How to Make Crispy Calamari
This calamari is perfectly tender with a crisp coating, and only requires 4 ingredients!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Cassy Garcia
- Avocado oil or other neutral oil of choice*
- 1 pound calamari rings tentacles, or a combination of the two
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour*
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Marinara sauce for serving
Stovetop
Whisk together the sea salt and flour in a large bowl, then add the calamari to the bowl and toss to coat.
Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Let the oil heat up for about 3-5 minutes. You can test to make sure it's hot enough by adding a piece of calamari to the pan - once it sizzles it's ready.
Add the calamari to the skillet, working in 2-3 batches to make sure it doesn't overlap. Cook for 2-4 minutes, until the calamari stiffens, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until golden brown. If your oil begins to splatter, turn down the heat slightly.
Transfer the calamari to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess grease, then garnish with the parsley and serve with the lemon wedges and marinara sauce.
Air Fryer
Whisk together the sea salt and flour in a large bowl, then add the calamari to the bowl and toss to coat.
Add the calamari to the air fryer, working in batches so that they don't overlap. Spray or brush the calamari with avocado oil.
Cook at 400°F for 20 minutes, shaking the basket after 10 minutes and then again at 15 minutes.
- You'll need the oil to be 1/2 inch deep for this recipe, I used 750 ml for a 12-inch skillet. If you'd like to use less oil, use a smaller skillet and fry in multiple batches.
- We used King Arthur measure-for-measure flour to make this recipe gluten-free
Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 18.7g | Fat: 5.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.8g | Cholesterol: 264.7mg | Sodium: 345.7mg | Fiber: 1g