Stuffed Squid
If you’re thinking of a Mediterranean seafood menu, you should include this easy and tasty recipe for Stuffed Squid!
You’ll only need simple ingredients like bread, parsley, and Pecorino Romano cheese to create a flavor that will impress everyone. Follow the instructions, and you can’t go wrong!
This classic Italian Stuffed Squid is beautiful to look at and good to eat. Whether you want to feed the family or impress dinner guests, this recipe will help you do both. Let me show you how to make stuffed squid in tomato sauce.
My husband always thinks we have guests coming for dinner when I make this dish because it seems just a bit fancy. Calamari ripieni, as this recipe is known in Italian, isn’t very complicated or fancy. It’s one of my favorite seafood dishes because I can leave it simmering while I do other things, and I know you’ll love it, too.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Make ahead – As I said earlier, add the stuffed squid to the tomato sauce and let it simmer while you finish other chores. If you really want to plan ahead, make the filling the day before and store it in the fridge.
- Tender and Tasty – Using the low and slow method of cooking squid means that this stuffed squid is never rubbery or chewy.
- Impressive – While my Stuffed Squid recipe isn’t particularly complicated or fancy, like these Fried Sardines, it is full of classic Italian flavors and looks great, sliced and arranged on a platter. This makes it ideal when having guests for dinner or the Christmas eve menu. If I have a larger group to feed, I often make my Chicken Sorrentino or my Chicken Pomodoro as well and serve both dishes.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients
- Squid – fresh or frozen is fine. Look for squid or calamari tubes and tentacles at your grocery store or fishmonger. If you buy the whole seafood, ask your fishmonger to clean it. It’s easy to clean this seafood at home, but can be messy. (While there, pick up what you need to make my Baked Swordfish, it is delicious!)
- Olive oil – Extra virgin or regular olive will work.
- Garlic – fresh garlic is best.
- Fresh bread crumbs – use a few slices of white bread, remove the crusts and then crumble the bread with your fingers.
- Pecorino Romano cheese – purchase a block and grate it fresh at home before using it in this recipe. Use Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (Parmesan) if that’s what you have.
- Parsley – fresh Italian parsley has the best flavor, but if you can only find it curly, that will work.
- Capers – either in brine or salted are good. If you use salted caper, remember to rinse the salt off.
- Dry white wine – choose one that you like. Some varieties that you could look at are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio.
- Canned tomatoes – select whole tomatoes even though they will be crushed or pureed. Whole canned tomatoes are better quality than crushed or diced canned tomatoes.
- Black olives – pitted olives are preferable.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Cut the tentacles and fins into small pieces.
Heat olive oil. Add the chopped pieces of squid and saute until the liquid has evaporated.
Blitz the cooked squid pieces in a blender or food processor with fresh breadcrumbs, pecorino Romano cheese, parsley, capers, salt, and pepper.
Stuff the filling into the squid tubes using a small spoon.
Use a toothpick to close the ends.
Gently saute the chopped garlic in the olive oil. When the garlic is sizzling, deglaze the pan with white wine.
Add the tomatoes, olives, and capers. Crush the tomatoes lightly. Season, then bring the sauce to a simmer.
Add the stuffed squid and simmer with the lid on until the squid is tender.
Hint: If the filling seems dry, add a couple of tablespoons of tomato puree from the canned tomatoes to moisten.
Substitutions
- Olive oil – if you don’t have olive oil or you don’t like olive oil, use whatever you prefer.
- Garlic – use minced garlic in a jar instead of fresh.
- Canned tomatoes – instead of canned tomatoes, which need to be crushed or blended for this recipe, use tomato puree or tomato passata.
Variations
- Spicy – add red pepper flakes to the filling to add some spiciness.
- No Tomato – omit the tomatoes from the recipe cooking the stuffed squid in the white wine only. You will need to add a little water as the wine evaporates. Serve this version with just a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Stuffed Calamari Sicilian-Style – add pine nuts, anchovies, and raisins to the filling for an irresistible Sicilian variation.
Equipment
This recipe requires a frying pan or skillet large enough to accommodate the tomato sauce and the stuffed squid. If you don’t have one large enough, transfer the tomato sauce after step… to a deep baking dish, then add the stuffed squid. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 400°F (200°C) until tender.
Storage
The best way to enjoy your stuffed squid is to eat them fresh! If you have leftovers, don’t worry. Just pop them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to a day. Reheat gently in a pan, not in the microwave.
The good news is you can make the stuffing ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge with plastic wrap. And if you’re looking to make a bigger batch, you can freeze the cooked stuffed squid in tomato sauce for later!
Top tip
- When purchasing squid, choose ones that aren’t too large and are all of a similar size. Smaller ones are more tender, and being all the same size, they’ll cook evenly.
- Pay careful attention not to overstuff. While you want to ensure that the filling gets right down to the tip of the tube, overstuffing causes the filling to come out. It won’t completely ruin the dish, but it won’t be as nice to look at.
- Use a toothpick to prick the stuffed squid all over after stuffing. This will help the tubes not burst during cooking.
- Turn the squid over in the sauce occasionally as they cook. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little water to thin. Taste the sauce to check that the season is right for your tastes.
FAQ
The secret to cooking squid and calamari so that it is tender is quite simple. Either cook it hot and fast or low and slow. This recipe chooses the low and slow method, while calamari fritti uses the hot and fast method.
There’s no need to soak squid in anything for this recipe. However, I have heard that soaking large squid in milk for an hour or two before frying will actually tenderize it. Buy small squid that will be tender without the additional step of soaking.
Prepare the recipe as written. Then, once the stuffed squid is added to the simmering tomato sauce, cover with the lid and put the frying pan or skillet into a preheated (400°F/200°C) oven until tender. This is provided that the pan or skillet is ovenproof.
For frying pans or skillets that aren’t ovenproof, transfer the stuffed squid and tomato sauce into an ovenproof baking dish and cover it with foil before baking it in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
There are several ways to serve this Stuffed Squid in tomato sauce. Serve it with crusty bread, like my semolina bread, which is an ideal way to mop up all the sauce.
Alternatively, cook pasta such as spaghetti. When drained, mix in the tomato sauce, which has by now been flavored with the stuffed squid, to serve as a first course. For the second course, serve the sliced stuffed squid with a fresh salad like this Mediterranean Cucumber Salad.
Related
Calamarata Pasta
Octopus Salad
San Marzano Tomato Sauce
Authentic Italian Braciole
Made this recipe?
Please let me know if you liked it by leaving a ★★★★★ star rating and a review below. And remember to subscribe to my newsletter – it’s free!
Stuffed Squid Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 grams) squid cleaned, with tentacles (about 4-5 calamari)
Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 ounces (90 grams) fresh bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup (30 grams) grated pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon capers
Tomato Sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 28 ounces (800 grams) canned tomatoes
- 20 pitted black olives
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
To serve
- Freshly cooked pasta
Instructions
Filling
- Thoroughly clean the squid by flushing running water through the body and tentacles. Drain well. Then, finely chop the tentacles and fins and set them aside in a bowl.
- Heat olive oil. Add the chopped tentacles and fins and chopped garlic clove. Fry until the liquid has evaporated.
- Remove from the heat and scrape into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the fresh breadcrumbs, pecorino Romano cheese, parsley, capers, salt and pepper. Process or blend to chop and combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- If the filling seems dry, add a couple of tablespoons of tomato puree from the canned tomatoes.
To stuff and cook the squid
- Use a small spoon to stuff the filling into the squid tubes. Push the filling right down into the tip, but don’t overfill. Close the ends with a toothpick. Use a toothpick to prick the stuffed squid all over. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
- Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the same large frying pan or skillet where you cooked the tentacles. Add chopped garlic clove. Place the pan over medium heat. Saute until the garlic sizzles and starts to smell delicious. Don’t let the garlic color.
- Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up any stuck-on bits.
- Stir in the tomatoes, olives, and capers. Crush the tomatoes with a fork. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
- Lower in the stuffed squid.
- Simmer gently with the lid on for 30-60 minutes or until the squid is tender when prodded with a fork. Turn the squid over in the sauce from time to time. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little water to thin.
To serve
- Remove the stuffed squid and set aside. Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta. Slice the stuffed squid and arrange on a platter. Pasta and sauce can be serve as a first course followed by sliced squid. Alternatively, serve pasta together with the platter of stuffed squid.
Notes
- Choose smaller squid that are similar in size: This ensures even cooking and tender results, since smaller squid are naturally more delicate.
- Stuff gently: Don’t overstuff the squid – you want the filling to reach the tip without causing it to burst. A little leakage can happen, but it won’t affect the flavor if you keep an eye on it while cooking.
- Prick the squid after stuffing: Use a toothpick to make small holes all over the stuffed squid. This will help prevent them from bursting while cooking.
- Turn and adjust the sauce as needed: While the squid cooks, occasionally turn them in the sauce for even cooking. If the sauce thickens too much, simply add a little water to thin it out. Finally, be sure to taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings to your preference before serving.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
This recipe looks amazing! I have guests coming for dinner. Can I double this recipe?
Yes, Sophie, this recipe can be doubled.