Restaurants/Asador Castellano/Calamares Plancha Recipe

Calamares Plancha Recipe

A LA PLANCHA

Inspired by Asador Castellano
Time40m
Serves4
Jump to Recipe
Last updated Oct 11, 2026

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Ingredients

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Calamari & Marinade

To Serve / Finish

Method

Calamari & Marinade

  1. 1

    Prepare and clean the squid

    If using whole squid, separate tubes from tentacles. Remove insides, quill, and skin as desired. Rinse under cold water and pat very dry with paper towels. Slice tubes into 1/2-inch rings or leave whole (but scored) if you prefer larger pieces. Trim tentacles to remove hard beak if present.

  2. 2

    Score (optional)

    If keeping tubes whole or in larger pieces, lightly score the outside in a shallow diamond pattern with a sharp knife to help them cook evenly and absorb marinade. Do not cut all the way through.

  3. 3

    Make marinade

    In a bowl combine 4 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped parsley (1/4 cup), 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1.5 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if using. Whisk until evenly mixed.

  4. 4

    Marinate

    Place the prepared squid in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour marinade over. Toss to coat thoroughly. Let rest 15–30 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour in the fridge. Do not marinate longer than 1 hour — acid will begin to firm the flesh too much.

Grill / Plancha

  1. 5

    Preheat plancha or grill

    Heat a cast-iron plancha, griddle, or heavy grill pan over medium-high to high heat until very hot (2–5 minutes). You want a smoking-hot surface so the calamari sears quickly without stewing. If using an outdoor grill, preheat to high and oil the grates.

  2. 6

    Oil the surface

    Brush the plancha or grates lightly with the 2 tbsp olive oil reserved for finishing (or use an oil with a high smoke point). Use a folded paper towel held with tongs to rub oil on the surface for even coating.

  3. 7

    Cook calamari

    Arrange squid in a single layer on the hot plancha/grill without crowding. Cook rings or scored tubes 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and just firm; cook tentacles 2–3 minutes, turning once. Total cook time should be short — overcooking makes squid rubbery. Look for a nicely charred exterior with tender interior.

  4. 8

    Timing tip

    If pieces are varied sizes, remove small rings earlier and leave larger tubes or whole bodies an extra 30–60 seconds, but avoid exceeding about 3 minutes per side for larger pieces.

Finish & Serve

  1. 9

    Season and rest

    Transfer cooked calamari to a warm platter. Immediately drizzle additional olive oil and squeeze lemon wedges over the calamari. Sprinkle the reserved chopped parsley and a light pinch of flaky sea salt to taste.

  2. 10

    Serve

    Serve hot with extra lemon wedges on the side and optionally crusty bread or a simple salad. Leftovers can be chilled and used in salads the same day.

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