Fried Squid

By Mark Bittman

Updated May 2, 2024

Fried Squid
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Total Time
2 minutes
Cook Time
2 minutes
Rating
4(130)
Comments
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While cooking squid I tried innumerable coatings. I have two conclusions to report: If you like cakey batter, make what amounts to a thick pancake batter. If you just want a little bit of crust (this is my preference), dredge lightly in flour; it doesn’t get any simpler or better.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, as needed
  • 1½pounds cleaned squid, sliced into rings, tentacles cut in half lengthwise if large
  • Salt
  • ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour as needed
  • 3 or 4jalapeños, cut into rings, optional
  • Lemon wedges for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

416 calories; 31 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 27 grams protein; 499 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put 1½ to 2 inches of oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, spread about ¼ of the squid at a time on several layers of paper towels and put another couple of layers of towels on top, blotting squid to rid it of as much moisture as possible. Season squid with salt and pepper; put flour in a bowl.

  2. Step 2

    When oil is hot, put about ¼ of the squid in flour, then move it to a sieve over the bowl and shake to remove any excess. Add squid to oil along with some jalapeños if you like, adjusting heat as necessary so temperature remains nearly constant. Fry until squid is lightly browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Start next batch while you eat the first with lemon wedges.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
130 user ratings
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Comments

Misha

I like to soak the squid in milk for 20-30 minutes first. The enzymes seem to make the squid even more tender.

Kathy

I used half corn meal and half flour. I also used Chinese white pepper. My friends that I cooked for said it was the best calamari they had ever had. For my gluten-free friend, I made a batch with only corn meal. She loved it.

JimF

Bittman is right; flour is much less messy and tastes better.

Emily

I love this recipe and have been making it for the past three years - its simplicity is beautiful. Crisp and light, put out some slices lemons for squeezing and a handful of chopped parsley to throw over a plateful of this. It is really perfect, and frozen squid is fine here.

LuckyNate

Soaking the squid in milk, cream, or buttermilk first is essential to avoid rubbery squid. Lactic acid in the dairy products is what tenderizes the squid.

Cindy

I use white rice flour instead. It gives me a much more even and lighter coating that fries evenly.

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