If you’re a fan of the undersea creature, the squid, you’ll be thrilled to hear that it’s listed among the most consumed seafood worldwide.
While it may not be the most expensive or exotic, squid is incredibly versatile and can be used in just about any dish imaginable.
What makes a good squid recipe?
There are many ways to prepare this meaty sea creature, but you should always remember to use fresh squid whenever possible.
It has a mild flavor and delicate texture, so if you cook it too long, it will lose its tenderness and become rubbery.
When cooking squid, it’s important to keep in mind that it is low on fat and high in protein (more than twice as much as beef).
This means that even though it tastes delicious when cooked, it’s also very filling.
It’s a great way to get your daily dose of protein without having to add extra calories to your diet.
As for what makes a good squid recipe, here are some of our favorites.
The best squid recipes out there
Grilled squid with chili and lime
This simple grilled squid dish is a great option for those who don’t like spicy foods, but still want to enjoy the flavors of chilies.
The key to making this dish is to make sure that your grill is hot enough to sear the squid quickly.
If you don’t have a gas grill, you can make this dish using a charcoal grill instead.
Ingredients:
Four small squid
Juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat an outdoor grill over medium heat.
Rinse the squid and pat dry with paper towels.
Remove the tentacles by cutting along the top of the head, then pull them off the body.
Slice the bodies into rings. Place the rings on a plate and set aside.
Add the lime juice, olive oil, red onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a bowl.
Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Add the squid to the marinade and mix until evenly coated.
Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
Place the squid on the grill and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until opaque throughout.
Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Fried squid with garlic and soy sauce
Fried squid is a classic Chinese snack food, but it doesn’t need to be served only at dim sum restaurants!
This version is lighter and healthier than many other fried squid dishes, thanks to the addition of whole wheat flour.
Ingredients:
Eight large squid tubes
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
Directions:
Cut the squid tubes into bite-sized pieces.
Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
Beat the egg white in another shallow dish.
Dip each piece of squid into the egg white and dredge in the flour mixture.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat.
Fry the squid for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick you cut them, until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.
Squid stir-fry with vegetables
Stir-fries are a great way to use up leftover ingredients in your fridge, and this particular recipe uses the same basic technique for marinating the squid.
In this case, the squid gets tossed with ginger, garlic, green onions, and carrots.
These veggies are then sautéed in a wok with some chicken broth and soy sauce.
Ingredients:
8 large squid tubes
2 cloves of garlic
1 inch knob of ginger
1 bunch of green onions
1 carrot
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
Salt
Directions:
Clean the squid and remove the eyes.
Cut the tentacles into 1-inch pieces and slice the rest of the body into bite-sized pieces.
Peel the garlic and mince the ginger.
Chop the green onions and slice the carrot.
Whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauces, rice wine vinegar, and black pepper in a bowl.
Add the squid and toss to coat.
Set aside for 30 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat.
Add the sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and green onions and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the squid and continue to stir-fry for 4 to 5 more minutes, or until the squid is opaque throughout.
Season with salt to taste and serve.
Steamed squid with black bean sauce
Steaming is a great method for preparing squid because it keeps the texture intact while preserving the fish’s natural moisture.
To make this dish, simply place the squid in a steamer basket and steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
Sixteen large squid tubes
2 tablespoons of peanut oil
1/4 cup of diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup of diced yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of chopped green onions
1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of black beans
1 tablespoon of chili paste
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
Directions:
Clean the squid and remove the eyes.
Slice the tentacles into 1-inch pieces and the rest of the body into bite-sized pieces.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
When the oil begins to shimmer, add the diced bell peppers and ginger.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the garlic and green onions and cook for an additional minute.
Pour the water, black beans, chili paste, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sugar into the pan.
Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the squid and cover.
Steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the squid is opaque throughout.
Remove the lid and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Season with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.
Braised squid with ginger and scallions
Braising is a cooking technique where ingredients are slowly simmered in liquid.
This gentle method results in a deliciously tender meat that retains its original flavor.
Since braising is such a simple process, it’s easy to do it at home.
Ingredients:
Sixteen large squid tubes
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon of grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
1 teaspoon of honey
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
Directions:
Clean the squid and remove the eyes.
Slice the tentacles into 1-inch pieces and the rest of the body into bite-sized pieces.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat and add the sesame oil.
When the oil begins to shimmer, add the diced bell peppers and ginger.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Pour the water, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, and sesame seeds into the pan.
Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the squid and cover.
Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the squid is opaque throughout.
Remove the lid and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Season with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with chopped scallions before serving.
Tasty Squid Recipes You’ll Love
Ingredients
- 4 small squid
- 1 lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat an outdoor grill over medium heat.
- Rinse the squid and pat dry with paper towels.
- Remove the tentacles by cutting along the top of the head, then pull them off the body.
- Slice the bodies into rings. Place the rings on a plate and set aside.
- Add the lime juice, olive oil, red onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a bowl.
- Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the squid to the marinade and mix until evenly coated.
- Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
- Place the squid on the grill and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until opaque throughout.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges.
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I have a true passion for cooking and experimenting with new ingredients, and I have been creating and perfecting recipes for friends and family for years.
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