This Grilled Calamari is grilled on a stick, which in my opinion, is just as good as fried! Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best and this is no exception. A squeeze of lime, some silky virgin olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper – so good and such an easy fish dish!
Why This Grilled Calamari
- A quick and delicious fish dish!
- Great for BBQ’s.
- Easy 5 ingredient recipe.
- Healthy tasty alternative to fried calamari.
Ingredients For This Grilled Calamari Recipe
- Squid
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lime wedges
- Salt & pepper
- Bamboo skewers
How To Make This Grilled Calamari – Step by Step
Start by rinsing the squid and pat dry with a paper towel.
Cut the tubes of squid into 2-inch tubes.
Thread the squid onto bamboo skewers and season both sides with salt and pepper. (Be sure to soak the bamboo skewers for 30 minutes before using to prevent burning).
Grill over medium-high heat for 4 minutes each side or until edges slightly charred. Then, drizzle olive oil over the cooked calamari, squeeze some lime and top with parsley.
Fried Vs Grilled Calamari
Most of the calamari we order from restaurants is the traditional battered ‘n deep fried (LOVE!) but somehow I lost my deep fryer during the move. It’s a mystery — where is my electric deep fryer full of slightly used canola oil?
In the meantime, our calamari is grilled on a stick, which in my opinion, is just as good as fried (so THERE!). It’s a healthier alternative to fried squid but still have a lovely mix of texture from the grilling and it’s less greasy!
Cleaning Squid For Calamari
Buying squid…errrrr…..calamari can be a little scary – what do you do with the slippery tubes and funny fingers? For this recipe, I buy already cleaned squid, which you can get frozen in a bag or your nice fishmonger might have some already defrosted in the glass case for ya.
Now…I know some of you can’t get already-cleaned squid…so I ventured out to the interwebs to find you some videos. But I gotta say, since handling slimy squid with a giant eyeball staring at you and long tentacles waiting to (eeeeks STOP IT!! I watch too many horror flicks) isn’t the most easy thing to do, I was hoping that I could find a happyhappyjoyjoy video about cleaning squid.
Finally, I found one from About.com, no scary words and they even have soothing music in the background.
If you don’t want to put yourself through this – then just buy them already cleaned!
Grilled Calamari Salad
If you’ve got leftover calamari, toss them in a salad.! I promise you won’t be disappointed. Pair it with a lovely glass of fruity white wine or a vibrant rose. Also, pairs well with Prosecco too!
Top Tips For This Grilled Calamari
- If possible get your fishmonger to clean the squid for you.
- To tenderize the meat and remove some of the chewiness, soak the squid in either lemon juice or kiwi fruit juice for half an hour before cooking. The acidity helps to break down the texture. Alternatively, tenderize by soaking the squid in milk overnight, covered and refrigerated.
- When grilling, thread squid bodies lengthwise onto skewers so they lie flat.
- Calamari is a high protein, low fat meal so if you’d like to keep things healthy, serve it with a Greek Salad.
Check Out These Other Delicious Seafood Dishes
- Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce
- Thai Fish Soup
- Grilled Fish with Citrus Herb Crust
- Grilled Whole Fish on Banana Leaf
Have you tried this Grilled Calamari recipe? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Grilled Calamari
Ingredients
- 1 pound squid calamari, tubes only
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- few sprigs fresh parsley finely minced
- bamboo skewers soaked
Instructions
- Preheat grill. Wash squid, pat dry with paper towel. Cut squid into 2-inch tubes and thread onto bamboo skewer. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Grill over medium-high heat for 4 minutes each side or until edges slightly charred.
- Drizzle olive oil over cooked calamari, squeeze lime over and top with parsley
