This Sautéed Calamari Recipe is crazy-delicious but so simple! It will make you forget you ever loved deep fried squid with heavy mayo dipping sauces. Loads of garlic, chilis and feta cheese have a way of making us forget...
Fresh calamari has a mild taste and a slightly chewy texture that takes really well to quick-cooking recipes. Sautéing raw calamari in a very hot pan and then tossing the calamari with big flavor partners is a great way to give the seafood flavor without overcooking the little guys and making them tough.
My guiding star for this recipe is a family-owned restaurant in Tennessee - The Boathouse. They serve a wood grilled squid dish that has been blowing my mind for the better part of my adult life. One of the happiest days of my life came the first time I replicated this tasty recipe in my own kitchen.
And now you can make it in yours!
What you'll need to make this recipe:
Before we get to the step by step directions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Calamari: the recipe calls for calamari rings and tentacles, but use what you have. Fresh calamari or frozen and thawed both work well in this recipe.
Smoked paprika: smoky paprika is a key flavor component of the dish, replicating the wood-grilled flavor we're aiming for. Substitute a few drops of liquid smoke, if needed.
Red chili: the chili adds a medium level of spice to the dish. For a milder experience, use a pinch of dried red chili flakes, or omit altogether.
Arugula: fresh, peppery arugula adds the perfect fresh touch to the calamari. Substitute with fresh spinach or a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions:
1. Cook aromatics
First begin by heating ½ cup olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add roughly chopped garlic cloves and a pinch of salt to the oil.
Turn heat down to medium low and monitor, stirring occasionally to ensure the garlic roasts and softens, but does not brown. Depending on the heat, this process will take 8-10 minutes. Once completed, remove from heat and add sliced red chili peppers and ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
The spice will bloom in the residual heat of the oil. Set aside.
2. Prep remaining ingredients
Rinse calamari rings and tentacles, and dry them well with a paper towel. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
Slice 2 small red onions, roughly chop 2 cups of arugula, cut a 6 ounce block of feta cheese into squares, slice a lemon in half and prepare your sourdough for grilling.
3. Grill bread and lemons for serving
Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add lemon halves, cut side down, to the pan. To the other side, add slices of sourdough. Grill until all are golden brown.
Remove lemons and set aside. Wrap grilled bread in a kitchen towel to keep warm.
4. Sauté onions
Add 3 tablespoons of the garlic-flavored olive oil (but none of the garlic pieces) to a large skillet, then add all of the sliced onions to the hot oil. Sauté until cooked through and charring around the edges, about 6-8 minutes.
We are not caramelizing the onions, which is a low and slow method. We want to brown and char these onions to give a smoky flavor while retaining their firm texture. Add additional garlic oil if the pan gets too dry.
When the onions are finished cooking, add them to a large bowl. Then add 2 cups of chopped fresh arugula to the bowl.
5. Cook calamari
Return the pan to the burner, and raise the heat to high. Add a few tablespoons of garlic oil and the seasoned calamari to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, browning the calamari quickly over the high heat, and tossing to ensure it is warmed through.
Move the cooked calamari to the bowl of onions and arugula. Squeeze two grilled lemon halves over the bowl and add the remaining roasted garlic pieces and chili in their smoky olive oil to the bowl.
6. Toss!
Toss well to coat in the lemon juice and garlic oil mixture. Then add the feta cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning. I often add a pinch of additional salt before serving.
7. Garnish and serve
Finally, transfer calamari to a serving dish and garnish with additional lemon wedges and grilled sourdough.
Looking for more Mediterranean seafood recipes?
- Grilled Whole Fish with Mediterranean Olive Herb Sauce
- Baked Rockfish with Pistachio Gremolata
- Mediterranean Charcuterie Board (Mezze Platter)
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
You can - just be sure to thaw the calamari in the refrigerator overnight and dry it very well with paper towels before dropping it in the hot pan.
Absolutely! The tentacles add a nice texture variation, but if you prefer rings, just leave out the tentacles.
The spice only comes from the red chili pepper added to the olive oil, so if you want no spice, just omit the chili pepper or use just a few slices. If you're looking for a fiery calamari dish, add two red chilis and maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes to the oil.
If you're serving it as an appetizer, I always pair it with grilled sourdough. For a main dish, you might add an extra cup of arugula to the dish which would give it just enough peppery lettuce to be considered an all-in-one grilled green salad. If you want to skip the bread, serve it with Mediterranean Basmati with Lemon and Dill or Roasted Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes with Whipped Feta.
As with most seafood, this dish will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, warm gently over low heat until just warmed through.
Sautéed Calamari with Roasted Garlic, Chilis and Feta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6
Ingredients
1 pound calamari, rings and tentacles
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 head of garlic (12-14 cloves)
1 ½ cups red onions, sliced (1 large onion or 2 small)
¾ cup feta cheese, cut into squares
2 cups arugula, cleaned and chopped
1-2 red chilis, sliced
1 fresh lemon
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Grilled sourdough, for serving
Instructions
- Begin by heating ½ cup olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add roughly chopped garlic cloves and a pinch of salt to the oil. Turn heat down to medium low and monitor, stirring occasionally to ensure the garlic roasts and softens, but does not brown. Depending on the heat, this process will take 8-10 minutes. Once completed, remove from heat and add sliced red peppers and ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika. Stir to combine. The spice will bloom in the residual heat of the oil.
- While the garlic is cooking, prep the rest of your ingredients - rinse your calamari rings and tentacles, and dry them well with a paper towel. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Slice 2 small red onions, cut a 6 ounce block of feta cheese into squares, slice a lemon in half and prepare your sourdough for grilling. Finally, roughly chop 2 cups of arugula. We will be using the peppery arugula as a fresh herb in the dish, so we want it just a little smaller without being too fussy.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add lemon halves, cut side down, to one side of the pan. To the other, add slices of sourdough. Grill until all are golden brown. Remove lemons and set aside. Wrap grilled bread in a kitchen towel to keep warm.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the garlic flavored olive oil (but none of the garlic pieces) to a large skillet, then add all of the sliced onions to the hot oil. Sauté until cooked through and charring around the edges, about 6-8 minutes. Add additional garlic oil if the pan gets too dry.
- While the onions are cooking, add the 2 cups of chopped fresh arugula to a large bowl. When the onions are finished, toss them into the bowl with the arugula, allowing the greens to wilt.
- Return the pan to the burner, and raise the heat to high. Add a few tablespoons of garlic oil and the seasoned calamari to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, browning the calamari quickly over the high heat, and tossing to ensure it is warmed through. Move the cooked calamari to the bowl of onions and arugula.
- Squeeze two grilled lemon halves over the bowl and add the remaining roasted garlic pieces, chilis and olive oil to the bowl. Toss well to coat in the lemon juice and garlic oil mixture. Add the feta cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning - I often add a pinch of additional salt before serving.
- Transfer to serving dish and garnish with additional lemon wedges and grilled sourdough.
Notes
For a completely mild dish, omit the red chilis or add just a pinch of dried red pepper flakes.
Use either fresh calamari, or frozen and thawed in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Appetizer, Dinner, Salad
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Renée McGrath
Can this be served cold? Thanks!
Christina Jolam
Great question, Renee. I've served it hot and at room temperature...but I think as a chilled seafood salad it would be lovely, too.
Cecilia Ioannides
We were looking for a recipe that was not fried and one that did not use tomatoes. My husband is Greek and when we saw this simple and healthy recipe we had to give it a try. It was awesome and very easy to make. It was a hit! Thank you
Christina Jolam
So great to hear, Cecilia! It's one of my all-time favorites and I love hearing that you and your family enjoyed it. Appreciate you coming back to leave a helpful review!