Calamares Fritos Recipe
Deep-fried calamari served with onion salad.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Calamari and Batter
Onion Salad (Ensalada de Cebolla)
Optional Dips
Method
Calamari and Batter
- 1
Prepare squid
Pat the cleaned squid tubes and tentacles dry with paper towels. If tubes are large, slice into 1/2-inch rings. Keep squid cold in the refrigerator until ready to batter.
- 2
Mix dry ingredients
In a wide shallow bowl or plate, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder until evenly combined.
- 3
Make batter
If using egg: beat the egg lightly in a small bowl. Stir the egg into the cold sparkling water. Gradually whisk the water/egg mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined — the batter should be thin and bubbly. If not using egg: whisk cold sparkling water into dry mix until a loose batter forms. Keep batter cold by placing bowl in an ice bath while frying (optional).
- 4
Heat oil
Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pot or deep-fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches (enough to fully submerge rings). Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350–365°F (175–185°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of batter into the oil — it should sizzle and rise quickly without burning.
- 5
Coat and fry
Working in small batches (to avoid overcrowding), dredge the squid rings and tentacles briefly in any remaining dry flour mixture to remove excess moisture, then dip into the batter, letting excess drip off. Carefully lower into hot oil. Fry 1 to 2 minutes per batch, turning or stirring gently, until batter is golden brown and crisp. Do not overcook squid — total contact with hot oil should be 1–2 minutes depending on ring thickness.
- 6
Drain and season
Using a slotted spoon or wire spider, transfer fried calamari to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt (and a little extra paprika if desired). Keep warm in a single layer in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while you fry remaining batches.
- 7
Finish
Once all batches are fried, arrange calamari on a serving platter with lemon wedges.
Onion Salad (Ensalada de Cebolla)
- 8
- 9
Make dressing and combine
In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, remaining 1 tsp lemon juice (or total 1 tbsp if you didn't use for softening), red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add the drained onion slices and chopped parsley to a bowl, pour dressing over, and toss to coat. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as desired. Let sit at room temperature 5 minutes before serving so flavors meld.
Optional Dips
- 10
Quick garlic aioli
For a simple aioli, mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1 minced garlic clove and a pinch of salt. Add a few drops of lemon juice and a dash of hot sauce or smoked paprika to taste. Chill until ready to serve alongside calamari.