Description
This Crispy Fried Calamari recipe offers perfectly tender and crunchy rings, soaked in salted milk to tenderize and reduce fishiness, then coated in a flavorful seasoned flour mixture and fried to golden perfection. Inspired by Greek, Italian, and Mediterranean flavors, it's a delightful appetizer or snack served best with fresh lemon wedges and optional dipping sauces like marinara or tzatziki.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen calamari tubes thawed
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup 2% milk
Coating Mixture
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cooking
- Grape seed oil as needed for frying
- 1 lemon cut into wedges to serve
Instructions
- Slice the calamari: Slice the thawed calamari tubes into ¾-inch thick rings for even cooking.
- Soak in salted milk: In a medium bowl, stir 1 teaspoon kosher salt into ½ cup 2% milk. Add the calamari rings to the milk mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes to tenderize and reduce the fishy taste.
- Prepare the flour mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cup all purpose flour, ⅓ cup cornstarch, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon dry oregano, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper until well combined.
- Coat the calamari: Set a large colander over a bowl. Working in halves, remove calamari rings from the milk with tongs, shaking off excess milk, then toss in the flour mixture to coat evenly. Place coated calamari in the colander to drain excess flour.
- Preheat oven and prepare rack: Preheat your oven to a low 150 degrees F to keep fried calamari warm. Arrange a wire rack lined with paper towels on a sheet pan.
- Heat the oil: Pour about 4 inches of grape seed oil into a 2.5-quart pot and heat to between 350 and 365 degrees F. Test readiness by dropping a calamari ring; it should bubble vigorously and float.
- Fry the calamari: Using tongs, gently add a portion of calamari to the hot oil. Fry for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with tongs and place on the paper towel-lined rack to drain. Immediately season with kosher salt. Transfer to oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining calamari.
- Serve: Transfer the fried calamari to a serving plate and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Optionally serve with marinara or tzatziki sauce.
Notes
- Do not skip soaking the calamari in salted milk to tenderize and tame the fishy taste.
- Serve fried calamari hot for the best crunch with marinara or tzatziki dipping sauces.
- For an air fryer version: arrange calamari in a single layer in the basket, coat with cooking spray, and cook at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, but the calamari will lose its crispiness. Do not reheat leftover fried calamari.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 4 ounces)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 220 mg
