Italian Stuffed Calamari (Stuffed Squid Recipe)

Ingredients

Prep Time: 40 Min | Cook Time: 20 Min | Servings: 4

Important Note

The ingredient list provides the weight of the squid rather than the quantity, as squid sizes can vary significantly. Depending on the recipe, squid can range from 4-5 cm (about 2 inches) to over 30 cm (about 12 inches) in length. For this recipe, we used squid approximately 15 cm (6 inches) long.

• 600 g (1.3 pound) of calamari
• 120 ml (½ cup) of dry white wine
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 30 g (2 tablespoons) of chopped parsley
• 100 g (3.5 oz) of bread (about 4 slices of sandwich bread)
• 1 whole egg
• 50 g (½ cup) of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 5 large tomatoes (such as vine tomatoes) or 15 small tomatoes (such as cherry or grape tomatoes)
• 6-8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt, to taste

How to Make the Filling

Step 1) - Before you start, make sure the calamari are cleaned and the tentacles are separated from the bodies. Place the tentacles on a cutting board and finely chop them into small pieces.

Step 2) - Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped tentacles, one whole garlic clove, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, pour in 60 ml (¼ cup) of white wine and cook over high heat for another 3 minutes until the wine has evaporated. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Step 3) - Soak the bread in a little water for a few minutes, then squeeze out the excess moisture. Place the softened bread in a mixing bowl. Remove the garlic clove from the frying pan, finely chop it along with 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, and add both to the bowl with the bread. Mix well, then transfer everything back into the frying pan with the cooked tentacles.

Step 4) - Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring to combine all the flavors. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly. Transfer the mixture back to the bowl, then add one beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano cheese. Mix thoroughly until you have a well-blended filling.

How to Stuff Calamari

Step 5) - Using a teaspoon, fill each calamari tube about ¾ of the way full.

Important Tip: Calamari shrink slightly during cooking, while the filling expands. Avoid overstuffing them, as this may cause the calamari to tear or the filling to spill out during cooking.

Step 6) - Once stuffed, seal the opening of each calamari tube with toothpicks to prevent the filling from escaping. Now, your stuffed calamari are ready to be cooked!

How to Cook Stuffed Calamari in Tomato Sauce

Step 1) - Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add one whole garlic clove and the stuffed calamari tubes. Sauté for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

Pour in 60 ml (¼ cup) of white wine and cook over high heat for another 3 minutes, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.

Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes. You can use:

• Large tomatoes (such as vine tomatoes), chopped into pieces.
• Small tomatoes (such as cherry or grape tomatoes), cut in half.
• Tomato passata (a smooth tomato puree) for a richer, saucier texture.

Step 2) - Add the chopped tomatoes (or passata), 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, and a pinch of fine salt to the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Gently flip the calamari 2–3 times during cooking to ensure even flavor distribution.

Once cooked, remove the toothpicks and serve. For side dish suggestions, check the section below: "What to Serve with Stuffed Calamari."

How to Cook Stuffed Calamari WITHOUT Tomato Sauce

Step 1) - In a frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add one whole garlic clove and the stuffed calamari tubes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

Pour in 60 ml (¼ cup) of white wine and let it evaporate over high heat, which should take about 3 minutes.

Step 2) - Cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the calamari develop a nice golden color. Cooking time may vary depending on their size.

Tip: If the calamari start to swell during cooking, prick them gently with a toothpick to release steam and prevent them from bursting.

Taste and adjust salt if needed.

This pan-seared method creates a delightful contrast in textures—a slightly crispy exterior and a soft, flavorful filling inside.

Once done, remove the toothpicks and serve the stuffed calamari whole or sliced into rounds for an elegant presentation.

Cleaning squid is one of the those things that many consider to be the most boring in the kitchen. Sometimes even complicated. In reality, it's much simpler than it looks like. So let's see together how to clean calamari in few easy steps!

Step 1) - First, remove the tentacles. So, grab the squid's head with one hand and its body with the other. Gently pull the head to remove the entrails. Then remove the hard clear cartilage from the body.

Step 2) - Remove the horny beak located in the center of the tentacles, the eyes and all the surrounding part with the help of scissors or a knife.

Step 3) - Remove the skin and rinse the calamari tubes under running water to remove any residue, being careful not to break them. Wash also the inside of the calamari tubes and the tentacles as well, to remove any residual sand. Dry with kitchen paper and set aside, ready to be used in your fantastic stuffed squid recipes!