Air-Fryer Calamari: Frozen To Crispy In Minutes

Cooking frozen calamari in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to make a delicious, crispy appetizer. It's also a healthier alternative to deep-fried calamari, as it uses less oil. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the calamari rings, but generally, it takes around 8-10 minutes in an air fryer set to 200°C (400°F). It's important to note that calamari cooks quickly and can become tough and chewy if overcooked, so keep an eye on it while it's cooking.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F

Preheating your air fryer is a crucial step in achieving the perfect crispy calamari. By setting your air fryer to 400°F, you create the ideal environment for cooking your frozen calamari to crispy perfection. Here's a step-by-step guide to ensure you get it just right:

Step 1: Understand the Importance of Preheating

Preheating your air fryer is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures that your calamari cooks evenly, preventing sogginess and promoting a crispy texture. It also helps you achieve that golden brown colour and crunch that makes calamari so delicious.

Step 2: Set the Right Temperature

Set your air fryer to 400°F. This temperature is the sweet spot for cooking frozen calamari. It may be tempting to go higher for a faster cook, but this can lead to uneven cooking and a less-than-ideal texture.

Step 3: Preheat for the Right Duration

Preheat your air fryer for about 3 minutes. This duration is enough to ensure the air fryer reaches the desired temperature and maintains it, so your calamari starts cooking immediately when placed inside.

Step 4: Arrange the Frozen Calamari

While your air fryer is preheating, it's a good time to arrange your frozen calamari. Spread them out in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap. This arrangement allows hot air to circulate properly and ensures even cooking.

Step 5: Avoid Overcrowding

Avoid the temptation to cook a large batch of calamari all at once. Overcrowding the air fryer basket will lead to uneven cooking, with some pieces cooking faster than others. It's better to cook in batches and maintain that single layer of calamari in the basket.

Step 6: Maintain Temperature

Once your air fryer reaches 400°F, maintain this temperature throughout the cooking process. You may need to adjust the settings to ensure the air fryer doesn't get too hot or cold during cooking.

Step 7: Cook and Enjoy!

After preheating and arranging your calamari, it's time to cook! Depending on the specific model of your air fryer, the cooking time may vary slightly, but generally, cook your calamari for 8-10 minutes at 400°F. Give the basket a shake halfway through to ensure even cooking, and you're on your way to delicious, crispy calamari!

Cook the calamari for 8-10 minutes

Now it's time to cook your calamari! Place the basket inside the air fryer and cook the calamari for 8-10 minutes at 200°C. Remember to shake the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Depending on your air fryer, you may need to flip the calamari halfway through the cooking process. If you're using an air fryer oven, it's best to place the calamari on the lowest rack.

After 8-10 minutes, your calamari should be golden brown and crispy. If not, cook for an extra 2-3 minutes.

Use frozen, not defrosted, calamari

Using frozen calamari instead of defrosted calamari in an air fryer has several benefits. Firstly, it saves you time and effort as you don't have to worry about thawing the calamari before cooking. This is especially useful if you're short on time or want a quick and easy meal.

Secondly, cooking frozen calamari helps achieve a crispy texture. Defrosting calamari can make it soggy, but cooking it straight from frozen ensures a juicy and tender inside with a crispy outside. This is because the air fryer circulates hot air around the calamari, cooking it evenly and quickly. By cooking it frozen, you also reduce the risk of overcooking, which can make calamari tough and chewy.

Lastly, using frozen calamari is a healthier option. The air fryer requires minimal oil when cooking frozen calamari, reducing the grease and calories compared to traditional deep-frying methods. This also means less mess and an easier clean-up, as there are no splattered oils or messy stovetops to deal with.

Overall, using frozen calamari in your air fryer is a convenient, healthy, and tasty choice that your family and guests will surely enjoy!

Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket

When cooking frozen calamari in an air fryer, it's important to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Here's why this is crucial and how to ensure you don't make this common mistake:

Overcrowding the air fryer basket can lead to uneven cooking and affect the texture of your calamari. The hot air circulating in the air fryer needs to reach all the ingredients from all angles to ensure even cooking and crispiness. When the basket is overcrowded, the circulating air has difficulty reaching all the pieces, resulting in some areas being undercooked or soggy. This is especially important when cooking chicken, as it needs sufficient space to cook properly.

Tips to Avoid Overcrowding:

• Cook in batches: If you have a large quantity of calamari, cook it in smaller batches. This ensures that each piece gets enough exposure to the hot air and cooks evenly.
• Single layer arrangement: Arrange the frozen calamari in a single layer in the air fryer basket. This allows the hot air to reach the top and bottom of each piece, resulting in even cooking.
• Shake or flip: During the cooking process, shake the air fryer basket or flip the calamari halfway through. This helps prevent the calamari from sticking to the basket and ensures even cooking on all sides.
• Max capacity line: Some air fryer baskets have a "max capacity line" indicated. Respect this line to ensure you don't overload the basket.
• Use accessories: If you frequently cook large quantities, consider investing in additional accessories like a double-decker cooking rack. This provides an extra layer of cooking surface, allowing you to cook more without overcrowding.
• Larger air fryer: If you regularly cook for a crowd, consider upgrading to a larger air fryer with a bigger basket. This will give you more cooking space and reduce the need to cook in multiple batches.

By following these tips, you'll ensure that your frozen calamari cooks evenly and turns out crispy and delicious every time!

Serve with dips like marinara sauce, aioli or tartar sauce

Frozen calamari in an air fryer will take around 8-10 minutes to cook at 200°C (400°F). It is best to cook it from frozen to achieve a crispy texture.

Now, onto the dips!

Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce is a popular choice to serve with fried calamari, especially if you're looking for an Italian-American restaurant experience. You can either make your own sauce or use a store-bought option. If you want to make your own, you'll typically need ingredients like olive oil, garlic, onions, tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper. Simply sauté the garlic and onions in olive oil, add the tomatoes and seasonings, and simmer until you have a thick, fragrant sauce.

Aioli

Aioli, a garlic mayonnaise, is another classic dip to serve with fried calamari. You can make your own aioli by mixing mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. You can also add other ingredients like Dijon mustard or olive oil to taste. If you're short on time, you can also buy aioli from the store.

Tartar Sauce

Tartar sauce is a refreshing and bright dip to serve with fried calamari. It is typically made with sour cream or mayonnaise, dill, capers, parsley, mustard, and lemon juice. You can adjust the ingredients to your taste and add other herbs or seasonings. Tartar sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it.

These dips will add extra flavour to your crispy, golden-brown air-fried calamari. Enjoy experimenting with these sauces and finding your favourite combinations!

Frequently asked questions