Calamari Ripieni – Italian Stuffed Calamari

Turn humble squid into a fancy Italian appetizer, blending tender calamari with a savory, herbed bread crumb stuffing, brought together with a splash of white wine.

Today I want to show you my favorite calamari dish, simply stuffed calamari, or calamari ripieni as we say in Italy. I love calamari because they are relatively inexpensive, quite versatile and very tasty. And the tubes make perfect pouches to fill. You will find this stuffing extremely delicious, made by using the tentacles of the squid, bread crumbs and, of course, Italian parsley.

The stuffed calamari can be served as an appetizer for a fancy dinner party, or a main dish for a seafood based dinner. Bigger calamari are more adequate as an entree’, and are faster to work with. The smaller ones are the perfect size for a savory appetizer, but require a little more effort.

If you like seafood and calamari in particular, I am very confident you will love these, and they will become your favorite too.

See Also

Spiced Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes

Step by Step Guide to Making Calamari Ripieni – Italian Stuffed Calamari

1. Prepare the Filling:

   • Soak the bread cubes in milk until absorbed.
   • Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté half the minced garlic until fragrant.
   • Add the calamari tentacles, cook for 2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with white wine and half the parsley. Season with salt, simmer for 2 minutes.
   • Off the heat, mix in the soaked bread, bread crumbs, and egg until well combined. Adjust the texture with more bread crumbs if needed.

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   Stuff and Cook the Calamari:

   • Using a teaspoon or a piping bag, fill each calamari tube three-quarters full and seal with a toothpick.
   • In a skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and garlic. Sauté the stuffed calamari, turning once until golden. Add wine, simmer for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Recipe Notes:

• Avoid overfilling the calamari to prevent bursting during cooking.
• Removing the garlic sprout can reduce bitterness and make it more digestible.
• For a stronger garlic flavor, mince all the garlic.
• Adjust the filling’s consistency with bread crumbs for the perfect texture.

Calamari Ripieni – Italian Stuffed Calamari

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• Author: Manuela Mazzocco
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

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Description

Turn humble squid into a fancy Italian appetizer, blending tender calamari with a savory, herbed bread crumb stuffing, brought together with a splash of white wine.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lb cleaned calamari (tentacles and tubes)
• 2 slices white bread, crust removed and cubed
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon white wine
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• Salt to taste

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Filling:
   • Soak the bread cubes in milk until absorbed.
   • Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté half the minced garlic until fragrant.
   • Add the calamari tentacles, cook for 2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with white wine and half the parsley. Season with salt, simmer for 2 minutes.
   • Off the heat, mix in the soaked bread, bread crumbs, and egg until well combined. Adjust the texture with more bread crumbs if needed.
2. Stuff and Cook the Calamari:
   • Using a teaspoon or a piping bag, fill each calamari tube three-quarters full and seal with a toothpick.
   • In a skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and garlic. Sauté the stuffed calamari, turning once until golden. Add wine, simmer for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Notes

• Avoid overfilling the calamari to prevent bursting during cooking.
• Removing the garlic sprout can reduce bitterness and make it more digestible.
• For a stronger garlic flavor, mince all the garlic.
• Adjust the filling’s consistency with bread crumbs for the perfect texture.

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Italian