How to Make Fried Calamari (Calamari Fritti)

By Kyle Phillips

Updated 10/24/18

Fried Calamari
Fried Calamari. Rarin Arnamnart-EyeEm/Getty Images
Ratings
(9)
  • Total: 40 mins
  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
333 Calories
11g Fat
29g Carbs
29g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 333
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 490mg 163%
Sodium 564mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Protein 29g
Calcium 123mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Squid is a very popular food in Italy, and it comes in many shapes and sizes with many different names: calamari, calamaretti, totani, seppie, etc.

Calamari are small squid, and when they are served battered and fried, they are one of the most classic Italian summer seafood dishes: crisp golden rings of tender squid that people eagerly squeeze lemon wedges over, and eat quickly while they're still hot -- and before everyone else gobbles them up!

It's important to buy very fresh squid and to fry it quickly, at high heat, to prevent the squid, which is naturally meltingly tender, from becoming tough and rubbery.

They're usually served quite simply, with just lemon wedges and a light sprinkling of sea salt, but you can also serve them with a dipping sauce such as cocktail sauce, garlicky aioli, a simple tomato sauce, or a spicy ketchup.

This recipe would pair well with a dry white wine or rose' (such as Bardolino Chiaretto), or Aperol Spritzes for a lovely summertime antipasto or aperitivo. It's also a great finger food for a cocktail party. Although it looks impressive, it's actually super-quick and simple to make.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Rinse the squid pieces in running water and pat them completely dry with paper towels.

  3. Heat several inches of the oil in a large, high-walled, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F or until a small cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in about 30 seconds.

  4. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Lightly beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Place the semolina in a small bowl. Dredge the calamari rings in the flour, shaking them to remove excess. Dip the floured rings in the egg, and then in the semolina, and fry them in the hot oil, in several batches to avoid overcrowding, until crisp and light golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.

  5. Using a fine-mesh spider or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season to taste with salt, and serve them at once with lemon wedges.