On one of our first dates, my husband ordered fried calamari at a restaurant. I was definitely unsure about it, but finally worked up the courage to try it … it was actually good! Even though it was good in awful-deep-fried-PUFA-oils, I wasn’t sure I could handle it in any form that actually resembled a squid…
Fast forward a few years (and much higher grocery prices) and calamari/squid is one of the least expensive wild caught seafood options. I found it on sale for $3 a pound at our local store and bought some with the resolve to figure out a healthy way to cook it. I did make a healthy version of fried calamari in coconut oil, which turned out great, but I wanted to experiment with other forms of cooking it.
After some browsing in an old Italian cookbook, this rustic calamari pasta seemed like a good recipe to adapt with healthy ingredients. To the pasta-like calamari I add mushrooms, onions, and shredded zucchini along with some spices and a splash of white wine. It’s pretty delicious.
Why to Give Calamari Stir-Fry Recipe a Try…
If you’ve never tried calamari (squid), or have never tried it in any form that isn’t deep fried, I’d encourage you to branch out and try this recipe. If cooked correctly, calamari can be delicious and tender. My kids actually loved this recipe and thought that it was so cool that they were eating “octopus.” It’s definitely one of my more adventurous recipes, but it is inexpensive and nutrient dense!
10-Minute Garlic Butter Calamari Recipe (Stir-Fry!)
Servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb calamari tubes and tentacles (defrosted and cut into rings)
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 large onion
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 TBSP white wine (optional)
Instructions
- If it isn’t pre-cut, slice the calamari tubes into thin slices and leave the tentacles intact. Pat dry and set aside.
- Peel the zucchini and using a peeler or a spiralizer, shred the zucchini into “noodles.”
- Peel the onion and thinly slice into rings.
- Add the olive oil in a large skillet and turn to medium high heat.
- Add the onion and saute about 2 minutes until starting to become translucent.
- Add the zucchini and saute for another 5-6 minutes over medium heat until the zucchini is just starting to soften. You don’t want it too soft at this point. If at any point during the cooking, liquid starts to accumulate in the pan as it cooks off of the zucchini or mushrooms, carefully pour the liquid off. You should be able to saute and slightly brown the vegetables.
- Add the mushrooms and the squid to the mixture and sprinkle with the spices. and saute 5-6 minutes or until calamari is just cooked, but not rubbery.
- Splash with the wine (if using) to de-glaze the pan and add flavor.
- Saute one minute and remove from heat.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
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Have you ever cooked squid? What is the most adventurous thing you’ve cooked or eaten? Share below!
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