Crispy Fried Calamari

Dive into an unforgettable culinary experience -- learn to prepare the crispiest calamari with a taste as deep as the ocean with our easy, foolproof recipe.

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 2

Total Time 42

Servings

Calories 378kcal

Author FoodFaithFitness

Ingredients

1/2 lb. calamari
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of salt and pepper
vegetable oil for frying
fresh parsley chopped
1/2 lemon sliced

Instructions

Cut the calamari into rings and combine with the buttermilk in a bowl.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Add the flour, salt, paprika, and pepper to a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
Remove the calamari rings from the buttermilk and place them in a sieve to remove excess liquid. Coat the rings with the flour and set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a pot on MEDIUM-HIGH. Add the coated calamari rings. Fry for 2 minutes until crispy. Remove the fried calamari rings from the oil and pat dry on paper.
Sprinkle some more salt along with chopped parsley over the calamari. Garnish with lemon slices.

Notes

- You can use frozen calamari but the freshest calamari will always taste better.

- Tenderize the calamari by marinating it in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes, so grab a book or your favorite Netflix show.

- It's important to fully drain the calamari from the buttermilk before dunking it in the flour mixture; however, a bit of moisture helps make the flour coating adhere properly.

- Fry in small batches, that is the arguably easy to follow secret to a perfect crispy calamari. Adding too many pieces at once can reduce the temperature of the frying oil.

Nutrition