This quick calamari recipe is a great Mediterranean-style appetizer.
Butter gives the calamari a tender and flavorful base, while garlic brings piquancy and depth of flavor. A blend of Italian spices, including oregano and thyme, enrich the dish with herbal notes, and chili flakes add spice, making the flavor more vibrant and expressive.
The calamari has a moderately soft yet firm texture that blends perfectly with the creamy smoothness of the butter.
These calamari are best served with slices of fresh lemon to add freshness and sourness, which balances perfectly with the spiciness and sharpness of the dish. A crusty baguette is also a good addition to help soak up the sauce and flavors of the spices.
I recommend making this recipe with baby calamari, but it would be delicious with regular calamari too.
⏱ Cooking time —15 minutes overall + marinating time. Includes 15 minutes of preparation and cooking + 0 minutes unattended.
🔪 Ingredients
For 1-2 servings (as an appetizer):
- 30 g (1 oz) unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 250 g (8 ⅚ oz) calamari
- 1 tsp. oregano
- ½ tsp. chili flakes
- ¼ tsp. thyme
- lemon for serving
- parsley for garnishing (optional)
🥣 Directions
👉 Jump to Short Version of RecipeCalamari preparation
Peel and slice 250 g (8 ⅚ oz) of calamari. With baby calamari, in principle, you don’t have to do any of this, but with large calamari you need to peel off the skin, remove the ink gland and head.
Pat the calamari dry with paper towels.
Roasting and serving
Heat 30 g (1 oz) of unsalted butter over a medium heat.
Place the calamari.
Increase the heat to bring the moisture to a rapid boil and cook, stirring, for about two minutes.
When all the moisture has boiled away, add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, 1 tsp. oregano, ½ tsp. chili flakes and ¼ tsp. thyme.
Stir-fry for about 45 seconds, then remove from the heat.
Season with salt, drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon or a splash of lemon juice before serving.
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Sautéed Calamari With Italian Herbs
Ingredients
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 250 g calamari
- 1 tsp. oregano
- ½ tsp. chili flakes
- ¼ tsp. thyme
- lemon for serving
- parsley for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Clean calamari, removing skin, ink gland and head if necessary. Slice and pat dry with paper towels.
- Over medium heat, melt butter, add calamari, increase heat and fry, stirring, 2 minutes until liquid evaporates. Stir in the crushed garlic clove, oregano, chili flakes, and thyme and cook, stirring, for another 45 seconds.Season with salt, drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon slices, garnished with parsley if desired.
