Fried Calamari Recipe

Make the Baja sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lime juice, minced chipotle, hot sauce, minced garlic and chopped cilantro until smooth. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or heat as desired. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the fried items (can be made up to 24 hours ahead).

Clean and slice calamari

If not prepped, rinse calamari under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Slice tubes into 1/2-inch rings; leave tentacles whole or halved if large. Drying is important for a crisp fry.

Make coating mix and wet batter

In a shallow bowl or pie plate combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup fine cornmeal (if using), 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika and 1/4 tsp cayenne. In a separate bowl whisk together 1/2 cup milk and 1 large egg until smooth.

Dredge calamari

Working in batches, toss a portion of calamari in the dry mixture to coat lightly, then dip into the milk-egg mixture, then return to the dry mix for a final coating. Shake off excess flour. Place coated rings on a wire rack while heating oil. Keep remaining raw calamari refrigerated until ready to coat.

Heat oil

Pour about 3–4 cups vegetable oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat over medium-high to reach 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a pinch of flour — it should sizzle steadily and brown in ~30–40 seconds.

Fry calamari

Fry calamari in small batches (do not overcrowd) for 1.5–2 minutes per batch, until golden and crisp. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove and transfer to a paper towel–lined tray or wire rack to drain. Immediately sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt. Repeat until all calamari is fried. Maintain oil temperature between 325–350°F; allow oil to come back up between batches.

Prepare jalapeños

Wash jalapeños, slice into 1/4-inch rings (leave seeds for heat, remove for milder). Pat dry.

Batter and dredge jalapeños

Place 1/2 cup buttermilk in a shallow bowl. In another bowl combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Dip jalapeño rings into buttermilk, allow excess to drip off, then dredge in the dry mixture to coat. Place on a wire rack.

Fry jalapeños

With the oil at 350°F (same oil used for calamari), fry jalapeño rings in small batches for 1–2 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season immediately with a light pinch of salt.

Arrange fried calamari and jalapeños on a serving platter or individual plates. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve hot with Baja sauce on the side for dipping.

Safety note: Serve calamari immediately for best texture. Leftovers can be kept loosely covered in a low oven (200°F/95°C) for up to 15–20 minutes but will lose crispness.