Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
1 ½ pounds squid rings, Cooking spray
Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper
In a separate bowl, beat eggs thoroughly.
3 eggs
In a third bowl, combine bread crumbs, cornmeal, and Old Bay seasoning.
1 cup Panko bread crumbs, 2 teaspoons Old Bay spice, 1 cup cornmeal
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.
Video
Notes
To make air fried calamari rings, set the air fryer to 375 degrees F. Place the breaded rings in a single layer in the air fryer basked. Air fry for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Be careful not to overcook as overcooked squid becomes tough and rubbery. I like to taste test a ring once the timer gts close to the 15 minute mark to see if additional cooking time might be needed.
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. If you need a quick way to thaw them, place them in a sealed plastic bag, squeeze out most of the air, and submerge the bag 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.