Baby Squid Calamari is too good to resist! Bite-sized crispy baby squid calamari that's as small, moreish, and crunchy as popcorn, trust me - this is a good one. Popcorn calamari works really well as a gourmet appetizer or snack when you have guests or at parties or as a sharing starter before dinner.
I decided to try making baby squid calamari because my fishmonger Jack ran out of normal squid. But as a happy result, I accidentally discovered that using tempura batter results in a bowl of popcorn calamari you'll never want to get to the bottom of. The very small size of the rings and the way the tempura batter puffs upon contact with the hot frying oil result in a gloriously crunchy and delicious snack. So thank you very much to Jack for this new addiction. (PS buy line caught sustainably fished seafood where you can).
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This crispy fried calamari recipe is incredibly simple and quick to make, but there are a few key things to get right, so keep reading to find out exactly how to make the best crispy tempura baby squid. See FAQ and Top tips to get the best results.
Baby squid calamari with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some fresh basil is the perfect summer appetizer. You can serve it with a dash of homemade pineapple hot sauce and these courgette and feta fritters as another sharing dish. And for the main course, a tasty black garlic chicken.
Ingredients
This baby squid calamari recipe is so simple, but a few tweaks will elevate it into something super special.
- Baby squid: You can use fresh or frozen, but frozen fish and seafood will always need to be blotted with kitchen paper to remove excess water.
- Tempura flour mix: I used tempura flour mix for the best results, but you are welcome to use all-purpose flour or even chickpea flour.
- Sparkling water: Let it be ice cold, so place it in the fridge or freezer before use.
- Lemon juice and zest: freshly squeezed lemon juice for optimal taste.
- Fresh basil: I love fresh herbs in cooking, and this really lifts the end result.
- Cooking oil: Use oil with a high smoke point, like sunflower oil, corn oil, or rapeseed oil.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper: For perfect seasoning.
How to make Baby Squid Calamari
- Prepare your baby squid by patting it dry with kitchen paper towels to soak up any excess moisture, as if it is wet when it goes into the oil, it will spit everywhere, which is dangerous. Take particular care with the tentacles if you are using them, as they are good at harboring moisture. If there is any membrane/film left on the tube, peel it off first.
- Slice the tube of the baby calamari into two or three rings, and let the calamari rings be around ¾ inch thick.
- Make your tempura batter by quickly whisking ice-cold sparkling water in a large bowl with the tempura flour. Add the lemon zest and season with salt and black pepper but do not over-stir the batter as gluten will start to form, which in turn will make the baby squid calamari chewy rather than crispy.
- Add the baby squid rings to the tempura batter and lightly stir through so every piece is covered.
How to deep fry calamari
- Heat oil to 180 degrees Celsius / 360 Fahrenheit. If you do not have a deep fat fryer, it is fine to use a deep saucepan; just make sure to use a thermometer to ensure you have the right temperature (and make sure it has a big enough range, a sugar thermometer is best).
- Use a pair of tweezers or small metal cooking tongs to pick the baby squid calamari out of the tempura flour mixture to ensure they separate from one another and do not end up as one enormous clump.
- Deep fry the baby squid calamari. Add the battered piece of calamari (one by one) to the hot cooking oil carefully and keep an eye on the oil temperature. Adding it all at once seems tempting, but this can bring down the temperature too much, so frying the baby squid calamari in small batches is often a good idea, especially if you using a saucepan on a stove.
- The baby squid calamari will not take long to cook, 2-3 minutes maximum. When they reach a light golden brown color, they are ready.
- Using a metal slotted spoon, remove the cooked calamari popcorn to a plate covered in kitchen paper to soak up any excess cooking oil. Immediately squeeze over lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve your baby squid calamari in a warm bowl topped with some torn fresh basil and an extra squeeze of lemon juice. And enjoy!
Hint: This baby squid calamari makes a great sharing starter at dinner parties.
What wine to serve with Calamari popcorn?
Calamari pairs beautifully with a crisp and dry Italian white wine like a Fiano, a Falanghina, or a Greco di Tufo.
Variations
Here are a few ways you can change up this baby squid calamari recipe to suit you.
- Spicy - add cayenne pepper to the tempura batter.
- Herbs - why not add some dried herbs like oregano to the baby squid calamari batter?
- Boozy - try adding beer instead of sparkling water to the batter.
- Veg - got leftover batter? Chuck some veg in! Anything tastes good battered and deep fried, trust me.
Do you, like me, love a crunchy snack? Try these panko mushrooms or, for more crispy tempura recipes, these deep-fried crisp chickpeas?
Equipment
If you are using a saucepan for your deep-fat frying, I would recommend a metal one. Yes, they are slightly more volatile than using, say, an enameled cast iron dutch oven, but it is easier to manipulate the heat as it is more responsive. So if the temperature drops too much when adding the tempura-battered baby squid, it comes back up faster.
I use Robert Welch knives - I trained with them at chef school and find them extremely good quality and good value. I also recommend their knife sharpener, as a sharp knife is a safe knife.
Storage
Baby squid calamari is best enjoyed fresh, and trust me; you won't have any issues eating it all up.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Tips for deep-frying baby squid calamari
- When deep fat frying, the temperature of the oil is vital. Too low, and the oil will all soak into the battered squid and make it greasy and chewy. Too high, and the batter will burn before the squid cooks. The best temperature for deep frying calamari is 180 degrees Celsius / 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- It is really important that the squid is completely dry when you batter it. Take particular care to dry the tentacles if you are using them.
FAQ
You will need to use cooking oil with a high smoke point to enable you to safely reach the high temperature. Cooking oils with high smoke points include sunflower oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, or light olive oil.
Yes! I use frozen baby squid, just defrost thoroughly in a sieve or colander to drain off the moisture, then pat with kitchen paper to make sure they are completely dry before you batter and fry them.
Yes, baby squid is often referred to as calamari. The term "calamari" is commonly used to describe various species of small squid, including baby squid.
When it comes to baby squid, most parts are edible. The mantle, which is the main body of the squid, is the most commonly consumed part. The tentacles and fins are also edible and are often included in calamari dishes.
Baby squid cooks quite quickly, usually within 2-3 minutes in hot oil. The cooking time may vary depending on the size of the squid. To determine if it is cooked, look for visual cues such as a change in color. The flesh should turn opaque and firm, and the squid should become tender. Be careful not to overcook it, as it can become tough and rubbery. It's best to keep an eye on the squid while cooking and perform a taste test to ensure it's cooked to your desired level of tenderness.
More delicious snacks
📖 Recipe
Baby Squid Calamari
Equipment
- 1 sharp kitchen knife
- 1 deep saucepan or deep fat fryer
Ingredients
- 600 grams (1.3 lb) baby squid
- 130 grams (1 cups) tempura batter
- 180 ml (6 floz) sparkling water
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 lemon juice
- 500 ml (2 cups) cooking oil
Instructions
- Prepare your baby squid by patting it dry with a kitchen paper to soak up any excess moisture, as if it is wet when it goes into the oil it will spit everywhere which is dangerous. Take particular care with the tentacles if you are using them, as they are good at harbouring moisture. If there is any membrane/film left on the tube, peel it off first.
- Slice the tube of the baby squid into two or three rings, each around ¾ inch thick.
- Make your tempura batter by quickly whisking ice-cold sparkling water into the tempura flour. Add the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper but do not over stir the batter as gluten will start to form, which in turn will make the popcorn calamari chewy rather than crispy.
- Add the baby squid rings to the tempura batter and lightly stir through.
- Deep fry the popcorn calamari at 180 degrees Celsius / 360 Fahrenheit. If you do not have a deep fat fryer it is fine to use a deep saucepan, just make sure to use a thermometer to ensure you have the right temperature (and make sure it has a big enough range, a sugar thermometer is best).
- Use a pair of tweezers or small metal cooking tongs to pick the popcorn calamari out of the bowl of batter to ensure they separate from one another and do not end up as one enormous clump.
- Add the battered calamari popcorn to the hot cooking oil carefully and keep an eye on the oil temperature. Adding it all at once seems tempting but this can bring down the temperature too much, so frying the popcorn calamari in small batches is often a good idea especially if you using a saucepan on a stove.
- The baby squid calamari will not take long to cook, when they reach a light golden brown color they are ready.
- Using a metal slotted spoon, remove the cooked calamari popcorn to a plate covered in kitchen paper to soak up any excess cooking oil. Squeeze over lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve your crispy calamari in a warm bowl topped with some torn fresh basil and an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice. And enjoy!
Nutrition
Food safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw seafood.
- Wash hands after touching raw seafood.
- Use oils with high smoke-point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
- Keep children and pets away from hot oil and never leave it unattended.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Beth says
This calamari popcorn was so crunchy! Loved this recipe, thank you!
Shilpa says
This was so delicious and so more-ish!
Giangi says
My favorite!! Thank you for sharing and all your great suggestions. I never make them at home and now you just challenged me to do so. Pretty easy recipe. Thank you!
EMILY says
OMG, these were so good. I used to always order calamari at restaurants and haven't had it in forever. Now that I can make my own, who needs restaurants??
nancy says
my favourite snacky! it was too easy to make and very soft and tender