Squid In Marinara Sauce Over Linguine

This is a favorite pasta dish made with just a few basic ingredients. It serves as a wonderful pasta course in a multi-course Italian dinner, or as an entrée complemented by a green salad and some crusty Italian bread. The key to success is to be sure you don’t overcook the calamari.

A serving bowl of linguine tossed with marinara sauce, squid rings and tentacles, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Squid In Marinara Sauce Over Linguine

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A simple pasta dish that can be served as part of a multi-course Italian dinner, or as a main dish alongside a salad to complete the meal.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 12 ounces linguine
  • 1-1/2 lbs calamari, squid, cleaned
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 container, 28-ounce crushed or undrained diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  • Separate the tentacles from the calamari bodies. Remove any hard cartilage from the base of the tentacles or interior of the “tubes” and slice the bodies into 1/4″ rounds. Rinse the calamari in cold water, drain thoroughly, pat dry and refrigerate until you are ready to add it to the marinara.
  • Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling for the linguine.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until the garlic is fragrant and barely golden, 2 minutes (do not brown).
  • Add the tomatoes and oregano and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
  • Add the calamari and simmer just long enough for it to turn opaque, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
  • Cook and drain the linguine according to package directions.
  • To serve, plate individual portions of linguine and ladle sauce over each.

Tips for Making This Recipe

As mentioned in the intro paragraph, the key to perfection with this dish is to be sure that you don’t cook the seafood to the point of being rubbery. Look for the calamari to turn opaque and lose its gelatinous quality. On a medium simmer, about 3 minutes should be enough.
Note: We’ve included this dish as part of our Christmas Eve In The Italian Tradition Menu.
Author: Lynne Webb
Course: Seafood
Cuisine: Italian
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