Best 8 Tasty Deep Fried Calamari Recipes

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When it comes to delectable seafood appetizers, crispy and golden calamari stands tall. Its tender meat and unique flavor profile make it a popular choice among seafood enthusiasts. Deep-frying calamari is an art that requires a delicate balance of ingredients and cooking techniques to achieve the perfect combination of crispy coating and succulent interior. Whether you prefer a classic batter or a flavorful marinade, this dish is sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. So, let's embark on a culinary journey and explore the secrets of preparing the ultimate deep-fried calamari that will have your friends and family clamoring for seconds.

Let's cook with our recipes!

FRIED CALAMARI



Fried Calamari image

Fried calamari is one of my favorite recipes, simple to make and tastes delicious.

Provided by John Craig

Categories     Appetizers and Snacks     Seafood

Time 25m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 pound calamari tubes, thawed if frozen
peanut oil for frying
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
4 eggs
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, or to taste
1 wedge lemon

Steps:

  • Check calamari for breaks and slice into 1/8- to 1/4-inch rings.
  • Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Place 2 cups flour in a bowl. Whisk milk and eggs together in a separate bowl. Place remaining 4 cups flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a third bowl; mix thoroughly.
  • Toss calamari rings in the plain flour. Move to the egg mixture and thoroughly coat. Move to the seasoned flour and coat fully. Move back to egg mixture if not thoroughly coated; coat with seasoned flour again.
  • Submerge floured calamari in the hot oil until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Lift out with a slotted spoon, letting oil drip off. Drain on paper towels. Place calamari in a small bowl; check seasoning. Add parsley and lemon wedge for garnish.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 523.2 calories, Carbohydrate 79.8 g, Cholesterol 214.1 mg, Fat 11.6 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 22.9 g, SaturatedFat 3.3 g, Sodium 488.2 mg, Sugar 3.3 g

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

DEEP FRIED CALAMARI (SIMPLE)



Deep Fried Calamari (simple) image

This is so easy! Just like the restaurants in Spain! The coating is crispy though not overbearing, and the calamari will be tender. The trick here is that the Calamari needs to be cooked either super quick, or for a long time on a simmer for it to be tender. If you like fried calamari, you are going to love this recipe! Makes 2 mains or 4 appetizer portions

Provided by canarygirl

Categories     Squid

Time 16m

Yield 2-4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 lb cleaned calamari, cut rings (and their tentacles too, if you like them)
1/2-3/4 cup cornstarch
salt
lemon wedge, for serving
oil (for frying)

Steps:

  • Dredge calamari rings in corn starch and shake off excess.
  • The rings may be prepared in advance up to this point, and refrigerated.
  • Heat oil to fairly high heat.
  • Deep fry rings about 1 minute or until golden.
  • Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle lightly with salt.
  • Serve with lemon wedges and garlic mayo or marinara sauce for dipping.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 191.5, Fat 1.1, SaturatedFat 0.3, Cholesterol 176.2, Sodium 36.1, Carbohydrate 31.5, Fiber 0.3, Protein 11.9

FRIED CALAMARI



Fried Calamari image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories     appetizer

Time 30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 pound clean squid with tentacles, bodies cut into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick rings
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dried parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1 cup simple tomato sauce, recipe follows or jarred marinara sauce, warmed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

Steps:

  • Pour enough oil into a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Working in small batches, toss the squid into the flour mixture to coat. Carefully add the squid to the oil and fry until crisp and very pale golden, about 1 minute per batch. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
  • Place the fried calamari and lemon wedges on a clean plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with the marinara sauce.
  • In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
  • Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
  • If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

DRY FRIED CALAMARI



Dry Fried Calamari image

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories     appetizer

Time 20m

Yield 4 appetizer servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 quarts peanut oil
1 pound squid, tubes and tentacles
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain cornmeal
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Place the peanut oil in a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat. Heat oil until it reaches 375 degrees F.
  • Rinse the squid thoroughly and pat dry. Cut the tentacles in half lengthwise and the tubes into 1/2-inch rings. Set aside.
  • Place the flour and the cornmeal into a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. In small handfuls, dredge the squid in the flour and cornmeal mixture and shake off the excess. In batches, gently lower the squid into the hot oil. Cook for 1 minute. The squid will not be browned, but lightly golden in color. Remove the squid and transfer to a cooling rack turned upside down set over a newspaper-lined sheet pan. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Repeat until all of the squid is cooked. Make sure to check the temperature of the oil before each batch to ensure it is 375 degrees F. Serve immediately.

CRISPY FRIED CALAMARI & AïOLI



Crispy fried calamari & aïoli image

Transport yourself to a seaside taverna with Mediterranean-inspired deep-fried squid rings and garlicky aïoli. Cooking this is easier than you think

Provided by Esther Clark

Categories     Starter

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 10

500g squid, tubes and tentacles, cleaned
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
50g plain flour
50g cornflour
¼ tsp baking powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
150g mayonnaise
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
pinch of saffron
½ lemon, juiced

Steps:

  • Cut the tentacles off the squid and put in a bowl. Slice the squid tubes into roughly 1cm thick rings and add to the bowl. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over a low heat, ensuring it is no more than two-thirds full.
  • For the aïoli, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, saffron and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Toss the squid with the flour, cornflour, baking powder, cayenne and ½ tsp salt. When the oil has reached 170C on a thermometer, or when a cube of bread is dropped in and turns golden brown in 30 seconds, deep-fry the squid in batches for 2 mins, or until lightly golden and crisp. Set aside on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Serve the fried squid with the aïoli on the side for dipping.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 388 calories, Fat 30 grams fat, SaturatedFat 3 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 15 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 1 grams sugar, Fiber 0.4 grams fiber, Protein 14 grams protein, Sodium 0.7 milligram of sodium

DEEP-FRIED CALAMARI RINGS



Deep-Fried Calamari Rings image

Home made calamari rings. This recipe is super easy to make and simply delicious!

Provided by Shelby

Categories     Appetizers and Snacks     Seafood

Time 20m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
6 cups vegetable oil for frying
12 ounces frozen calamari rings, thawed and drained
salt to taste
2 tablespoons cocktail sauce, or to taste
1 lemon, quartered

Steps:

  • Stir flour, 2 teaspoons salt, paprika, and black pepper together in a shallow bowl.
  • Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Press calamari rings into the flour mixture until evenly coated, shaking off excess flour.
  • Working in batches, fry calamari rings in the hot oil until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer cooked calamari to a paper towel-lined plate; sprinkle with salt. Serve calamari with cocktail and lemon wedges.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 531.9 calories, Carbohydrate 31.5 g, Cholesterol 170.3 mg, Fat 38.4 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 15.3 g, SaturatedFat 5.5 g, Sodium 1503 mg, Sugar 1.4 g

COCONUT CALAMARI RECIPE BY TASTY



Coconut Calamari Recipe by Tasty image

These coconut calamari strips are super refreshing and a great source of fiber! A perfect meal for the warmer months (or any month you'd like to enjoy some deep-fried goodness)!

Provided by Merle O'Neal

Categories     Appetizers

Time 35m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

⅓ cup caper juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 young thai coconuts, meat removed
1 ½ cups canola oil, for frying
1 cup all purpose flour
6 tablespoons semolina flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 cup non-dairy milk, of choice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Steps:

  • Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the caper juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic.
  • Cut the coconut into ½-inch (1 ¼ cm) wide strips and add to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
  • Heat 1 inch (2 ½ cm) of canola oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F (190°C). Set a wire rack inside a baking sheet or line with paper towels and set nearby.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and salt.
  • In a second medium bowl, whisk together the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar.
  • Working in batches, remove the coconut meat from the marinade and transfer to the non-dairy milk mixture. Allow any excess liquid to drip off, then transfer to the flour mixture, tossing to coat.
  • Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, fry the battered coconut meat for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to the wire rack to drain and immediately season with salt and lemon juice.
  • Garnish the coconut calamari with the parsley and serve hot with warm marinara sauce and lemon wedges alongside.
  • Enjoy!

Tips:

  • Use fresh calamari: Fresh calamari is essential for the best flavor and texture. Look for calamari that is firm and white, with no discoloration.
  • Clean the calamari properly: Be sure to remove the ink sac, quill, and any other inedible parts from the calamari before cooking.
  • Tenderize the calamari: Tenderizing the calamari before cooking will help to make it more tender and flavorful. You can do this by marinating the calamari in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs, or by pounding it with a meat mallet.
  • Use a light batter: A light batter will allow the calamari to shine through. Avoid using a heavy batter, as this will make the calamari greasy and soggy.
  • Fry the calamari in hot oil: The oil should be hot enough to sizzle when the calamari is added. This will help to create a crispy coating and prevent the calamari from becoming greasy.
  • Don't overcook the calamari: Calamari cooks quickly, so be careful not to overcook it. Overcooked calamari will be tough and chewy.
  • Serve the calamari with a dipping sauce: Calamari is often served with a dipping sauce, such as marinara sauce, tartar sauce, or aioli. This helps to add flavor and moisture to the calamari.

Conclusion:

Deep-fried calamari is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or main course. By following these tips, you can make sure that your calamari is cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor.

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