Italian Stuffed Calamari Recipe

This stuffed calamari recipe is a classic Italian dish, squid tubes are stuffed with a mix of breadcrumbs flavored with garlic, parsley, and (yes) Parmesan cheese. The sweetness of the calamari are enhanced by the white wine sauce and contrasted by the scent of the lemon zest. A delicious seafood to serve as a main on any festive occasions.

Jump to:

• White or red sauce
• How to clean a calamari
• Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for the stuffing
• How to make stuffed calamari
• Top tips
• What to serve with them
• FAQ
• More calamari squid recipes
• 📋Italian Stuffed Calamari Recipe

In case you get confused, calamari are actually squids. Calamari is the Italian and Spanish name for squid. They are cephalopods, the same family as octopus and cuttlefish.

They have short legs and long head. You can find them in different sizes called with different names but the taste is very similar.

To make this stuffed calamari recipe I use large sized squid with a long body tube so it can hold enough stuffing. The squid tube tends to shrink when cooked so the longer they are the better.

The tentacles are stir fried before and mixed with the breadcrumb to keep the stuffing moist and full of flavor.

White or red sauce

There are two versions of this recipe, one with tomato sauce and one without. I like the one without tomato sauce as you can better taste the squid.

I flavour it with white wine and let it simmer in its own juices.

And no, it will not be dry or rubbery!

When your guests cut the calamari in half, they will discover the flavored breadcrumbs mixed with the tentacles. Each bite will be filled with flavored seafood enhanced by garlic, lemon zest, and wine.

How to clean a calamari

Frankly, I would recommend asking your fishmonger to clean them for you. It is not difficult to clean them, but kind of disgusting.

Anyway, if you are up to the challenge or got stuck having to clean them, here is how:

1. Detach the legs from the head
2. Remove the eye and the beak from the legs
3. Empty the head tube from all the organs
4. Make sure you remove the tendon inside the tube
5. Scrape off the skin from the calamari tube

You can see a video here below: Jump to Video

Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for the stuffing

I always use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs in many of my recipes, that is why I usually prepare a large amount and keep it in the freezer. They don’t need to be defrosted ahead of time.

If you want to know more about it you can read the article: Grated Parmesan and Breadcrumbs. also check out the article: Once a Month Freezer Meal Prep to find out what else I keep in my freezer.

I always keep the stale bread aside and when I have time I prepare the breadcrumbs and freeze it. Here are the ingredients I use in proportion to 3 cups of grated stale bread:

• 3 cups of grated stale bread
• ½ cup of parmesan
• ½ cup of basil leaves or parsley
• 1 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon zest ( in addition for this recipe)

If you are making it only for this recipe use the amount listed on the recipe card below.

How to make stuffed calamari

Preparing the stuffing

1. Separate the calamari heads from the legs.
2. Make sure there is no bone left inside the tubes

1. Stir fry the legs with olive oil and garlic
2. Until the legs turn into a whitish color
3. Cut the legs into small pieces keeping all the frying oil
4. Mix with the breadcrumbs

Stuffing the tubes

1. Fill the heads with the breadcrumbs mix
2. Push the filling all the way down.
3. Do not overfill them as the head will shrinks when cooking and the filling will pop out if it is too full
4. Close the ends with a toothpick

Cooking the calamari

1. Place the calamari in a frying pan with some olive oil and season them with salt.
2. Pierce the heads so the juices can come out while the heads cook and shrink
3. Stir fry the calamari until they become slightly white turning them on the other side
4. Add ½ glass of white wine and let it evaporate for few seconds
5. Cover and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the calamari.

Hint: If you want to make the red sauce add tomato sauce after the white wine has evaporated then cook for the last 10 to 15 minutes.

Serving them

1. Once they are ready, place them on a cutting board, remove the toothpick from the heads
2. Cut them in slices
3. Place them on a serving dish
4. Pour the juices on top
5. If you have any legs left a side serve them with the calamari

Top tips

• I use large sized squid with a long tube/head so it can hold enough stuffing. The tube/head tends to shrink when cooked so the longer the better.
• Make sure there is no bone left inside the tubes
• It is difficult to know how much breadcrumbs you can fit into each head so to avoid having leftover, combine half of the tentacles first then combine more as needed.
• Do not overfill the calamari with the stuffing as the head will shrinks when cooking and the filling will pop out if it is too full
• If you want to make red stuffed calamari add tomato sauce after the white wine has evaporated then cook for the last 10 to 15 minutes.

What to serve with them

This plate has a delicate flavour of squid and white wine and I like to serve it with a side that will not overpower the delicate taste.

A simple green salad and steamed potatoes are my favourite combination with fish. So here are some ideas:

• Italian Potato Salad
• Baby Potatoes Salad with Basil
• Green beans marinated in garlic and parsley
• Puntarelle alla Romana

FAQ

More calamari squid recipes

If you like calamari, you can also try this Fried Calamari recipe you can serve as an antipasto.

Similarly, you can also try the pasta with squid ink made from scratch, although even if it is known as squid black ink, the ink is not from squid but from cuttlefish. You can read more about it in the article: What Are Calamari Squid Cuttlefish and Octopus.

I also use calamari in my Homemade Paella Seafood And Sausage, they add a nice sweet flavor and a soft bite.

If you are looking for more Italian Seafood recipes, you can check the category: Seafood

If you are making this Italian stuffed calamari recipe, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.