big bowl with a beaten egg. Stir to mix well.
  • In another big bowl, combine the all purpose flour, cornstarch, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir to mix well. Working in small batches, drop some squid into the flour mixture. Coat well and transfer the squid out to a strainer. Repeat until all squid are nicely coated with the flour mixture. Gently shake the strainer with squid to remove excess flour.
  • Heat up a skillet with 1-inch oil on high heat. When the oil is heated, deep fry the squid until they turn light brown in color. Remove the squid from oil and drain on paper towels.
  • Garnish the squid with parsley, serve warm with tomato sauce.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 303 calories, Carbohydrate 49 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 231 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 3 grams fat, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 18 grams protein, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 3 people, Sodium 154 milligrams sodium, Sugar 1 grams sugar

FRIED CALAMARI WITH SWEET ORANGE SAUCE



Fried Calamari with Sweet Orange Sauce image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     appetizer

Time 55m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 cups orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound small squid bodies and tentacles, bodies cut into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 Fresno chile, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Orange and lemon wedges, for serving

Steps:

  • For the sweet orange sauce: Combine the orange juice and honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat slightly and cook at a very brisk simmer until the mixture is syrupy and reduced to a little less than 1/2 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the oil, lemon juice, parsley and crushed red pepper. Transfer to a ramekin or small bowl.
  • For the fried calamari: Fill a large, wide pot with 1 1/2 inches oil and heat over medium-high heat until it registers 350 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a tray with paper towels. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a wide, shallow bowl.
  • Toss the squid and chiles with the flour mixture, making sure all the squid rings are separated and everything is thoroughly coated. Transfer about a third of the squid and chile mixture to a kitchen spider or slotted spoon and shake to remove the excess flour. Carefully add the squid and chiles to the hot oil and fry until crisp and just barely golden, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to the prepared tray with a slotted spoon and sprinkle generously with salt. Repeat the sifting and frying process with the remaining squid, making sure to return the oil to 350 degrees F between batches.
  • Transfer to the fried squid to a plate and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with the lemon and orange wedges and the sweet orange sauce for dipping.

NEELY'S FRIED CALAMARI



Neely's Fried Calamari image

Provided by Patrick and Gina Neely : Food Network

Categories     appetizer

Time 15m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Peanut oil, for frying
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound fresh or frozen and thawed small calamari, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch rings
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce, recipe follows
1/4 cup peach preserves
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
Dash hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Steps:

  • Preheat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl add the cornmeal, flour, cayenne, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt and pepper. Whisk together to combine.
  • Working in batches, toss the calamari into the dry mixture, shaking off the excess. Carefully add to the hot oil, in batches, until lightly golden, about 1 minute per batch. Remove to a paper towel lined sheet tray and immediately season with salt. Transfer to a platter, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve with the Spicy Dipping Sauce.
  • Add all the ingredients to a serving bowl and whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

FRIED CALAMARI



Fried Calamari image

Make and share this Fried Calamari recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Chuck Hughes

Categories     Squid

Time 4h40m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 24

1 lb fresh calamari
2 cups milk
1 lemon, juice of
1 teaspoon garlic hot sauce (recommended -- Tabasco)
2 cups flour
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 eggs
vegetable oil, for frying
puttanesca dipping sauce, recipe follows
lemon wedge, for serving
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1/4 cup pitted diced black olives
1 tablespoon capers
3 tomatoes, diced
1 pinch chili flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lemon, zest of
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Clean the calamari and cut the bodies into thick rings, reserving the tentacles separately.
  • Mix the milk and lemon juice in a large bowl. Let rest for 5 minutes until it thickens. Add the garlic hot sauce. Add the calamari and soak in the buttermilk for up to 4 hours.
  • In a bowl, mix the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, paprika and cayenne. Beat the eggs in another bowl.
  • Remove the calamari from the buttermilk and drain. Dip into the beaten egg, and then the flour mixture.
  • Fill a heavy skillet with 2 cups vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat to 360 degrees F, or set a deep fryer to 360 degrees F. Fry the calamari, in batches, until brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Place on a plate and pat dry any excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with the Puttanesca Dipping Sauce and lemon wedges.
  • Puttanesca Dipping Sauce:.
  • Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, anchovies, olives, capers and tomatoes. Saute for another 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and chile flakes. (Add a little water if it's too thick.) Stir in the parsley and lemon zest.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 470.1, Fat 14.1, SaturatedFat 4.9, Cholesterol 246.5, Sodium 401.2, Carbohydrate 62.5, Fiber 3.8, Sugar 3.7, Protein 23.2

FRIED CALAMARI WITH REMOULADE SAUCE DRIZZLED WITH BALSAMIC SYRUP



Fried Calamari With Remoulade Sauce Drizzled With Balsamic Syrup image

The balsamic vinegar is cooked and reduced to a syrup consistency then drizzled over the calamari, which gives this Cajun calamari and zing!

Provided by Rita1652

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time 15m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 lbs cleaned calamari, fresh, cut into 1/4 inch rings, towel dried
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly mixed
2 cups corn oil, more if needed
1 cup balsamic vinegar, reduced to a thick syrup

Steps:

  • Heat balsamic till reduced to a syrup.
  • Set aside.
  • Combine the flour, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, pepper and salt in a shallow bowl.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet.
  • When it is very hot, dredge the calamari in the flour mixture, shake off any excess then dip into egg then flour again and fry in the oil in batches until light-brown and crispy.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Season with salt.
  • Place on a platter and drizzle with balsamic syrup.
  • Serve with Remoulade Sauce (Recipe #87124).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 858.1, Fat 74.7, SaturatedFat 9.9, Cholesterol 148.6, Sodium 253.9, Carbohydrate 33.8, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 6.6, Protein 12.6

FIVE-SPICE CALAMARI WITH DIPPING SAUCE



Five-Spice Calamari with Dipping Sauce image

Categories     Appetizer     Fry     Squid     Summer     Bon Appétit     Pescatarian     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free

Yield Makes 4 to 6 appetizer servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Dipping sauce
2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)*
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Calamari
Vegetable oil (for frying)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder**
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
15 ounces cleaned calamari, tentacles left whole, bodies cut into 1/2-inch rings

Steps:

  • For dipping sauce:
  • Combine all ingredients except mayonnaise in processor. Blend well. Transfer to bowl. Stir in mayonnaise. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Whisk before serving.)
  • For calamari:
  • Pour oil to depth of 3 inches in heavy large pot. Heat to 350°F. Whisk next 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk into another large bowl. Add calamari to buttermilk. Working in batches, remove calamari; dredge in flour mixture. Fry until just crisp, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Serve warm with sauce.
  • *Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets.
  • **A blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and ginger available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

Tips:

  • For the best results, use fresh calamari that is cleaned and deveined.
  • To tenderize the calamari, soak it in milk for 30 minutes before cooking.
  • To prevent the calamari from becoming tough, do not overcook it. Cook it for only 2-3 minutes per side, or until it is golden brown and opaque.
  • Serve the calamari immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
  • For a crispy coating, double-coat the calamari in flour before frying.
  • To make sure the calamari is evenly cooked, use a deep fryer or a large saucepan with plenty of oil.
  • If you don't have a deep fryer, you can shallow fry the calamari in a large skillet with about 1 inch of oil.
  • To make the marinara dipping sauce, use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce or make your own from scratch.
  • To make the tartar sauce, simply combine mayonnaise, chopped pickles, chopped onion, and chopped fresh parsley.

Conclusion:

Fried calamari is a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or main course. With a crispy coating and tender, juicy meat, it is sure to please everyone at your table. Serve it with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

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