Italian Stuffed calamari, also known as stuffed squid, is a beloved Italian seafood dish that combines tender calamari tubes with a flavorful filling. This stuffed calamari recipe is a true classic, enjoyed across Italy with regional variations that make it unique.
In Southern Italy, stuffed squid is often simmered in a rich tomato sauce, adding depth and a comforting flavor. In contrast, Northern Italian stuffed calamari is typically prepared without tomato sauce, allowing the delicate seafood flavors to shine. I'm going to show you both recipes!
The filling for this Italian stuffed squid recipe is made with squid tentacles, bread, garlic, eggs, parsley, and Parmigiano Reggiano, creating a perfect balance of texture and taste. These simple yet flavorful ingredients enhance the natural sweetness of calamari.
Perfect for an elegant seafood dish for a special occasion or a comforting meal that brings the taste of Italy to your table, this Stuffed Calamari recipe is the perfect choice. Serve it with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce or enjoy it as a main course with a side of vegetables or salad.
Get ready to discover how to make classic Italian stuffed calamari!
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
Instructions
BEFORE YOU START!
You can use either fresh or frozen calamari for this recipe. If using frozen squid, be sure to defrost them in the refrigerator for a few hours before cooking.
Regardless of whether they are fresh or frozen, the squid must be cleaned before you begin. You can buy them pre-cleaned, ask your fishmonger to clean them for you, or clean them yourself. If you choose to clean them yourself, be sure to follow the steps in the section below, "How to Clean Calamari."
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.
YOU MUST ALSO TRY:
- Squid with Peas (Calamari con Piselli)
- Baked Calamari rings
- Shrimp and Calamari Salad with Crispy Vegetables
- Calamarata: The Classic Italian Recipe
- Calamari Stew in Tomato Sauce with Garlic Bruschetta
- Shrimp and Calamari Skewers with Breadcrumbs
Storage
It's best to enjoy Italian stuffed calamari fresh, right after cooking, for the best texture and flavor. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Do not freeze—freezing can alter the texture and make the calamari tough.
Time-Saving Tip
To streamline the preparation, you can clean the calamari and prepare the filling a day in advance. Store both in the refrigerator, covered with cling film (plastic wrap), until you're ready to cook.
Side Dishes
What to Serve with Stuffed Calamari
You can serve Stuffed Calamari Without Tomatoes with a fresh salad, Italian roasted potatoes, or a delicious eggplant Caponata, which pairs beautifully with the delicate flavor of the squid.
On the other hand, Italian Stuffed Calamari in Tomato Sauce makes a fantastic main course or a hearty one-dish meal. Serve it with creamy polenta or alongside thick slices of homemade bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Bonus Tip: The rich tomato sauce from stuffed calamari also makes an excellent pasta sauce! Simply toss it with your favorite pasta for a second dish made from the same recipe.
How to Clean Calamari
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!
Variations
This Stuffed Calamari recipe features a delicate filling that enhances, rather than overpowers, the natural flavor of the calamari.
If you'd like to skip the egg, simply replace it with 1–2 tablespoons of milk to maintain a slightly soft but compact texture.
There are many regional variations of this dish. Here are a few:
- Sicilian-Style Stuffed Calamari: For a sweet-savory contrast, add raisins, almonds, and lemon zest, or try olives and capers as in traditional Sicilian recipes.
- Spicy Calamari (Calabrian-Style): Boost the flavor with anchovies and capers in the filling and a touch of chili pepper in the tomato sauce for a spicier kick.
- Ligurian Stuffed Calamari: In Liguria, the filling often includes marjoram and Taggiasca olives for a fragrant Mediterranean twist.
Recipe Card

Italian Stuffed Calamari (Stuffed Squid Recipe)
Ingredients
- 600 g calamari - 1.3 pound
- 120 ml dry white wine - ½ cup
- 2 cloves garlic
- 30 g parsley - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- 100 g bread - 3.5 oz (about 4 slices of sandwich bread)
- 1 egg
- 50 g Parmigiano cheese - ½ cup, grated
- 5 large or small tomatoes - such as vine tomatoes, cherry or grape tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt - to taste
Instructions
How to Make the Filling
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
How to Cook Stuffed Calamari WITHOUT Tomato Sauce
- 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.
- 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.
- Once done, remove the toothpicks and serve the stuffed calamari whole or sliced into rounds for an elegant presentation.
Mark Pecce says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Matthew M.Giacoppo says
This recipe is my new go to squid recipe Grazie .
Silvana Nava says
Thank you for this comment!
Mario R. Bucacci-Pezzullo says
Thank you for allowing me to reminisce over my youth. The seven fishes, La Vigilia. were always served to our family and friends on Christmas Eve. My mom would work so hard preparing this dish and this is exactly how she made her stuffed squid. I occasionally make it whenever I wish and do not have to wait till Christmas. This is a fantastic recipe...Grazie mille, Mario
Barbara says
Grazie a te Mario!
Kim says
This recipe is my new go to squid recipe. I use my homemade sourdough and dampen it with a sprinkle of wine. Definitely 5/5.
David Tennessen says
I would cook the squid the northern way for the crunchy outsides and soft insides. Then with low heat simmer the cooked squid in the southern tomato sauce, that I made on the side, for a while. Then serve with the tomato sauce and bread.
Diane Frances says
Calamari is one of the stars at our Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. Traditionally, the stuffed tubes have been prepared and fried the day before then heated up in the oven just before serving. I often wonder if heating up in the oven is a mistake and should just be fried before serving then put in a warming tray, any thoughts?
Linda Coley says
My family loves calamari. I will try both recipe's with and without tomatoes . Thank you for this recipe.