House Fried Calamari Recipe

Make the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, prepared horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust horseradish or lemon for heat/acidity. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest (at least 15 minutes).

Prepare the relish

Combine the chopped pickled cherry peppers, finely diced red onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar (if using), salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine and let sit 10–15 minutes to marry flavors. Adjust seasoning. Keep at room temperature until serving.

Prep the calamari

Pat the cleaned calamari tubes and tentacles very dry with paper towels. If tubes are whole, slice into 1/2-inch rings. Trim tentacles into manageable pieces. Drying thoroughly helps the coating adhere and prevents oil splatter.

Make dredge and batter wash

In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, semolina (if using), salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, and garlic powder until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and milk together to form an egg-wash.

Coat the calamari

Working in batches to avoid crowding, toss a portion of the dried calamari in the egg-wash to coat, then transfer to the flour mixture and toss to fully coat. Shake off excess flour and set the coated pieces on a wire rack while heating the oil. Repeat until all calamari are coated.

Heat the oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a bit of the flour mixture into the oil — it should sizzle and float, browning in about 30–45 seconds.

Fry the calamari

Fry the calamari in small batches (about 6–8 rings/tentacles per batch depending on pot size) to avoid lowering the oil temperature. Fry until golden and crisp, about 60–90 seconds per batch — do not overcook or the calamari will become rubbery. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove and transfer to a paper towel–lined sheet tray or wire rack to drain. Lightly season with a pinch of salt immediately after each batch.

Finish and serve

When all batches are fried, arrange the calamari on a serving plate. Spoon the cherry pepper relish alongside or over a portion of the calamari (as desired). Serve with lemon wedges and the chilled horseradish sauce for dipping. Best served immediately while hot and crisp.