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This Baked Calamari is so crispy and delicious that you’ll swear it was fried! It’s the best and easiest to enjoy your favorite restaurant-prepared fried calamari appetizer in a no-mess, sheet pan, roasted version with less oil and clean-up but with all the flavor and texture you love. Read on for more!
Not only is fried calamari (“calamari fritti” in Italian) a staple in kitchens across Italy and the Mediterranean, it’s also ubiquitous on every Italian-American, red sauce restaurant menu coast-to-coast. And with good reason–it’s crispy, delicious, fun to eat and so satisfying!
But, as beloved as fried calamari is, it’s almost never made at home. Why? Well, let’s face it–deep frying is not everyone’s favorite home cooking technique. It’s messy, uses (and wastes) a lot of oil and is time-consuming.
Enter this Baked Calamari recipe–the best alternative to fried calamari out there!
In this recipe, calamari rings and tentacles are quickly marinated in a lemony olive oil mixture spiked with garlic, pickled cherry peppers and brine, fresh and dried herbs and a variety of spices. Then, they’re coated with a breadcrumb/pecorino romano cheese mixture, spread out on a sheet pan and cooked on the bottom rung of a very hot oven.
The resulting roasted calamari is tender and crunchy with even more flavor than its fried cousin from all the aromatics. Plus, it only takes about thirty minutes to prepare if you purchase pre-cleaned calamari and is a breeze to clean-up. (More on this in the Ingredients section below.) Thin of it a bit like a calamari oreganata.
This calamari al forno recipe would be a great addition to your Feast of the Seven Fishes menu for Christmas Eve (La Vigilia di Natale) and doesn’t really require any advance preparation. It’s also a nice idea as a hot antipasto at your next dinner party. Or, frankly, on any random Wednesday night.
If you enjoy calamari, seafood and streamlined cooking, I hope you give this restaurant-worthy recipe a try. And don’t forget a little marinara or arrabbiata sauce on the side for dipping! Mangia bene!
How To Cook Calamari Properly
Cooking calamari until it is just right can be challenging. It can go from perfect firmness and tenderness to tough, chewy and rubbery in a matter of seconds.
One of the first things that I learned in culinary school from my favorite instructor, Chef Scanlan, was “always cook calamari one minute or one hour”.
What he meant was that calamari can be cooked in one of two ways: for the blink of an eye, as in fried, grilled or sautéed calamari, or for a longer amount of time so that it passes through the middle cooking stage when it is unappetizingly rubbery and arrives at the tender and super-appealing stage.
Both my calamari, potato and peas and calamari pasta sauce recipes take the longer approach to cooking calamari. But this baked calamari dish takes the short approach.
While roasting calamari may not seem to be the “quick cooking” technique of calamari, it actually is. Baking at a very high heat of 425˚F for 15 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven is the equivalent of frying calamari for about 1 to 2 minutes and results in the same level of tenderness. Perfect texture every time!
Ingredients for Baked Calamari
We’ll need the following ingredients for this oven-fried calamari recipe:
- Calamari: Sometimes fresh calamari is difficult to find. I generally use a high-quality frozen calamari that is pre-cleaned, saving me lots of time. (Check the freezer section near the seafood department of your grocery store.) Cleaned fresh squid comes at a premium at the fish market, but is worth it in my opinion. Having said that, cleaning squid is not difficult, just time consuming (and a bit slimy), as the outer skin, innards and all cartilage must be removed. (Click here for a great resource on the process.) Once fully cleaned, both the tentacles and body (cut up into rings) can be used in this recipe. Just be sure to pat them dry with a paper towel first.
- Lemon: Both lemon juice and zest are added to the marinade, giving the dish a touch of acid to round out and boost the overall flavors. I always say that fresh lemon juice makes almost anything better and this is a great example of that. Consider serving lemon wedges with the finished dish as well.
- Breadcrumbs: I use fine, plain (unseasoned) breadcrumbs for the calamari coating. Panko breadcrumbs can be used as well. Since we are adding so many spices to the mix, I don’t recommend pre-seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Cheese: Sharp and salty Pecorino Romano cheese is combined with the breadcrumbs for the crispy calamari coating.
- Garlic, Herbs and Spices: Garlic, fresh parsley, black pepper, onion and garlic powders, dried oregano, paprika or cayenne pepper and salt are all part of the flavorful calamari marinade.
- Pickled Cherry Peppers and Brine (a.k.a., vinegar peppers) are an ingredient powerhouse in this recipe, in my humble opinion. The vinegary brine and flavorful peppers really round out the flavors in the dish. Use either hot or sweet cherry peppers.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A key ingredient in the calamari marinade. Also, rub a small amount on the parchment paper on the baking sheet.
How to Make Crispy Baked Calamari, Step-by-Step
- Prep and gather all ingredients. Then, combine the breadcrumbs and pecorino cheese in a small bowl and set it aside.
- PRO-TIP: If using frozen calamari, be sure to defrost it prior to cooking. Also, pat it dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before proceeding.
- Combine the lemon juice and zest, pickled peppers and brine, olive oil, fresh parsley (if including), garlic and all spices in a large bowl and whisk together until well-combined.
- Then, fold the calamari into this mixture/marinade and mix until the calamari is well-coated. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Remove about 1/3 cup breadcrumb/cheese mixture and set it aside. Mix the rest of the dry mix with the calamari in marinade using your hands or a large spoon. Make sure all the calamari are coated well with the dry mix.
- Transfer the coated squid rings and tentacles to the oil-rubbed, parchment-lined sheet pan and spread it out in a single layer. Use two sheet pans if necessary. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup dry mix all over the surface of the spread out calamari and then drizzle it lightly with olive oil.
- Transfer the sheet pan to the bottom rack of a 425˚F preheated oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, checking them initially after 10 minutes. The calamari are ready once they are cooked and tender and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
- PRO-TIP: If you would like the calamari to be a bit browner or crispier, place them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes only. Do not walk away and monitor the squid closely as you do not want it to burn.
- Remove crunchy baked calamari from the oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Serve with lemon wedges and some heated marinara sauce for dipping, if desired. (Tartar sauce is another popular dipping sauce.) That’s it!
More Seafood Recipes You’ll Love
If you like this crispy calamari recipe, check out these other Italian-inspired seafood recipes:
- Italian Fried Shrimp
- Shrimp Oreganata in White Wine Lemon Butter
- Stuffed Baked Clams Oreganata with Lemon Garlic Breadcrumbs
- Zuppa di Clams in Red Sauce
- Linguine with Clams in a Red Sauce
- Mussels Marinara in Red Sauce (Zuppa di Mussels)
- Spaghetti and Crabs
- Calamari, Potato and Peas
- Calamari Ragu Fra Diavolo with Bucatini
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Arugula
- Spicy Sautéed Calamari (Not Fried)
Frequently Asked Questions
Proper cooking technique! As I mentioned above, calamari is unique in that it should either be cooked very quickly or longer (closer to one hour) until it passes through the unpleasant rubbery stage and arrives at a very appealing tenderness. This should result in perfect calamari every time.
While this baked calamari may not seem to be the “quick cooking” technique of calamari (like fried calamari), it actually is. Baking at a very high heat of 425˚F for 15 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven is the equivalent of frying calamari for about 1 to 2 minutes and results in the same level of tenderness.
In the case of fried calamari, many cooks swear by tenderizing the calamari in a milk/salt mixture to ensure its tenderness. I have never actually found the need to do this.
Note that smaller squid also tend to be more tender.
Panko is a type of flaky breadcrumb that has a light, airy texture that helps it crisp as it cooks. Bread is processed into large flakes, rather than crumbs, and then dried to make panko. As a breading, it generally absorbs less oil than regular breadcrumbs, keeping food more crisp and crunchy.
You can definitely use either panko bread crumbs or regular, fine breadcrumbs in this recipe.
“Calamari” is the Italian word for “squid” and is basically the culinary name of dishes containing squid.
But, the answer to this question varies. According to some, calamari and squid are different species within the class cephalopoda and squid is cheaper and tougher while calamari is more tender and expensive.
“Those two words are like ahi and tuna,” says Mike Vujevic of City Seafood. “Ahi is a type of tuna, but the two terms are often used interchangeably.”
TOP TIPS FOR BAKED CALAMARI
- Calamari: Try to buy already cleaned calamari, if possible. (Most of the frozen calamari out there is already cleaned.) However, if you need to clean it yourself, you will need to remove the beak, eyes, skin and the hard quill, which is the bone-like piece inside the squid. Then, rinse the calamari under cold water. Click here for a great video on the process. If using frozen calamari, be sure to defrost it prior to cooking and pat it dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before proceeding.
- Oven: A hot, 425°F oven is important to this recipe’s success, along with placing the sheet pan on the bottom-most shelf in the oven. You want the squid to cook quickly.
- Recipe Variations: If you prefer to keep this recipe dairy free, you can definitely leave out the grated cheese. Just switch out the cheese for additional breadcrumbs.
- Serving Suggestions: Crispy Baked Calamari is a great appetizer year-round. I especially like to include this dish on my Christmas Eve menu for the Feast of the Seven Fishes celebration.It can be an important component of a hot antipasto or even a light entrée with a mixed green salad. I suggest serving this oven-fried calamari with both lemon wedges and some tomato basil sauce for dipping.
- Leftovers and Storage: Quickly-cooked calamari like this does not reheat well and tends to become rubbery. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then, consider just bringing them to room temperature to enjoy with a salad or other light meal.
More Great Recipes to Try
I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog and all of my Italian recipes and Italian-American recipes!
If you’ve tried Crispy Baked Calamari, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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Crispy Baked Calamari (No Frying Required!)
Equipment
- Cheese grater (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cleaned calamari rings and tentacles (rings only is ok)
- 1¼ cups plain fine breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Zest and Juice of 1 lemon (about 4 Tbsp juice; be sure to zest the lemon first!)
- ½ cup finely diced hot or sweet pickled cherry peppers
- 1 Tbsp vinegar cherry pepper brine (from above)
- 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more for the top
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp paprika or cayenne pepper (if you want it piccante!)
- (Heated) Marinara/Tomato Basil Sauce (optional for serving)
- Lemon wedges (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Place one rack on the bottom rung of the oven and another rack under the broiler (for the optional finishing step). Preheat oven to 425˚F and use the convection setting if you have that available. Line a rimmed sheetpan with parchment paper and rub it with a little oil. Gather and prep all ingredients according to the specifications above. Be sure to zest the lemon before juicing it.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Prep the calamari. Defrost it fully if frozen and pat it dry with paper towels. (See NOTES for how to clean the calamari, if necessary.)2 pounds cleaned calamari rings and tentacles
- Next, combine the breadcrumbs and pecorino cheese in a small bowl and set it aside.1¼ cups plain fine breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Combine the lemon juice and zest, pickled peppers and brine, olive oil, fresh parsley (if including), garlic and all spices in a large bowl and whisk together until well-combined.Zest and Juice of 1 lemon, ½ cup finely diced hot or sweet pickled cherry peppers, 1 Tbsp vinegar cherry pepper brine, 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, 4 cloves garlic,, 1 tsp fine salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp paprika or cayenne pepper
- Then, fold the calamari into this mixture/marinade and mix until the calamari is well-coated. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Next, remove about 1/3 cup breadcrumb/cheese mixture and set it aside. Mix the rest of the dry mix with the calamari in marinade using your hands or a large spoon. Make sure all the calamari are coated well with the dry mix.
- Transfer the coated calamari to the oil-rubbed, parchment-lined sheet pan and spread it out in a single layer. Use two sheet pans if necessary.
- Sprinkle the reserved ⅓ cup dry mix all over the surface of the spread-out calamari and then drizzle it lightly with olive oil.
- Transfer the sheet pan to the bottom rack of the preheated oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, checking them initially after 10 minutes. The calamari are ready once they are cooked and tender and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. NOTE: Try not to overcook the calamari as they will then turn rubbery.
- If you would like the calamari to be a bit browner or crispier, place them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes only. Do not walk away and monitor the squid closely as you do not want it to burn.
- Remove calamari from the oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Serve with lemon wedges and some heated marinara sauce for dipping, if desired. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- The suggested recipe times assume you’re starting out with already cleaned calamari.
- Try to buy already cleaned calamari, if possible. (Most of the frozen calamari out there is already cleaned.) However, if you need to clean it yourself, you will need to remove the beak, eyes, skin and the hard quill, which is the bone-like piece inside the squid. Then, rinse the calamari under cold water. Click here for a great video on the process.
- If using frozen calamari, be sure to defrost it prior to cooking.
- Once the calamari is cleaned and/or defrosted, cut the bodies into approximately ½” thick rings. Use both the rings and tentacles in this recipe. Also, pat dry the calamari with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before proceeding.
- There’s no need to tenderize the calamari for this recipe. Tenderizing calamari in a mixture of milk or buttermilk and salt is a common practice for fried calamari. But, you can certainly tenderize the squid if you want to.
- Panko breadcrumbs can be substituted for the regular fine breadcrumbs.
- If you prefer to keep this recipe dairy free, you can definitely leave out the grated cheese. Just switch out the cheese for additional breadcrumbs.
- Quickly-cooked calamari like this does not reheat well and tends to become rubbery. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then, consider just bringing them to room temperature to enjoy with a salad or other light meal.
Great way to prepare it i am going to give it ago. Thanks MJF