🦑 Calamari fritti
Calamari fritti are squid rings and tentacles dusted in flour and deep-fried until light and crisp. In Italy they are a fixture of the seaside fritto, and abroad they are usually served with lemon wedges and a bowl of warm marinara — a simple tomato, garlic and herb sauce — for dipping. Tender inside, crunchy outside, best eaten immediately.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g cleaned squid, rings and tentacles
- 100 g plain flour
- Oil for frying
- Salt
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Marinara: 400 g canned tomatoes, 1 garlic clove, 1 tbsp olive oil, dried oregano
Method
- Simmer the tomatoes with the garlic, olive oil, oregano and a pinch of salt for 15 minutes for the marinara.
- Dry the squid well and toss it in the flour; shake off the excess.
- Fry in hot oil (about 180 °C) in small batches for 1–2 minutes until golden.
- Drain, salt lightly and serve with lemon and the warm marinara.
How to make it lighter
- Marinara is a light dip — choose it over creamy sauces.
- Share a portion as a starter rather than as a main.
- Drain thoroughly and don't eat the crumbs at the bottom of the basket.
History
Fried squid is part of the fritto misto di mare served along Italy's coasts; the marinara dipping sauce is especially typical of Italian-American restaurants, where calamari fritti became a popular starter.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →