This baked calamari recipe is a lightened up version of the ever-popular fried calamari, but it's just as delicious! The result is crispy and crunchy, and works well as a weeknight dinner or a game day appetizer.
This crispy, crunchy baked calamari is so delicious, no one will care that it isn't fried!
Update Notes: This post was originally published in February 2013, but was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in January 2019.
You may be thinking to yourself that squid is not really a family-friendly food. I thought that in the past as well! Prior to this recipe, I had not really been able to get my kids to eat squid. Depending on how it is cooked, it can have a texture that some kids will not like.
But, when you bake up these calamari rings, your kids will eat them up and then ask for more! It might seem fancy, but this recipe is actually really easy to make using frozen squid rings.
Maybe because they look a little like onion rings, my kids did not hesitate to try them (the first hurdle in introducing a new food). They are crispy and crunchy and have just the right amount of spice to make them flavorful but not overpowering.
The calamari rings are flavorful enough to serve as they are, or alongside marinara for dipping!
Squid offers a lot of nutritional value, and is one of the safest types of seafood in terms of mercury content. Squid provides essential nutrients like phosphorous (which aids in calcium absorption), zinc, copper, selenium (an antioxidant), calcium, niacin (important for metabolism), vitamin B12 (important for red blood cell production and supporting the nervous system), and vitamin C.
Plus it is low in calories and high in protein!
Steps for making this baked calamari recipe
Step 1. Prepare the bowls
You need three separate bowls, since you will be dipping each ring three times: first in a flour mixture, then in beaten eggs, then in a cornmeal/Panko mixture.
Prepare 3 separate bowls before starting the dipping process for the squid rings
Step 2. Coat the calamari rings
It's a little messy, but the process is worth it! I started out dipping each ring individually, but soon realized it was quicker to do about 5 at a time. If your kids are OK with the idea of eating squid, have them wash their hands and get them involved with the process of coating the calamari rings. It can actually be pretty fun!
Each ring gets dipped in the flour mixture, then the egg, then the cornmeal mixture.
Step 3. Place the squid rings on a baking sheet
I used a sheet of parchment paper for easier cleanup, but that's totally optional. Position the rings on a baking sheet in a single layer, and then lightly mist with cooking spray before placing in the oven. In 15 more minutes, you will have fabulous calamari rings to enjoy!
After dipping the calamari in the flour, egg, and cornmeal, place them on a baking sheet.
Tips for this calamari recipe
- I recommend using frozen calamari rings. They easily keep in the freezer so you don't have to worry about cooking them within a certain time period before they spoil.
- If you prefer to use fresh seafood, go for it! See this Calamari 101 article for more information on handling fresh squid.
- If you use frozen squid rings, you need to thaw them first. Microwaving them is not recommended. The best way to thaw them quickly is to place them in a sealed plastic bag and submerge them in cool water. Work the bag gently with your hands from time to time to separate the frozen rings and help them to defrost.
- Calamari cooks quickly, and it gets tough and rubbery when overcooked, so make sure to test your rings once you get to the 15 minute mark.
- You can customize the amount of flavor in this recipe by adjusting the spices. My family likes Old Bay spice a lot, so I tend to throw in an extra teaspoon or two. Try it out and take notes so you can remember to make changes for the next time!
- Serve with lemon for squeezing over the rings, or marinara for dipping.
This calamari recipe is great because it combines finger-food fun and crunchiness without adding a ton of fat and calories that you get with frying. And it can be used as an entree or as an appetizer.
One thing to mention is that, while this is an EASY recipe, the prep does take a little bit of time just because of the coating process for the rings. But, it's totally worth it, and it cooks up fast so you still can get the meal on the table pretty quickly!
These gorgeous squid rings taste as good as they look!
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Crispy Baked Calamari Recipe
Serve with lemon wedges and/or marinara for dipping. If using this as an entree, it works well alongside pasta, or a side salad, or both.
If you are making this recipe as an appetizer, you may also be interested in my Baked Brie with Jam recipe. It's really REALLY easy, and super tasty as well as elegant. Your guests will be SO impressed, especially if you serve this alongside of your crispy, crunchy calamari rings!
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! Enjoy!
Baked Calamari Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds squid rings (thawed from frozen is fine)
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay spice
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs thoroughly.
- In a third bowl, combine bread crumbs, cornmeal, and Old Bay seasoning.
- First coat each squid ring with the flour mixture, then dip in the eggs, then coat with the crumb/cornmeal mixture.
- Place rings on the baking sheet.
- Mist the rings with cooking spray, then bake for 10 minutes.
- Turn over the rings, then bake for another 5-10 minutes. You don't want to overbake them, so begin to taste test them after 5 minutes and remove when ready but before they become tough.
Notes
- I always use frozen calamari rings. It's so easy to keep them in the freezer to pull out anytime we want to make this recipe. But fresh will work just as well!
- Frozen squid rings should be thawed before the coating process. The best way to thaw them is to place them in a sealed plastic bag and submerge them in cool water. Work the bag gently with your hands from time to time to separate the frozen rings and help them to defrost.
- This recipe was developed to use with kids who often don't like strong flavors. However as my kids got older I started to use extra Old Bay seasoning. You can also try seasoned bread crumbs for additional flavor!
- HINT: Taste the dry mix before starting to dip your calamari rings in it to make sure it is seasoned enough for you. Add additional salt, pepper, or Old Bay to suit your taste.
- Serve with marinara and/or lemon wedges.
Video
Nutrition
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Looking for some additional calamari recipes?
You could try this 15-Minute Calamari Recipe with Champagne and Garlic-Lime Dill Sauce, it sounds delicious! Or how about this Pan-Seared Squid with Lemony Aioli and Greens? Yum!
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Charlie
Not good, totally flavorless.
Kristin
Hi Charlie, I'm so sorry you didn't like this! My recipes are created for (and tested on) kids who are typically not into a lot of spice and strong flavors, and this is the combo I landed on that my kids love. Also, check how old your Old Bay spice is, since over time it will lose it potency. That being said, you can totally amp up the flavor to your liking. I would suggest increasing the salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons and the Old Bay Spice to 3 or even 4 teaspoons. You can taste it before you dip the squid rings in it to see if it is flavorful enough. Or, you could try using seasoned bread crumbs instead of Panko bread crumbs. All of those ideas should help bring through more flavor for you. I am glad you brought this up and I think it is a good idea for me to add those suggestions to the recipe notes for future cooks who would like to try this but would prefer lots of flavor. Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the feedback!
Jersey Girl Cooks
I love fried calamari but like this lightened up version even better!
Kristin
Thanks! Yeah, fried stuff is always awesome but I feel so greasy and yucky afterwards. That doesn't happen with this recipe, and it's still really tasty. Thanks for stopping by, Lisa!
Of Goats and Greens
This looks great! I assume you can also use the tentacles? (Anyone I'd serve this to already loves squid, so no need to disguise...) Thanks for bringing to Fiesta Friday!
Kristin
I assume you can use the tentacles as well! The frozen calamari I buy doesn't come with the tentacles, so I haven't included them myself, but I see no reason why you couldn't. Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
frugal hausfrau
This looks so crunchy and delish!! Thanks for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday!
Mollie
Rita
Nice ! Wonderful way teaching about preparing calamari ! Like the photos.
Kristin
Thank you so much, Rita! 🙂
Ethel Grant
Made these for appetizers before a salmon dinner. Nice and crunchy. Thanks Kristin. I used fine grind corn meal and fresh bread (what I had) and we used some homemade seafood sauce. Nice!
Kristin
That is wonderful! So glad you liked them. Thanks for stopping by, Ethel! 🙂
Kristin
Thanks, Lisa! I hope your kids like it. I just realized in looking at your comment that I spelled calamari wrong throughout my whole post! So much for the spell checker LOL. Glad between the two of us at least one of us can spell! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Jersey Girl Cooks
I can't wait to try this! My son loves fried calamari but I never fry anything. I will be making this soon.