Tasty little morsels of quick-fried salt and pepper squid are topped with a sprinkle of deep-fried garlic and cilantro paste for an appetizer your guests won't be able to resist. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon on top to bring the flavors together and really make the dish wow. Serve as is for a tasty appetizer or on a bed of salad for a filling dinner.
Quick Fried Crunchy Garlic Salt and Pepper Squid
I just unpacked a big box of old recipes from our storage shed in Australia, and in it, I found some of my favorite recipes from years back which I thought had been lost forever.
First up is this Quick Fried Crunchy Garlic Salt and Pepper Squid. This recipe was the first squid recipe I ever tried cooking at home, and it definitely took me a few goes to get it right. Here are some tips I have learned over the years for preparing squid:
Tips For Preparing Squid At Home
- Make friends with your fishmonger. A good fishmonger is worth its weight in gold. They can point you towards the freshest of the fresh, and with squid that can be the difference between a super tender melt in your mouth bite, and something akin to shoe leather;
- Ask your fishmonger to clean the squid for you. They will remove the tentacles and the beak which makes it a lot easier to work with;
- That beautiful purplish skin: remove it. I learned the hard way that if you don't remove it you can end up with super tough, chewy pieces of squid;
- For this recipe, we crisscross the flesh of the squid. Make sure to use a super sharp knife for this, it should just glide through the flesh without much pressure so you will be sure not to cut the whole way through.
What Tools Do I Need For Cooking Squid At Home
As above, you need a super sharp knife. It is worth investing in a really good knife, you will use it for everything and with good care, it should last forever.
I like to shallow fry my squid in a wok. I have a wok attachment on my bbq and I love using that so any oil splatter is outside and not all over my kitchen. If you don't have a wok attachment you can just heat the oil on the stovetop, just be sure to not overheat it as this can cause a lot of spitting when you add the squid.
I use an ancient pre-seasoned wok when I cook salt and pepper squid. It was passed down from my mother-in-law years ago and has made hundreds of meals. If you don't own a wok you can usually pick up a great one for cheap from a specialty Asian store, or you can always grab something like this from Amazon if that's easier for you:
A good Mortar and Pestle comes in handy as well. I have a gorgeous decorative one I bought from the Islands, but to really get some grunt work done, a nice heavy granite mortar and pestle is what you need.
Make A Meal Of Your Salt and Pepper Squid!
Salt and pepper squid tends to be served as an appetizer, however, if you want to serve it as the main meal just pair it with a lovely salad, or as a nice crunchy topping on some risotto:
- Radish Pea and Quinoa Shaved Asparagus Salad;
- Summer Stone Fruit and Spinach Strawberry Pecan Salad;
- Garlicky Orange Spinach Salad;
- Pressure Cooker Risotto: Asparagus and Pea Risotto in the Instant Pot;
- Baked Brown Rice Risotto
Crunchy Garlic Salt and Pepper Squid
Ingredients
- 12 oz squid, cleaned
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon coconut sugar
- 2 cilantro (coriander) stalks, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 head of garlic separated and peeled
- avocado oil for deep frying (or vegetable oil)
- ½ cup plain flour
- to serve: cilantro leaves, lemon wedges and chili sauce
Instructions
To Prepare The Squid
- Remove the tentacles and cut down the center of the squid so that it is laying open flat. If you have skin on there then peel it off (it is a purplish color).
- Using a sharp knife score the inside with a crisscross pattern and then slice lengthwise into 2cm wide strips.
- Combine the squid strips with the fish sauce and coconut sugar and allow to marinade for about 30 minutes
To Prepare The Rest of The Recipe
- Pound the cilantro (coriander) roots, salt, pepper and garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle until it resembles a coarse paste.
- Toss the squid in the flour and shake off any excess. Heat the oil in a wok until smoking and then, working in batches, deep fry the squid until golden (I usually have to do 2-3 batches depending on how uniformly I have cut the squid).
- Once golden, use a slotted spoon to remove the squid and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining squid.
- Scoop out any leftover debris from the oil. Throw in the garlic and move around until it is golden (stay alert, this is quick). Remove and drain on a paper towel.
- To serve: place the squid on a serving squid, sprinkle with the deep-fried garlic mixture, some fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt flakes. Enjoy
Nutrition
If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it.
I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions! And if you make this please tag me on Instagram with @wholefoodbellies so I can share it <3
Try some other meals like this:
- 6 Ingredient Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl with Avocado and Pickled Radish;
- 4 Ingredient Teriyaki Salmon;
- Thai Fusion Ahi Tuna Burgers
- Vegetable and Pork San Choy Bow
You can find a full index of my recipes here.
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Rob says
Love it; but lime, rather than lemon works better for me. 9 out of 10 though. Gorgeous with a little Thai salad. Thank you.
susan | the wimpy vegetarian says
My family would love this!!! It looks so so good!!!
Lindsay Cotter says
What a great way appetizer! Need to try this!
Toni says
My husband loves seafood and I'm sure he'll love this!
ally says
Love all your tips and taking some of the mystique and 'fear' out of cooking squid! Thank you!
Donna says
You are very welcome! I know for me it was always the thing that put me off cooking it at home
Angel says
This was my first time ever cooking squid, and I must say that this recipe was super easy and so delicious! I swapped out the coriander stalks for a sweet red pepper, and it helped to get some color onto the plate as well. My family loved it; can't wait to cook this again!
Donna says
So glad you enjoyed! Love the idea of the red pepper 🙂
Debra says
Love the tip "make friends with your fish monger" and that is exactly what I'm going to do! After that, the rest looks easy and definitely tasty. I've never tried to make these at home, but you've inspired me to try.
Donna says
Yeah definitely give them a go. Our local fishmongers are lovely, they answer all the kids questions and always find the funniest looking fish they can to give them a good laugh 🙂
Traci says
I learned how to clean squid in culinary classes, but this is a nice refresher, for sure! I hardly ever do it, but this recipe is making me want to go buy some. Love that it's fried too...YUMMM! Thanks for the recipe!
Donna says
I know, I go for years without making them at home and then when I finally do I remember how easy it is and how much I always love the result!
Trish says
Wow! I've never cooked squid before so thank you for all the tips! My husband would freak out for this recipe, so I'll bookmark it for later to surprise him. 🙂
Donna says
It does seem a little intimidating, but not hard at all once you get started!
Dana says
This squid is SO TENDER. My only complaint about squid dishes like this is that they don't last long enough 😉 Such a great way to kick off a nice Italian meal. I can't wait to serve this out on the deck in the summertime as an intro to an Italian dinner!
Donna says
Haha I hear ya, the first time I made this the kids devoured it so quickly and then asked where the rest was 🙂 I had to make a double batch next time!
Annemarie says
We adore fried squid, but I never make it at home so I am excited to find your easy recipe for salt and pepper squid. Though I'll be sure to try it outside on the grill once the weather gets warmer, I do have a good, tall pot for frying which would perfect for this! Around here we always throw in some banana peppers with squid so I'm going to do that when I make up a plate. Yum!
Donna says
Ooh yum, I love the idea of adding some banana peppers! I love cooking mine outside as well, anything that saves mess and heat in the kitchen!!
Stef says
Salt and pepper squid is one of my favorite things to order at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. I never ever considered making it at home. While reading this, I turned to my husband and told him that we need to add this to our meal plan next week. I can't wait! Thanks for all of the tips. I know nothing about cooking squid.
Donna says
Oh yay, I hope you guys love it! It does seem a little daunting to make at home but it's really so easy once you get going!
Lisa says
Oh wow! You have captivated me with this salt and pepper squid - I could easily make a meal out of this dish. I've grilled squid a few times and of course, we always order the calamari when we're out to a restaurant. I'm dying to know what the clove of garlic at the end of cooking is for. Did I miss that part?
Donna says
Ha thanks for catching that, the garlic is for sprinkling over the cooked squid when serving (and it's the best bit, how could I miss that!). It gives it a nice super garlicky crunch!
Annissa says
I've never made squid at home, but order it in restaurants frequently. Thanks for the awesome tips! After reading your recipe, I feel confident enough to try making it at home. Sharpening my knife now.
Donna says
Haha yes make sure it is super sharp 🙂 Enjoy!! It really is quite easy once you get the hang of it
Marisa Franca says
I am very fond of squid -- my mamma was an expert in cleaning it and I grew up eating it. Calamari was quite a staple in Italy. I like how you prepared it and I'm going to have to give your recipe a try. You certainly have some valuable tips!!
Tina says
I have never tried squid at home, this looks like fun. Thank you for the step by step pictures, I don't think I would even think to try this without the pictures. It looks amazing, I wonder if I could find squid in Utah. We are so landlocked its hard to find decent seafood. Any tips for using frozen squid?
Carmy says
This squid looks amazing! I've never tried to make it at home, but you make it look so easy! I love that your wok was passed down to you! We have an "old" wok too and love it.
Gloria says
I have only tried squid once. I have never attempted to cook it at home. You do make it look easy. Maybe I will have to be brave and give it a try.