Fried Calamari is getting a healthier reboot. Bursting with flavor and crunch this oven fried version is even more delicious!
Fried, baked, or tossed in a salad, calamari is a staple of Italian cuisine – and to an extent the entire Mediterranean. And for good reason. It’s delicious! Fried and Baked calamari, however, is probably the most recognizable “Calamari,” being a staple of Italian restaurants and pizzerias everywhere from coast to coast – usually paired with a spicy marinara.
Crisp, pleasantly firm, with a flavor that’s mild-yet-sweet with a just a hint of ‘saltwater brine,’ calamari is crowd pleaser like few others. However, getting your calamari ‘just right’ can be a bit of challenge. There’s a fine line between the ‘pleasant firmness,’ which is characteristic of squid, and the unfortunate texture of ‘rubber.’
Today, I’ll be giving you some key tips for getting yours ‘just right.’
In addition, we’ll be pairing today’s oven fried calamari with a super simple tartar sauce. While this tartar sauce is great on calamari, it’s also delicious with any fried or baked fish – so be sure to keep it on hand.
What exactly is Calamari, anyway?
For starters, ‘calamari’ comes from both the Italian and Spanish word for ‘squid.’ Squid being ‘Calamar’ in Spanish, and ‘Calamaro’ in Italian. So, there you have it. Calamari is squid.
As seafood, squid is firm, white bodied, and only mildly flavorful. In terms of taste, squid is described by most as ‘sweet,’ though I’ve personally never found this to be the case.
Being so mild in terms of taste, squid is an excellent ‘carrier’ or ‘background’ for other flavors, much like other flavor-neutral proteins, such as tofu. For example, one of my favorite squid recipes is my Shrimp and Squid Salad, which I prepare with things like parsley and fresh lemon. However, my love for that salad has less to do with the squid itself, and more with how the squid acts as delightful backdrop for the medley of fresh flavors I’ve tossed it with.
The same is true of fried squid. You really ‘taste the fry’ as the saying goes – again, similar to fried tofu, where the tofu acts as a flavor neutral carrier for the batter itself. Yes, this likely the only time you’ll ever hear squid being compared to tofu.
The one big difference in using squid, however, is its firm texture. This firm texture helps accentuate the delightful ‘snap’ of a crisp batter, while its mild flavor plays up all of the ‘fry notes’ of a delicious batter. Those same ‘fry notes’ mean that a variety of sauces and dips complement this recipe deliciously. Spicy marinara sauces, relishes, tartar sauces, and sweet and spicy dipping sauces all play beautifully with this recipe.
Ingredient Checklist for the Batter
- Squid. I prefer to buy whole squid, and then slice it myself, which is what I did for this recipe. This allows me to control the thickness of the slice – which is actually quite important, as I’ll touch on below. It also ensures added freshness, ‘and’ ensures I get the tentacles. Most people don’t like the tentacles, but since I grew up eating them, I can’t imagine calamari without them.
- Whole Milk. I do strongly recommend using whole fat milk for this recipe.
- Salt. Standard table salt is all you need for this recipe.
- Black Pepper. Feel free to use pre-ground or cracked black pepper for this part of this recipe. Though I do suggest using freshly ground black pepper for the tartar sauce, which I’ll explain below.
- Breadcrumbs. I’m using Italian Style breadcrumbs, but it’s super easy to make your own – which I often do. Here’s how. Simply mix about a quarter teaspoon of black pepper, half a teaspoon salt, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes and dried oregano per half-cup of plain breadcrumbs. You can also add in dried basil and dried parsley (about a quarter teaspoon of each), if you happen to have these ingredients on hand.
- Potato Flakes. This adds crispness to the batter. You can achieve roughly the same effect using cornstarch – about a quarter to a half-teaspoon. This not only helps bind the batter to the squid, but also ensures the squid fries up crisp.
- Oil. As noted in the recipe card, this is simply for drizzling. Feel free to use the cooking oil of your choice, though I personally used my all-purpose olive oil.
Ingredient Checklist for the Tartar Sauce
- Mayo. Plain, whole-fat mayo is what you’re looking for.
- Relish. Plain relish, nothing fancy needed.
- Lemon Juice. As in all cases fresher is better. However, since the lemon juice is not being cooked, and isn’t being combined with that many ingredients, this is one case where I’ll say using fresh makes a huge difference.
- Black Pepper. I would strongly suggest using fresh ground black pepper. If you really want to get fancy, consider grinding the pepper in a mortar and pestle for added aroma and pungency.
Tips for Making the Best Oven Fried Calamari
- Thick Sliced. I cut my squid between three-quarters to one inch in thickness. Leave the tentacles whole – as pictured. This helps ensure the calamari remains as tender as possible through baking. Remember, squid is already firm to begin with, so you want to ‘add’ as little firmness as possible during the cooking process.
- High and Fast. Here again, cooking high and fast will help ensure maximal tenderness. This means cooking the calamari at a fairly high heat for a fairly short amount of time – just ten minutes per side, at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Flip Them. No, you can’t just cook them for twenty-minutes straight. You need to turn the calamari pieces mid-way through.
- Serve Immediately. Once the calamari is done cooking, serve it immediately. The reason being…
- They do NOT Keep Well. Calamari is at its best when its fresh from the oven (or frier). The reason being, they ‘really’ do not keep well at all. As in, you want to eat fried (or oven fried) calamari the instant it’s been cooked. The exception here is calamari salad. For salads, calamari is boiled, and then tossed with things like lemon juice and olive oil. Calamari salad keeps for about a day or two in the fridge – but not much longer than that. As a nice bonus, this is a really good excuse to leave absolutely no leftovers.
Oven Fried Calamari
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb. squid with tentacles
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup flour
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 cup potato flakes
- Your choice of oil, for drizzling
Simple Tartar Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup relish
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- Sprinkle of black pepper
Instructions
- Clean and drain the squid. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and whole milk together. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine potato flakes and breadcrumbs.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dredge the squid in flour, egg wash and then potato flake/ breadcrumb mixture.
- Lay out the calamari on the baking sheets. Drizzle a little bit of oil over the calamari and bake for 10 minutes then turn the calamari over and bake on the other side for an additional 10 minutes, or until crispy and golden.
Simple Tartar Sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Serve alongside calamari.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
And that’s our recipe for Oven Fried Calamari. If you enjoyed today’s recipe, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below. We always love hearing from you. Happy Cooking!
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allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Oh I love Tolkien. I started reading and thought, that Catherine sure is a wonderful poet, she may have missed her calling. And then it started sounding slightly familiar....ha. I grew up with calamari in RI. I love the healthy oven baked makeover you've got going here. Great idea. I also love the new font for your blog name. Looks great. XO
Big Daddy Dave says
Catherine, We love calamari but we've never cooked it at home. Baking it seems so much simpler! Your version looks great! Thanks and Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Carrie|Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
My kids love fried calamari when we eat out, but I love that this is baked...so much healthier!
Ai Ping Sia says
I too grew up eating my portion of fried calamari. It's just too good. I like the idea of baking these babies. Healthier yet still delish!
Jillian says
Oven Fried Calamari?! Yum!
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
I've never had calamari before, but this looks so delicious!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
They look really crisp and yum!
Debi at Life Currents says
This looks so good. You know, I've never had calamari, but you make me want to try it. And I like the fact that these are done in the oven.
Mary @ StrawmarySmith says
Great idea to put it in the oven - and I love that it doesn't look any flavor! Also that homemade tartar sauce looks delicious! 😀
christina conte says
I love calamari and making them breaded and in the oven is a nice way to avoid a frying mess, but still enjoy the crispy coating on the squid! Yum! You've made me crave it now!!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
Catherine - this is one of my favorite dishes, and like you, it brings back many happy family-gathering memories! I've always been hesitant to fry it myself. I'm pinning this to make soon!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Calamari is a favorite of mine! This oven fried version looks so good, Catherine! I've never thought to make this at home before, so this sounds just perfect!
Cate O'Malley says
I haven't had calamari in forever - love the idea of baking it's!
claudia says
I have to try this love this idea of potato flakes
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
This looks better than anything that comes out of a restaurant's deep fryer. Lovely recipe, and totally digging the fact that it's baked!
Louise says
Hi Catherine:)
Oh how I adore calamari! The next best thing to having it in spaghetti sauce is fried!
I haven't made calamari in so many years. I may just need to try it oven baked. I bet it comes out more tender than frying. I usually fry it took long and you know what happens then, lol...
Thanks so much for sharing, Catherine...
Susan says
I’ve never reviewed a recipe before but just had to let you know how great this calamari is! Made it tonight and hubby is finishing it up. Easily as good as deep fried. So crispy. Thanks! Can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Living the Gourmet says
Dear Susan, I am so pleased to hear you tried and enjoyed my oven-fried calamari! It really is a delicious alternative to fried calamari and now I'm craving some myself right now! Let me know if you try any more recipes and if you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Roberta says
Such a great recipe. I tried it this evening and it’s so light and crispy, with very little oil use it beats deep frying and much more healthy, I’m hooked! Thank you!
Holly M Fitzgerald says
Is there a substitute for the potato flakes? I am hoping to try this but don't have any right now.
Louise Trigger says
Hi there, I am in South Africa and we don't have potato flakes, what could I use as a substitute, also, what type of relish could I use for the tartare sauce?
Look forward to trying this Calamari dish. Thanks so much..Louise Trigger
Living the Gourmet says
Dear Louise, thank you so much for stopping by! Feel free to use Panko or plain bread crumbs if you do not have potato flakes on hand. As far as substituting the the tartar sauce, you could serve these alongside any dip you like! Marinara would be wonderful as well! I hope you enjoy the recipe! Cheers!
Beth says
This looks amazing! I love calamari, but I'm trying to be healthy so I've avoided it. I LOVE this healthier version.
Sarah Stockley says
I love calamari but often find it can end up being rubbery at home. This worked so well and was very tasty indeed.
Samantha Donnelly says
I have never cooked calamari before, it is something I am not a fan on but my family are
Paula Richie says
Your fried calamari dish looks very appetizing. I hope that you and your family enjoyed it.
Everything Enchanting says
Yum, looks so delicious 😍. My husband loves calamari. And since he loves to cook also, I'll ask him to try this recipe😉.
Jasmine Martin says
I absolutely never considered making calamari in the oven. I would love to try this though because it looks so freaking good!
Yaya says
Calamar is absolutely delicious, but I just can't think of having any other way other than the traditional Spanish fried calamari. But I might give the open recipe a try.
Gloria says
I have never tried to make calamari at home. I have only ordered when going out to dinner. I need to try making this so I can have it more often.
Marta says
My kids are calamari freaks, so I made your version yesterday for lunch. They plowed through the entire batch and asked for more. Luckily I bought extra squid, so I was able to taste some. Definitely a repeat recipe for us!
Veronika says
I made this recipe yesterday and my whole family loved it! So easy to prep and has so much flavor 😉
Lauren Michael Harris says
My husband and I are have been looking for recipes to eat more seafood and found this one - it turned out so good! We will definitely be making this calamari again.
Tracy says
Oh my goodness, thank youuu! I absolutely love deep fried calamari so I am so so happy to be able to make it at home now in a healthier way! Thank you!
Katie Crenshaw says
This was my first time making calamari at home. I was shocked how easy it was to make. It turned out perfect!
Ann says
The only time I have eaten calamari is on vacation! This seems so simple to make! Will definitely have to give it a try!
Moop Brown says
Calamari is one of my favorite foods and I love how this recipe provides a healthier version of the classic dish.
Claudia Lamascolo says
After looking at this delicious seafood I am now craving Calamari! YUMMY!
Bernard says
I think the pan needs to be oiled, I didn't see any mention of that. When the time came to turn them over they were mostly stuck to the pan. Other than that it was decent, different from fried but I put them on longer than stated, turned at the 10 minute mark as instructed but found that they needed to stay longer to get golden and crisp. Turned a couple time more at 5 minute intervals. Thanks for sharing.
Clark says
I had never tried oven fried calamari before, but I decided to give it a chance when I saw your recipe. It looked crispy and golden, and I dipped it in some lemon garlic sauce. It was delicious and tender, and I wondered why I had waited so long to try it.
Tammy says
I haven’t had calamari in so long and the idea that you can bake them makes me want this now.
Richelle Escat says
I love calamari so this is not new to me. New to me is the way it cook. I didn’t know oven can be used too.
Jupiter Hadley says
Oh wow I had no idea you could oven fry calamari! Thank you for this recipe, I will need to try it at home instead of only eating Calamari at restaurants.
Yeah Lifestyle says
I love calamari. I will be tyring your recipe as when I have made it at home in the past, I have found it to be a little bit tough.
Rhian Scammell says
Calamari is one of our favourite dishes at home, so I'd love to make some of my own. Good to know that you can do it in the oven as well and not just a fryer x
Mandy Carter says
I love calamari but have never tried to make it at home. Thanks for the inspiration and recipe!
Sue-Tanya Mchorgh says
Oven-fried to crispy perfection, it sounds like the perfect balance of flavor and crunch. Plus, I love that it's versatile enough to enjoy on its own or tossed in a salad. Definitely adding this recipe to my must-try list!
Celebrate Woman Today says
I need to try this recipe your way. I tried frying calamari in my kitchen before, but I did not like the final result. This is another chance to make it awesome.
Kat says
Exciting news for calamari lovers! Dive into a healthier twist with this oven-fried version bursting with flavor and crunch. Learn key tips for perfect texture and pair it with a simple tartar sauce for an irresistible treat. Can't wait to try this delicious reboot!
Lavanda Michelle says
I love that it's bursting with flavor and crunch without all the extra grease from traditional frying. Plus, your tips for getting the calamari just right are super helpful. Can't wait to give this a try for our next family dinner!
JRC says
This looks so healthy and delicious. I would love to pair it with a nice salad.