Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsCafe AthensCalamari Recipe

Calamari Recipe

Inspired by Cafe Athens
Time30m
Serves4

Lightly breaded, sauteed to a crisp in a light olive oil with lemon and butter sauce. Served with tzatziki, marinara, or cocktail sauce.

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Ingredients

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Calamari

Method

Preparation

  1. 1

    Clean the calamari

    Begin by cleaning the calamari. Rinse under cold water, remove the skin, and pull out the innards. Cut the body into rings and leave the tentacles whole. Pat dry with paper towels.

  2. 2

    Prepare the breading

    In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper. This will be your breading mixture.

Cooking

  1. 3

    Heat the oil

    In a large skillet, pour the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.

  2. 4

    Bread the calamari

    Dredge the calamari rings and tentacles in the flour mixture until well-coated. Shake off any excess flour.

  3. 5

    Fry the calamari

    Carefully place the breaded calamari in the hot oil. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

  4. 6

    Drain the calamari

    Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

  5. 7

    Make the lemon butter sauce

    In the same skillet, reduce the heat to low. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.

  6. 8

    Combine

    Add the fried calamari to the skillet and toss to coat in the lemon butter sauce. Cook for an additional minute to warm through.

Serving

  1. 9

    Plate the calamari

    Serve the calamari immediately with your choice of tzatziki, marinara, or cocktail sauce on the side.

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