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READY IN 15 mins

Buttermilk-Battered Calamari

Read Reviews (52)

"This is a great recipe for those who love battered calamari. It's so simple and the finished product is awesome! Serve with marinara sauce for dipping." — Senushi

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Types of Cooking Oil

Measuring All-Purpose Flour

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Original recipe makes 6 servings Change Servings

2 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound squid, cleaned and cut into 1/2 inch rings

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Directions

Heat oil in a saucepan or deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Pour buttermilk into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Dip squid rings into the buttermilk, then into the seasoned flour.
Place the coated pieces in the hot oil, and fry in small batches, turning if necessary, for even cooking. When evenly browned, remove to paper towels to drain, and continue with the rest of the squid. Serve hot.

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PREP 10 mins
COOK 5 mins
READY IN 15 mins

Footnotes

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount may vary depending on cook time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

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This recipe is very good however for best results soak the squid in 2 cups of buttermilk for 2 hours, it makes it very tender then drain in a colander, dump all of the squid into flour mixture but up the amount of flour to 2 cups and toss with your hands and then deep fry, I also don't add the oregano, don't really know why but I like it without.

—Robin C.

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 14, 2008

Not a fan. . . The buttermilk cooks and burns too quickly in the oil and I am scared the squid didn't cook all the way through. On top of that, I like a larger compilation of ingredients to season my oil fried recipes (cayenne, worcestershire, lemon juice, tobasco, preferred seasoning salts, etc) and I don't usually care for certain recipes that don't use such things and in turn come out underseasoned. . . I don't even think the aioli or dressing could have made up for it. . .

—Night Owl

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61 Ratings

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Jul 04, 2006

Better than most restaurant calamari. We added cayenne seasoning and Emeril's Essence to the flour mixture, and it gave it a great kick.

—jwallacemiller

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Mar 25, 2008

So light the calamari almost floats off the plate. I've tried many different recipes but now my search is over. This is one I'll engrain in memory and use from now on. Thanks for submitting it.

—Cook to the max

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Feb 04, 2008

I made these last night for Superbowl and they were delish. The only change I made was to add some cajun seasoning. The secret to any calamari is too NOT OVERCOOK.

—NainInCandia

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Mar 06, 2007

I made some changes to this recipe, first I placed the sliced calamari in the buttermilk and added some emeril's bayou blast and allowed it to sit for 20 minutes. Then I took some flour and added some bayou blast to the flour. I dredged the calamari in the flour mixture and sifted to remove the excess. Then I deep fried it until slightly golden in color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then afterwards I drained it, and sprinkled about 1 tsp bayou blast, and 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese on top of it

—Blondeprincess

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Jan 31, 2008

Great recipe. Although I did alter it slightly. I took the advice of others and soak in the buttermilk. I also added cayenne pepper instead of the oregano. I used a deep fryer, which made it so easy. I believe it was a lot better than anything I have had in the restaurants. Will definitely be making again!

—Shawn

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May 24, 2007

It was better than most restaurant calamari I've had! I soaked the squid in buttermilk for 2 hours and used whole wheat flour instead of white....It turned out great! We'll definitely make this again!

—DaveandKat

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Nutrition

Calories
209 kcal
10%

Carbohydrates
18.4 g
6%

Cholesterol
2 mg
< 1%

Fat
8.6 g
13%

Fiber
0.8 g
3%

Protein
13.9 g
28%

Sodium
625 mg
25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Buttermilk-Battered Calamari

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 209
Calories from Fat: 78

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8.6g 13 %
** Saturated Fat 1.2g 6 %
** Cholesterol 2mg < 1 %
** Sodium 625mg 25 %
** Potassium 95mg 3 %
Total Carbohydrates 18.4g 6 %
Dietary Fiber 0.8g 3 %
Protein 13.9g 28 %
** Sugars 2g
Vitamin A 6 %
** Vitamin C 1 %
Calcium 11 %
Iron 22 %
** Thiamin 18 %
Niacin 23 %
** Vitamin B6 2 %
** Magnesium 4 %
** Folate 23 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.