Crispy Fried Calamari – Air Fryer or Stovetop for the week
- Yield 4 servings
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 15 minutes
Crispy Fried Calamari – Air Fryer or Stovetop for the week sits in the Snacks section of Regbie. The card serves 4 servings. The amounts and the method are both written on this page.
Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
- 1 pound calamari, cleaned and skins removed
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1½ cups cold water
- 1 cup cassava flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large egg whites
- 6 cups avocado oil, or avocado oil spray for air fryer
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- ½ cup marinara sauce, skippable dipping sauce
Method
Blot the calamari dry and cut the body into rings that are ¾-inch thick. Got tentacles? Trim any super long ones.
Stir baking soda, 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and water in a large bowl. Submerge the calamari and brine in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
While the calamari is brining, whisk the cassava flour, tapioca flour, black pepper in a shallow bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Lastly, place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
When the 15 minutes is up, take the calamari out of the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Tip in the calamari in the whisked egg whites and toss well.
In batches, shake off excess egg whites and dredge the calamari in the flour mixture. Make sure the insides of the calamari rings and all the tentacles are well coated with the flour mixture.
Shake off any excess flour and set the coated calamari on the prepared wire rack in the rimmed baking sheet. Now follow either the deep fryer or air fryer instructions below.
Tip the avocado oil into a large Dutch oven or high-sided pot. The oil should reach about 2 inches up the sides. Warm the oil on medium high until it reaches 350°F.
Tip in half of the calamari to the hot oil and deep fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown, stirring occasionally so the calamari don’t stick together.
Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to move the fried calamari to a paper towel-lined plate.
Salt the fried calamari with a sprinkle of salt. Repeat the steps above with the remaining half of the calamari. Eat the calamari immediately with some lemon wedges and marinara sauce (if desired).
Warm your air fryer to 400°F.
When it reaches temperature, spray the bottom of the basket with avocado oil and add enough calamari to make a single layer on the bottom of the basket. Spray the calamari generously with avocado oil—too little oil and the coating will remain powdery!
Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown and crunchy on the outside, shaking the contents of the basket at the halfway point.
Move the calamari to a plate and immediately season with a sprinkle of salt. Repeat the steps above with the remaining calamari. Eat the calamari immediately with some lemon wedges and marinara sauce (if desired).
Kitchen notes
- If you’re using table salt or Morton’s brand kosher salt for the brine, use about half the amount of salt specified.
- The key to evenly deep fried food is making sure the oil temperature is correct.
- The cook use the cook ChefAlarm or Thermapen One thermometer to monitor the cook oil temperature.
