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Elevate your pasta game with this easy-to-make recipe for calamari pasta. It’s the perfect marriage of delicious seafood and Italian cuisine and a great choice for a special dinner or a simple weeknight meal. The key to success is tender calamari, and our step-by-step instructions will make it easy for you to cook it to perfection.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
We enjoy this dish about once a month because it is really fast and easy, particularly when you start with pre-cleaned squid. Cooking with squid, in general, has a lot of advantages, too. As seafood goes, it’s very economical. It’s also relatively low in calories and fat, high in protein, and contains high levels of Omega-3s. We buy frozen calamari harvested in the North Atlantic from Sizzlefish in one-pound packages and keep a few on hand in the freezer.
Key Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the essential ingredients for this recipe, along with shopping tips, and possible substitutions. The complete ingredient list is in the recipe card below.
- CALAMARI (SQUID): Depending on where you live, you can purchase squid, either fresh or frozen, cleaned or whole. Fresh squid should have a mild, briny smell and appear firm and glossy. Frozen squid is usually sold pre-cleaned and is a perfectly acceptable substitute for fresh as the freezing process doesn’t compromise its flavor or texture. Frozen squid should be defrosted overnight in the refrigerator and rinsed under cool running water before using.
- TOMATOES: Look for a good quality brand of canned tomatoes to make the marinara for this dish. We like San Marzano tomatoes because they have fewer seeds, thicker flesh, and are less acidic than other varieties. They can be a little pricey, so you’ll want to ensure that tomatoes marked San Marzano are authentic. Look for label wording that says “Product of Italy” and “D.O.P.” on the label. Cento, Delallo, and Alessi are easy-to-find brands that make a great sauce.
- PASTA: We prefer a long cut of pasta like linguine for making calamari pasta. Its flat surface holds onto the sauce well, delivering plenty of flavor with every bite, and its weight and texture are a good match for that of the calamari. Other options would be spaghetti and fettuccine.
How to Make Calamari Pasta with Marinara
Here’s a basic overview of how this dish is prepared. For detailed, step-by-step instructions and a complete ingredient list, please refer to the printable recipe card below.
Begin heating a large pot of salted water to boiling for the linguine.
PREPARE THE SQUID: Rinse the squid bodies (tubes) inside and out under cool running water, pat them dry with paper towels, and lay them on a cutting board. Slice the bodies (tubes) into rings, and unless the tentacles are quite small, cut them in half through the ring that joins them at the top. Check for any grit trapped in that area, and rinse if needed. Transfer the rings and tentacles to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to add the squid to the marinara.
MAKE THE MARINARA: Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until the garlic is fragrant and barely golden. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes and add them to the pan along with the oregano. Use a spatula to chop up any large pieces that remain, simmer for a few minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and continue simmering the sauce gently for 20 minutes more. Taste again and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
COOK THE PASTA: While the sauce is simmering, cook and drain the linguine according to package directions.
FINISH THE DISH: Add the calamari and parsley to the sauce and cook just long enough for the calamari to turn opaque. This should only take about 3 minutes, and it’s important not to let it overcook. Add the pasta to the sauce, toss with tongs to combine, then plate individual servings.
Make Ahead Tips
Squid can be cleaned one day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the coldest part of the refrigerator. You should drain any excess liquid before using. Marinara sauce can be made a day or two in advance and reheated to a simmer before adding the raw squid and fresh parsley.
How to Make Tender Calamari
Calamari sometimes gets a bad rap for being chewy, but when you know how to cook it correctly, that should never be a problem. The solution is very simple – calamari should either be cooked for a very short time, generally just 3 to 5 minutes, or be braised for 30 minutes or longer.
For this dish, tender texture and fresh flavor are important, so we opt for that short cooking time. However, if you wanted to, you could braise the calamari in the tomato sauce for a longer time, but know that the resulting dish would have a slightly different flavor profile.
How to Clean Calamari
As mentioned above, squid can be purchased either fresh or frozen, whole or pre-cleaned. Most frozen squid comes pre-cleaned, so all you need to do is defrost it overnight in the refrigerator and proceed with the recipe. If you’ve purchased whole, uncleaned squid, here are the cleaning instructions:
- Separate the tentacles from the body by gripping the tentacles and pulling gently but firmly. Remove any entrails remaining in the body along with the clear quill and discard them.
- Peel away the purple membrane from the outside of the body and trim away the fins on either side with a sharp knife.
- Use kitchen shears to cut off the tentacles just past the eyes, then gently squeeze the top of the tentacles to pop the hard round beak out so you can trim it away.
- Proceed with the final cleaning steps as directed in the recipe.
What to Serve with Calamari Pasta
If you want to serve this easy dish for a weeknight dinner, just add a salad with a light vinaigrette. If you’d like to make it the pasta course in a multi-course Italian dinner, consider pairing it with some of the other dishes we include in our version of the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Other items on that menu include clams casino, scungilli salad, seared scallops, steamed mussels, baked stuffed shrimp, and baked cod.
Calamari Pasta with Homemade Marinara
Ingredients
- 1 lb calamari (squid), cleaned (see notes)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, (more to taste)
- 1 can Italian plum tomatoes, 28 ounce, undrained
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces linguine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Begin heating a large pot of salted water to boiling for the linguine.
Prepare the squid:
- Rinse the squid bodies (tubes) inside and out under cool running water, pat them dry with paper towels, and lay them on a cutting board.
- Slice the bodies (tubes) crosswise into 1/4-inch rings, and unless the tentacles are quite small, cut them in half through the ring that joins them at the top. Check for any grit trapped in that area, and rinse if needed.
- Transfer the rings and tentacles to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until you're ready to add the squid to the marinara.
Make the marinara:
- Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan 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).
- Using your hands, crush the tomatoes and add them to the pan along with the oregano. Use a spatula to chop up any large pieces that remain, simmer for 5 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat and continue simmering the sauce gently for 20 minutes more. Taste again and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Cook the pasta:
- While the sauce is simmering, cook and drain the linguine according to package directions.
Finish the dish:
- Add the calamari and parsley to the sauce and cook just long enough for the calamari to turn opaque. This should only take about 3 minutes, and it's important not to let it overcook.
- Add the pasta to the sauce, toss with tongs to combine, then plate individual servings.
Notes
How to Clean Squid
Squid can be purchased either fresh or frozen, whole or pre-cleaned. Most frozen squid comes pre-cleaned, so all you need to do is defrost it overnight in the refrigerator and proceed with the recipe. If you’ve purchased whole, uncleaned squid, here are the cleaning instructions:- Separate the tentacles from the body by gripping the tentacles and pulling gently but firmly. Remove any entrails remaining in the body along with the clear quill and discard them.
- Peel away the purple membrane from the outside of the body and trim away the fins on either side with a sharp knife.
- Use kitchen shears to cut off the tentacles just past the eyes, then gently squeeze the top of the tentacles to pop the hard round beak out so you can trim it away.
- Proceed with the final cleaning steps as directed in the recipe.
Make Ahead Tips
- Squid can be cleaned one day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Drain before using.
- Marinara sauce can be made a day or two in advance and reheated to a simmer before adding the raw squid and fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is amazing! I made it exactly as stated and it was very well received. I would love to simmer the squid a bit longer to flavor the sauce a bit more, but am worried about the squid getting rubbery. So I followed the recipe and cooked the fresh squid for just the 3 minutes. Sooooo good. Thanks for the simple and delicious recipe!
Hi Anne,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. It’s one of my personal favorites. When it comes to ensuring your squid is tender, it either needs to be cooked for a very short time, as in this recipe, or braised for 30 minutes or more. You could try cooking the squid in the sauce for that longer amount of time and see how it turns out. I haven’t done it yet myself but you’ve peaked my interest for sure.
I’ve always been a little intimidated by making squid because I know that it’s easy to overcook. I don’t know what I was afraid of – this was so easy and amazing! I bought frozen squid from Wild Fork and defrosted the package in the fridge overnight. When I was ready to cook them, I just pat them dry with a paper towel, and they were absolutely perfect in 3 minutes, just like the recipe said. I will never shy away from making squid at home again!
Easy, quick and delicious – I used the fresh Oregano leaves on hand, and we enjoyed the mildly spicy, tender Calamari in Marinara over Polenta for dinner.
Thanks Maryellen! The fresh oregano is a nice touch.
Can I use fresh oregano
Hi Mark,
Fresh oregano would be wonderful. When you use fresh herbs instead of dried you generally want to up the quantity because the flavor is not as concentrated. Enjoy!
I have made this many times but I have never rated it . This is delicious and your cooking time is perfect for the squid ! we love it ! Have it over linguine ! awesome … thanks for sharing .
I hope this can be made with the dried squid I asked for recipes for.
I have never used dried squid and am not sure how it will work in this recipe. I’m more familiar with it being used in Thai cuisine. If you try it, let us know how you make out.
Squid is best if tender. This recipe – must be followed exactly as if you overcook calamari, it will be like eating rubber bands.
Another way to cook calamari is to use a pressure cooker. Sounds a bit harsh but it actually takes the calamari from just done to tuff and then to tender. The sauce in the pressure cooker, imbued with the calamari flavor, is a wonderful bonus.
Hi Wayne,
You’re right, you do have to be careful when cooking squid and the pressure cooker is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, I have frozen ready cut squids at home. will the cooking tip stay same for frozen squids or do I need to cook longer?
Also I cant find oregano, I have dry thymes, fresh dill, fresh parsley and dried rosemary at home. can I susbtitute with one of these herbs ?
Hi Lina,
I would suggest defrosting the squid in a bowl of cold water before cooking. If the squid is already cut into rings, it shouldn’t take any more than 5 or 10 minutes. If the tubes are whole, it will take a little longer and you may want to change the water to keep it from getting too cold. Drain the squid well, pat dry with paper towels and proceed with the recipe as written. Regarding the herbs – fresh parsley, and perhaps a little thyme would be fine. I would avoid dill and rosemary though.
That’s not crushed tomatoes in the photo.
Hi James,
You’re right – the recipe has been updated to included crushed or diced tomatoes. Thanks for letting us know.