
Fried Calamari
Golden, crispy-fried calamari rings and tentacles with a light, seasoned flour coating — the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer. Served with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a side of marinara for dipping, this classic Italian-American starter comes together in under 30 minutes and disappears just as fast.
4 servings · Prep 15 min · Cook 10 min · Total 25 min
American · Italian · Appetizer
Ingredients
Open in recipe scaler →Main
- 1.5 lb squid (calamari) cleaned, bodies sliced into ½-inch rings, tentacles left whole
4 cup vegetable oil for deep frying
Coating
1 cup all-purpose flour
0.5 cup fine cornmeal or semolina, for extra crunch
semolina
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt plus more for finishing
0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
Marinade
1 cup buttermilk or whole milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice stirred in
whole milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice stirred in
1 large egg beaten
Serving
1 whole lemon cut into wedges
1 cup marinara sauce store-bought or homemade, warmed
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped, for garnish
Equipment
Oven
Stovetop
Baking Sheet
Mixing Bowl
Pot
Deep Fryer
Paper Towel
Slotted Spoon
Platter
Wire Rack
Whisk
Plates
Serving Platters (Large)
Jelly Roll (10x15)
Tongs
Mixing Bowl (4 Quarts)
Meat Thermometer- Candy thermometer
Instructions
- Pat the @[Squid] rings and tentacles very dry with paper towels — this is the most important step for crispiness. In a medium #[Mixing Bowl], whisk together the @[Buttermilk] and beaten @[Egg]. Add the @[Squid] and toss to coat. Let soak for ~[10 minutes] at room temperature while you prepare the coating.
- In a separate wide #[Mixing Bowl] or shallow dish, whisk together the @[All-Purpose Flour], @[Cornmeal], @[Garlic Powder], @[Kosher Salt], @[Black Pepper], and @[Cayenne Pepper] (if using). Set a #[Wire Rack] over a #[Baking Sheet] and line a second plate with paper towels for draining.
- Pour the @[Vegetable Oil] into a large, heavy-bottomed #[Pot] to a depth of about 3 inches. Heat ^[over medium-high heat] until the oil reaches ![375°F] on a #[Meat Thermometer]. Maintain this temperature throughout frying — too low and the @[Squid] will be greasy; too high and the coating will burn before the @[Squid] cooks through.
- Working in batches of about one-third of the @[Squid] at a time, lift the pieces from the @[Buttermilk], letting excess drip off, then toss them in the seasoned @[All-Purpose Flour] mixture until evenly coated. Shake off any excess @[All-Purpose Flour] and carefully lower into the hot oil using #[Tongs] or a #[Slotted Spoon].
- Fry each batch for ~[2–3 minutes], stirring gently once or twice, until the coating is golden and crispy and the @[Squid] is just cooked through. Do not overcrowd the #[Pot] or the oil temperature will drop. Transfer with a #[Slotted Spoon] to the paper-towel-lined plate and immediately season with a pinch of @[Kosher Salt]. Allow the oil to return to ![375°F] between batches.
- Arrange the fried @[Squid] on a platter. Scatter with fresh @[Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley] and serve immediately with @[Lemon] wedges and warm @[Marinara Sauce] on the side for dipping.






