Tender Squid In Tomato Sauce
Hearty, saucy, squid in tomato sauce. One of the best easiest ways to cook tender squid or calamari!
Servings: 2 to 3
Calories: 649kcal
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons olive oil
- 700 grams (1.5 pounds) fresh or frozen whole squid
- 100 grams (1 small) onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 teaspoons tomato paste
- 400 grams (14 ounces) ripe tomatoes grate on a hand grater, discard the skins
- 100 grams (½ large) green bell pepper finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 5 tablespoons tomato passata (tomato sauce)
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- OPTIONAL: cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes to serve with
Instructions
To Prepare The Squid:
- Clean the squid. Pull the squid's head and everything that comes with it. Insert your fingers into the squid's body and remove all that's inside. Dip the squid in a bowl with cold water and remove the membrane from its skin. Just grab hold of it and pull it it's easy to come off.
- Cut the squid. Cut the head between the legs and the eyes. Discard the eyes and teeth keeping only the legs. Cut the body into 2-2,5 cm thick (¾ to 1-inch) thick rings. Cut the bottom in half to get 2 flat triangles.
- Rinse the squid well and place it in a strainer.
Prepare The Sauce:
- Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan with a lid.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Add the grated tomatoes and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomato drains and starts to stick to the bottom.
- Pour in 3 cups of hot water. Add also the passata, bay leaf, and paprika.
- Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes over medium heat uncovered. Meanwhile, cook the squid.
To Cook The Squid:
- Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan.
- Pan-fry the squid in two batches. Season lightly with salt and pepper while pan-frying and flip to get a golden color on both sides. Add each batch to the sauce using cooking tongs.
- Pour a splash of hot water into the pan where you cooked the squid and deglaze it with a wooden spoon. Pour this into the sauce.
- Simmer covered for 30 to 40 minutes over medium heat. Or until squid feels tender when you prick it with a knife and the sauce is thickened. It may take up to 50 minutes if using a very large squid.
- Stir in the parsley and lemon juice 2 minutes before removing from the heat.
- Serve over steamed rice or boiled pasta with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes if you like spicy.
Nutrition
Calories: 649kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 544mg | Sodium: 282mg | Potassium: 1184mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2179IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 3mg