Description
This Crispy Fried Calamari recipe is a delicious appetizer inspired by Greek, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisines. Featuring tender calamari rings soaked in salted milk to reduce fishiness, then coated in a seasoned flour and cornstarch mixture and fried to golden perfection. Served with fresh lemon wedges, it's a perfect starter or snack with a crunchy texture and bold flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen calamari tubes thawed
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for soaking)
- Kosher salt (for seasoning after frying)
- ½ cup 2% milk
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Grape seed oil as needed for frying (about 4 inches deep)
- 1 lemon cut into wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Calamari: Slice the thawed calamari tubes into ¾-inch thick rings to ensure even cooking.
- Soak Calamari: In a medium bowl, stir 1 teaspoon kosher salt into ½ cup 2% milk, then add the calamari rings. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to tenderize and reduce fishiness.
- Mix Coating: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, ⅓ cup cornstarch, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper until well combined.
- Coat Calamari: Using tongs, remove half the calamari from the milk, shaking off excess liquid, then toss in the flour mixture to coat evenly. Place coated rings in a colander set over a bowl to catch excess flour. Repeat with remaining calamari.
- Prepare Oven: Preheat your oven to a low temperature of 150 degrees F. Prepare a large sheet pan with a wire rack topped with paper towels to drain and keep fried calamari warm.
- Heat Oil: Pour grape seed oil about 4 inches deep into a small pot and heat to 350-365 degrees F. Test oil readiness by dropping a calamari ring; it should bubble vigorously and float.
- Fry Calamari: Fry the coated calamari in batches, carefully adding them with tongs and frying for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the paper towels on the wire rack. Immediately season with kosher salt and transfer to the warm oven.
- Serve: Once all calamari is fried, transfer to a serving plate and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve hot with optional dipping sauces like marinara or tzatziki.
Notes
- Soaking the calamari in salted milk tenderizes it and reduces the fishy taste, so do not skip this step.
- Serve the fried calamari immediately for maximum crunchiness. Leftovers will lose their crisp coating if reheated.
- For an air fryer version, arrange calamari in a single layer, spray with cooking oil, and cook at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- If you don't have grape seed oil, use another neutral high smoke point oil like vegetable or canola oil.
- Frying oil temperature is critical; keep it between 350-365 degrees F for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 100 g)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg
