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Fried Calamari with Creamy Chipotle Sauce served on a white platter with a side of garlic aioli.
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4.27 from 19 votes

Fried Calamari with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

Crispy tender Fried Calamari served with a Creamy Chipotle Sauce (Calamares Fritos) and fried to golden perfection.  Easy, quick to make and delicious!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Calories: 300kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fresh or frozen squid rinsed under cool water
  • 1 cup milk or buttermilk
  • cup flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dry oregano
  • ¾ salt or to taste
  • ½ pepper
  • corn, vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Creamy Chipotle Sauce

  • 1 chipotle peppers chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 cloves of garlic coarsely chopped or 2 teaspoon of garlic puree
  • ½ lemon or lime juiced
  • pinch of salt

Cilantro Vinaigrette (Optional)

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro

Garlic Aioli Sauce (Optional)

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 -3 fresh garlic cloves minced
  • 2-2½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley optional

Instructions

For Fresh Squid

  • Rinse squid under cold running water. Separate the body from the tentacles with a knife. 
  • Cut body (mantle) of squid into ½ inch rings and cut tentacles into two to three pieces. 
  • Add milk with a teaspoon of salt to a bowl followed by the rings and tentacles. Let soak for 20 minutes or an hour.
  • Drain the rings through a colander and set aside for a few minutes while you get the flour mixture together.

For Frozen Squid

  • Thaw the frozen squid overnight in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water if making immediately.
  • Once defrosted, rinse the squid under cool water. Add milk with a teaspoon of salt to a bowl followed by the rings. Let soak for 20 minutes or an hour.
  • Drain the rings through a colander and set aside for a few minutes while you get the flour mixture together.

Cooking the Calamari

  • In a fryer or heavy pot, add about two inches of oil and heat to 375 F (190 Celsius). 
    Note: Preheat your oven to 150° degrees to keep your rings warm while you are frying batches.
  • Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, oregano and paprika to a bowl. Mix using a fork or whisk.
  • Add a few rings to the flour mixture and coat.
    Using a colander, shake the excess flour off the rings.
  • When the oil is hot, add a few calamari rings to the oil to fry. Fry for 2 minutes on one side then flip them over. Cook for another 2 minutes. Drain rings on a plate lined with paper towels.
    Season the rings with salt and then place them on a baking tray and keep warm in the oven. Proceed with frying the next batch.
  • Serve with Creamy Chipotle sauce and serve immediately. Sprinkle Cilantro Vinaigrette (optional) over top of calamari.

Creamy Chipotle Sauce and

  • Add the chipotle peppers, mayonnaise, lemon, garlic and pinch of salt to a food chopper and blend unto well combined. Add salt to taste.  Set aside. 

Cilantro Vinaigrette

  • Add the cilantro and olive oil to a blender and blend for a few seconds. Set aside.

Garlic Aioli Sauce (Bonus Dipping Sauce)

  • Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 320mg | Sodium: 672mg | Potassium: 451mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 995IU | Vitamin C: 13.5mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1.5mg