Crispy fried calamari, a seafood lovers dream, I prefer my squid rings breaded for extra crunch & they take mere minutes to cook to perfection.
If you buy prepared quid rings this delicious plate of crispy squid nibbles can be on your table in around 15 minutes.

Perfect Crispy Squid Rings.
I have nothing against batter on fish, in fact, the beer batter on my fish and chips recipe would work really well on these rings as would the batter I use on my fish tacos.
But for me I prefer my deep fried calamari to be breaded.
It gives a slightly longer lasting crunch to food like these squid rings or indeed my chicken goujons.
This recipe came about by accident when I realised that I had no flour for the squid rings I had planned to cook and it just kinda stuck!
Cooking these perfect crispy nibbles takes no time at all particularly if you use prepared squid.
I always use frozen prepared quid… There is a great deal of snobbery when it comes to frozen produce. Of course, some of it is good and some of it less so.
Squid is one of the good guys, it is also the only squid I can get my hands on. I use it for my salt and pepper squid as well as this fried calamari recipe.
In fact, there is some evidence that shows freezing and defrosting squid helps break down the proteins and leads to even more tender “fish”.

Air Fryer Calamari Cooking Method.
Deep frying these crispy calamari rings is the very best way to cook them as far as I am concerned.
But if you are not into fried food then air fryer calamari is a real option.
The preparation process is identical to the way I outline in my recipe at the bottom of the page.
To cook them you just need to spray the prepared breaded calamari with oil and cook. You should set your temperature to 200°C or 400°F and cook for 9-12 minutes flipping after 6 or 7 minutes.
You do have to be careful when flipping, if you are too rough you will lose the crispy coating.
The results are very good, the squid is not quite as tender as it is when you deep fry. But if you are worried about frying for whatever reason it is a really good substitute.

Serving Suggestions.
Traditionally crispy calamari would be served as a start with some lemon wedges and maybe a greek side salad.
I like to do things a little differently and pivot away from greek flavours and look to Spain instead.
Romesco sauce is a pepper and almond sauce that I adore and the Spanish serve it with cod. I think it makes a great sauce for these perfect fried calamari rings.
I also like to slowly fry down some chorizo sausage in a frying pan for 20 minutes. Then sear off some leek rings in the pan before throwing in some capers.
This creates a really simple light main course meal rather than a starter.
But the work equally well with pickled daikon or even my spicy cucumber salad!

Fried Calamari Rings Recipe
Perfect homemade crispy fried calamari rings are not as hard as most will have you think, this breaded version can go be cooked in under 15 minutes if your squid is already prepared!
Ingredients
- 350 g (12 oz) Squid Tubes
- 1 Egg
- 50 g (1/4 Cup) Flour
- 25 g (1/4 Cup) Bread Crumbs
- Pinch Smoked Paprika
- Salt to Taste
- Oil for Frying
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan or fryer to 180°C or 350°F
- Sprinkle the squid with salt and a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Dip them into the flour, followed by the egg and finally into the bread crumbs.
- Batch fry the squid in two batches.
- Each batch should take 2 minutes to brown and cook through.
- Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 499Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 501mgSodium: 495mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 35g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.
Suzanne Nuyen
Tuesday 3rd of September 2019
Calamari is my boyfriend's favorite, I can't wait to surprise him with this recipe
Brian Jones
Thursday 5th of September 2019
Hopefully, he likes this as much as we do :)
Tatiana
Tuesday 3rd of September 2019
Oh my goodness. So excited that I can make this at home! I am sure it will also be a favorite at parties!
Brian Jones
Thursday 5th of September 2019
They would make a great party snack with the sauce served as a dipping side.
Cathy
Tuesday 3rd of September 2019
Love love love calamari! And you have so inspired me to make this version!!! I love all these ingredients and flavors! Will be making this recipe super soon!
Brian Jones
Thursday 5th of September 2019
Enjoy :)