Air Fryer Fresh Calamari: Quick, Crispy, Delicious

Air fryers are a great way to make crispy calamari without the mess and calories of deep frying. The cooking time depends on the type of air fryer you have, but generally, it takes around 10 minutes to cook fresh calamari in an air fryer.

To make this dish, you'll need fresh or frozen calamari, which you can buy from your local seafood market or the frozen section of a supermarket. You'll also need a few other simple ingredients like flour, breadcrumbs, and oil.

Before cooking, the calamari should be cleaned, cut into rings, and soaked in milk or a brine solution to tenderize the meat. Then, it's time to set up your breading station with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Coat the calamari rings in the breading and place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray the calamari with oil and cook at around 400°F for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.

And that's it! You now have a delicious, crispy, and healthy snack to enjoy.

How to tenderise the calamari

How to Tenderise Calamari

Calamari can become rubbery and tough if it's not prepared or cooked properly. To ensure your calamari is tender, there are several steps you can take before cooking.

Firstly, freezing and then thawing the squid before cooking can help to tenderise the meat. You can either buy frozen calamari and thaw it overnight in the fridge, or freeze fresh squid and then thaw it out.

Once thawed, cut the calamari into rings. The ideal thickness of the rings is between 1/4 and 1/2 an inch. If the rings are thicker than 1/2 an inch, they will cook more slowly and may become rubbery. If they are thinner than 1/4 of an inch, they are more likely to overcook and become tough.

Next, you can soak the rings in either milk or water with a teaspoon of baking soda for around an hour to further tenderise them. If you are using milk, keep the bowl in the refrigerator while the rings soak. If you are using water and baking soda, stir the mixture well and let it soak for about 15 minutes. After soaking, rinse the rings well and drain them.

Finally, before cooking, make sure you pat the rings dry with a clean paper towel. This will help the calamari to crisp up when fried.

Now your calamari is ready to be coated and cooked!

How to make gluten-free calamari

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of fresh calamari, cleaned and cut into rings (with tentacles)
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1½ cups of cold water
• 1 cup of cassava flour (gluten-free and paleo-friendly)
• ½ cup of tapioca flour (or tapioca starch)
• ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large egg whites
• 6 cups of avocado oil or avocado oil spray for the air fryer
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• ½ cup of marinara sauce (optional dipping sauce)

Optional extras:

• Garlic powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Onion powder
• Italian seasoning
• Sriracha lemon basil aioli

Method:

• Pat the calamari dry and cut the body into rings that are ¾-inch thick. If there are any super long tentacles, trim them.
• Create a brine by mixing baking soda, 1½ teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and water in a large bowl. Stir until dissolved.
• Submerge the prepared calamari in the brine and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• While the calamari is brining, prepare the coating by whisking together the cassava flour, tapioca flour, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. You can also add in some garlic powder and cayenne pepper for extra flavour.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until they become frothy.
• Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. You will use this to hold the flour-coated calamari before frying.
• After 15 minutes, remove the calamari from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towels.
• Add the calamari to the whisked egg whites and toss well.
• In small batches, shake off any excess egg whites and dredge the calamari in the flour mixture. Ensure that the insides of the calamari rings and all the tentacles are well coated.
• Shake off any excess flour and place the coated calamari on the wire rack in the rimmed baking sheet.
• Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
• Once the air fryer is ready, spray the bottom of the basket with avocado oil.
• Place enough calamari in the basket to make a single layer, ensuring they don't overlap. Spray the calamari generously with avocado oil—too little oil will result in a powdery coating.
• Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy, shaking the basket halfway through.
• Transfer the cooked calamari to a plate and season with a sprinkle of salt.
• Repeat the above steps with the remaining calamari.
• Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and your choice of dipping sauce. Some options include marinara sauce, ketchup, sriracha, sriracha mayonnaise, ranch dressing, or sriracha lemon basil aioli.

How to store and reheat your calamari

Calamari is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, there are several ways to reheat it while trying to preserve its texture. The general rule for cooking calamari is to do it quickly or very slowly; anything in between will result in tough and chewy calamari.

Storing Your Calamari

Before storing your calamari, it's important to let it cool down completely. Then, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Arrange the calamari in a single layer, with a paper towel separating each layer to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively, you can lay the calamari on a cookie sheet and cover it with plastic wrap. Just make sure to keep the calamari separate so that the batter doesn't become soggy.

Reheating Your Calamari

Oven: Preheat your oven to 370°F (190°C) or 450°F (230°C) if your calamari is frozen. Spread the calamari on a wire rack or a preheated baking tray. Spray the calamari with a light coating of oil (optional but recommended for extra crunch). Heat for about 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. If using a baking tray, flip the calamari halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C) or 400°F (200°C) for frozen calamari. Place the calamari in the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd it. Spray with a light coat of oil (optional). Reheat for 3 to 5 minutes, or 6 to 9 minutes for frozen calamari.

Stovetop: If your calamari is marinated or in a stew, slowly reheat it on the stovetop until warmed through. If you're reheating fried calamari, use a non-stick pan on medium heat with about 1/3 inch of oil. Once the oil is hot, gently add the calamari, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until heated through, then remove and drain on a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

Grill: If you already have a hot grill going, toss the calamari tubes in olive oil and place them on the outer sides of the grill to warm. Once they have some grill marks, flip them over and cook the other side. Remove from the heat, squeeze some lemon over them, and serve.

Deep Fryer: Set your deep fryer to 300°F. Once the oil is hot, slowly add the crumbed calamari and fry until heated through. Be careful not to fry for too long, as the crumb will burn. Remove from the oil and drain on a kitchen towel. Serve with aioli or lemon mayo while hot.

Microwave: While not recommended, you can reheat calamari in the microwave if you're in a hurry. Cover the plate or bowl with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent the tubes from drying out. Heat on a medium setting (600W) for 2-3 minutes, then continue in 1-minute intervals if needed.

Steamer: This method is ideal for calamari that has been cooked in a dressing or marinade. Place your steamer over a pot of simmering water and let it build up steam. Put the calamari on the steamer shelves, cover, and steam for about 5-6 minutes until heated through.

How to make a lemon-sumac dip

To make a lemon-sumac dip, you will need the following ingredients:

• Full-fat Greek yogurt
• Crumbled feta
• Lemon juice
• Fresh parsley
• Fresh mint
• Scallions
• Ground sumac
• Olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Add the yogurt, feta, and lemon juice to a food processor and puree the mixture until smooth, which should take about 2 minutes. Then, add the parsley, mint, scallions, and sumac, and pulse a few times to combine. Transfer the dip to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Just before serving, give the dip a good stir and add salt to taste, if necessary. Top the dip with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of additional parsley, mint, scallions, and sumac. Serve with pita chips or crudités.

This tangy and creamy dip is perfect as an appetizer or as a condiment for grilled meats and vegetables. The fresh herbs brighten up the salty feta, while the sumac adds another layer of flavor and a gorgeous pop of color.

You can also experiment with different herbs, such as chives or dill, or add other ingredients like garlic. If you don't have a food processor, you can also try using a blender or whisking the ingredients by hand, but the texture may be thinner and more dressing-like.

Now, onto the calamari! Here's a simple recipe for air fryer calamari that you can serve with your lemon-sumac dip:

Ingredients:

• Calamari tubes and tentacles, fresh or frozen
• Buttermilk
• All-purpose flour
• Egg
• Milk
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

• Cut the calamari into 1/2-inch thick rings or use pre-cut squid rings.
• In a large bowl, combine the calamari strips and buttermilk. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Set up three dishes in the following order: the first with all-purpose flour, the second with a beaten egg and milk, and the third with breadcrumbs, oil, and seasonings (you can use Old Bay Seasoning or a combination of paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt).
• Remove the calamari from the buttermilk marinade, allowing the excess to drip off.
• Coat the calamari strips in the flour, shaking off any excess.
• Dip the calamari rings in the egg and milk mixture, then coat them with the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing to coat.
• Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Lightly grease the air fryer basket with oil.
• Place the calamari rings in a single layer in the basket, making sure they don't overlap. You may need to work in batches.
• Cook the calamari for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.

Your lemon-sumac dip will be the perfect complement to the crispy, tender air fryer calamari! Enjoy!

How to prepare the calamari for cooking

Preparing calamari for cooking is a relatively simple process, but it's important to get it right to ensure your squid is tender and flavoursome. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Firstly, if you are using frozen calamari, you will need to defrost it. You can do this by leaving it in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours, or you can use the defrost function on your microwave for 4 minutes. Alternatively, you can place it in an oven set to 350°F for 10-15 minutes.

Once your calamari is defrosted, you will need to cut it into rings. The thickness of the rings is up to you, but most recipes suggest between 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch rings. If your calamari has long tentacles, you may want to trim these.

Before cooking, it is important to tenderise the calamari. This can be done by soaking the rings in buttermilk, lemon juice, or a mixture of baking soda, salt, and water. The acid in these mixtures will help to break down the calamari's texture, making it more tender. Soak the rings for around 30 minutes to an hour.

Now your calamari is ready to be cooked! You can choose to fry, sauté, grill, boil, or poach it. Frying is a popular choice, and there are several methods you can use to get a crispy, golden finish. One method is to coat the rings in flour, then in an egg mixture, and finally in breadcrumbs before placing them in the fryer. Another method is to coat the calamari in a mixture of flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt, then in buttermilk, and then again in the flour mixture.

If you are boiling your calamari, simply place it in a pot of water and boil gently for 30-45 minutes. You can also add other ingredients to the pot, such as wine, lemons, onions, and garlic, to give your calamari extra flavour.

If you are grilling your calamari, it is best to precook it by boiling or sautéing first, as placing it straight onto the grill will result in tough, dry meat. Coat your precooked calamari in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place on a high-temperature grill for 4-5 minutes, flipping once.

There are many ways to cook calamari, and it is a simple process that can deliver impressive results. Enjoy experimenting with this versatile seafood!

Frequently asked questions