How to Master Italian Calamari Salad: Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these detailed steps to create a tender, flavorful, and unforgettable Italian Calamari Salad.

1. Prepare the Calamari: Begin by thoroughly cleaning your calamari. If it hasn’t been pre-cleaned, remove the cuttlebone and guts. Most calamari sold in stores will already be cleaned, or your fishmonger can do it for you. Once cleaned, cut the tubes into 1/2-inch wide rings. Smaller tentacles can be left whole; larger ones might be cut in half. Aim for small squid, roughly 4-6 inches long (about 20-30 tubes per pound) for optimal tenderness. Avoid very large squid.

2. Tenderize the Calamari: Place the cleaned and cut calamari into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Add enough water to cover the calamari completely. Mix well to ensure the calamari is fully submerged and coated. Let this sit for 15 minutes before you proceed to cook, as the baking soda helps tenderize the squid.
3. Prepare the Salad Vegetables: While the calamari is tenderizing, prepare the rest of your salad ingredients. Finely chop 1/2 cup of roasted red peppers, dice 1/4 cup of red onion, and slice 1/4 cup of high-quality Sicilian green olives (or your preferred briny olive). Thinly slice 2 ribs (about 1 cup) of celery on a bias for a pleasant crunch. Mince 1/4 cup of fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley and grate 1 clove of garlic. Remember, these quantities are suggestions; feel free to adjust them to your personal taste.

4. Assemble the Dressing and Veggies: In a large mixing bowl, combine all the prepared vegetables (celery, red peppers, olives, red onion, garlic, parsley). Add 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly to combine all the ingredients with the dressing. Set this aside.
5. Cook the Calamari: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. While the water heats, drain the calamari from its baking soda bath and rinse it well under cold water. Once the water is boiling, add the drained calamari to the pot. Cook the calamari very quickly—for small calamari, only about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Larger pieces might need up to 3 minutes. The goal is to cook it just until it turns opaque and firm, but not rubbery.

6. Shock in Ice Water: Immediately after the calamari finishes cooking, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a large bowl filled with ice water. This ice bath is crucial as it rapidly stops the cooking process, preventing the calamari from becoming tough and chewy.
7. Combine and Season: Drain the chilled calamari very well, removing as much excess water as possible. Add the drained calamari to the large bowl with the prepared vegetables and dressing. Mix everything together thoroughly, ensuring the calamari is evenly distributed and coated.

8. Chill and Serve: Taste test the salad and season with additional salt to your liking. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the calamari salad for at least 2 hours. For the best flavor development, letting it chill overnight (12-24 hours) is highly recommended. Before serving, taste test again and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, lemon juice, or olive oil to brighten the flavors. Take the salad out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving to allow the olive oil to return to a fluid consistency, enhancing the overall texture and taste.

Expert Tips for the Best Calamari Salad

Achieving a perfectly tender and flavorful Italian Calamari Salad is simple when you know a few key tricks. These tips will help you avoid common pitfalls and elevate your dish to restaurant-quality.

• Choose Smaller Squid for Tenderness: This is arguably the most crucial tip. Always opt for smaller calamari, with tubes roughly 4-6 inches long. These yield a more tender texture, preventing the dreaded rubbery calamari. If you can only find larger squid, ensure you cut the rings thinner and the tentacles into smaller, manageable pieces to help tenderize them.
• Don’t Skip the Baking Soda Bath: The initial step of soaking the cleaned calamari in water with baking soda and salt for 15 minutes is vital. Baking soda is a natural tenderizer that helps break down the protein fibers in the squid, resulting in a wonderfully soft bite. This simple step makes a significant difference.
• The Ice Bath is Non-Negotiable: After the quick boil, immediately plunging the calamari into an ice bath serves two critical purposes: it instantly halts the cooking process, preventing overcooking (which leads to tough calamari), and it helps retain the calamari’s beautiful, firm texture. This rapid cooling ensures your calamari stays perfectly tender.
• Cook Calamari Quickly: Calamari is either cooked very quickly or for a long time. For this salad, we want a quick cook. Boiling for just 90 seconds to 2 minutes is usually sufficient for small calamari. Overcooking for even a minute longer can turn it rubbery. You’ll know it’s done when it turns opaque and curls slightly. A quick taste test can confirm tenderness.
• Prioritize Top-Quality Ingredients: As with all simple Italian recipes, the quality of your ingredients profoundly impacts the final flavor. Invest in good quality extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemons, and flavorful olives like Sicilian green, Kalamata, or Gaeta varieties. Fresh parsley also makes a noticeable difference compared to dried. These premium ingredients create a more authentic and delicious salad.
• Season Generously and Taste Test: Don’t be shy with seasoning. The calamari and vegetables will absorb the flavors over time, so ensure the dressing is well-balanced. Taste test before chilling and again before serving. You might find it needs an extra squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, or another pinch of salt to truly sing.
• Serve at the Right Temperature: While this is a cold salad, taking it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving allows the olive oil to soften and become more fluid. This enhances the mouthfeel and allows the flavors to be more pronounced than if it were served straight out of an icy cold fridge.

Feast of the Seven Fishes Menu Options

Italian Calamari Salad is a celebrated dish during the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes, a magnificent Christmas Eve celebration. If you’re planning your own feast or simply looking for more delicious seafood options, here are some other family favorites that pair wonderfully with this refreshing salad:

• Baccala Fritters: Crispy, savory cod fritters perfect for dipping.
• Crispy Fried Calamari: A classic and always popular appetizer, offering a different texture to the salad.
• Clams Oreganata: Baked clams topped with seasoned breadcrumbs, bursting with flavor.
• Mussels in White Wine Sauce: Steamed mussels in a fragrant garlic and white wine broth, perfect for soaking up with crusty bread.
• Pan-Seared Swordfish with Olives and Capers: A hearty and flavorful main course that complements lighter appetizers.
• Baccala alla Napoletana: Salt cod prepared Neapolitan style, a rich and traditional dish.
• Classic Shrimp Scampi: Succulent shrimp tossed in a garlic butter sauce, typically served with pasta.
• Linguine alle Vongole: Linguine pasta with fresh clams in a delicate white wine sauce.

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Italian Calamari Salad

By: James Delmage

Calamari rings and tentacles tossed together in a flavorful lemon vinaigrette with celery, olives, roasted red peppers, and fresh parsley.

Ingredients

For the Calamari Preparation:

• 1 pound (454g) calamari, cleaned (tubes cut into 1/2″ rings, tentacles left whole or halved if large)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Water, enough to cover calamari in the bowl

For the Salad:

• 1 cup chopped celery, thinly sliced on a bias
• 1/2 cup chopped red roasted peppers
• 1/2 cup Sicilian green olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 4 tablespoons (60g) fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup (120g) extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Rinse and clean the calamari thoroughly. Cut the tubes into 1/2-inch rings and, if using large tentacles, cut them in half. Place the calamari in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, then add enough water to cover. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
2. While the calamari is tenderizing, prepare the salad base. In a large bowl, combine the thinly sliced celery, chopped roasted red peppers, sliced olives, diced red onion, grated garlic, minced parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes.
3. Add 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil and 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the vegetable mixture. Mix everything together thoroughly and set aside.
4. Set up an ice water bath in a large bowl. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
5. Drain the calamari from its baking soda bath and rinse well under cold running water. Add the drained calamari to the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes, or until just opaque and cooked through. The cooking time might be as short as 90 seconds for very small calamari.
6. Immediately remove the cooked calamari with a slotted spoon and transfer it to the prepared ice water bath to stop the cooking process and maintain tenderness.
7. Once the calamari is completely cold, drain it very well. Add the chilled calamari to the bowl with the prepared vegetables and dressing. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
8. Taste the salad and season with additional salt to your preference. Refrigerate the calamari salad for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld. For optimal taste, chill it overnight.
9. Before serving, taste the salad again and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more olive oil, lemon juice, or salt and pepper if desired. Take the salad out of the fridge approximately 30 minutes before serving to ensure the olive oil is not congealed. Enjoy your flavorful Italian Calamari Salad!

Notes

• It’s recommended to use squid that are about 4-6 inches long for the most tender results. If using very large squid, cut thinner rings and halve or quarter the tentacles.
• Sodium levels in the nutrition information reflect the addition of 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, but always salt to taste.
• Always taste test the calamari salad right before serving and add any extra olive oil, lemon juice, or salt and pepper as required. Flavors can change as they meld in the fridge.
• For the best flavor development, chilling the salad for at least a couple of hours is good, but leaving it overnight allows the flavors to deepen significantly.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

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