Air Fryer Calamari

Crispy Air Fryer Calamari rings are a restaurant favorite that is so easy to make at home in your air fryer. You are going to love this crunchy air fried snack.

AIR FRYER CALAMARI RECIPE

One of the best parts about having an air fryer, is that it allows you to make things that you’d typically order at a restaurant. Making your own air fryer calamari at home not only saves you money, but fat and calories too. We don’t need a deep fryer when we have an air fryer and know how to use it to make crispy, crunchy snacks!

Calamari rings are coated with egg, flour, breadcrumbs and the perfect blend of seasonings to make them crunchy and irresistibly delicious.

INGREDIENTS IN AIR FRYER CALAMARI

Squid Rings – you can find these in most grocery stores in the freezer section. Let them thaw and then pat them dry.

All-Purpose Flour – This makes up the base layer of our breading. You can use regular or gluten free AP Flour.

Egg – A beaten egg is the second layer of the breading and allows the breadcrumbs to stick to the squid.

Buttermilk – Mixed into the egg, buttermilk serves to thin it out and also add a tangy flavor.

Panko Bread Crumbs – These super crunchy breadcrumbs are perfect for this recipe.

Sea Salt – Season your breadcrumbs well for best flavor.

Black Pepper – Where there is salt, there’s usually pepper. Again, we’re seasoning well.

Cayenne Pepper – This adds a little bit of heat and a lot of warm flavor to the breading.

Fresh Parsley – Garnish your plate with a bit of greenery.

Marinara Sauce – I like to dip my calamari in marinara sauce. Use your favorite.

Lemon or Lime Slices – Serving citrus with seafood is always a good idea. Squeeze some over the calamari before serving.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CALAMARI

1. Place flour in a shallow bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk egg and buttermilk together.
3. In a third bowl, combine bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
4. Coat the calamari rings with flour. Next, dredge the rings through the egg mixture. Press rings into the bread crumb mixture, coating well, then set aside on a plate.
5. Spray inside of the air fryer with cooking spray, then place the coated rings inside in a single layer. Spray with cooking spray.
6. Air Fry as directed in the recipe until golden brown.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions for air fryer calamari, please see the recipe below.

HOW TO SERVE AIR FRYER CALAMARI

Air Fryer Calamari can be an appetizer or an entree if you like! Serve the calamari immediately after cooking with some citrus wedges and your favorite dipping sauces. Try Marinara sauce, cocktail sauce, or aioli.

To make a meal out of this dish, serve air fryer calamari with a vegetable such as air fryer zucchini or air fryer green beans.

WHAT IS CALAMARI?

Calamari is the Italian word for “squid” For most calamari recipes, the squid is sliced into small rings before cooking so that it’s easier to eat. The Italian recipe that you may be familiar with is called “Calamari Fritti”, and means, “fried squid”. This recipe is also found in Mediterranean and Greek cooking.

We are making Air Fryer Calamari Fritti! You will see this on the menus of many chain and independent Italian restaurants, and it’s always a delicious treat.

WHY IS MY AIR FRIED CALAMARI TOUGH?

Tough calamari is almost always due to overcooking. The trick to making a tender calamari is to cook it over high heat, fairly quickly.

For this recipe, it’s important to pre-heat your air fryer so that it starts off at a high temperature and doesn’t need to take any time to get there. The cook time on this recipe is deliberately less than 8 minutes. You shouldn’t need much more than that to get to perfectly cooked air fryer calamari.

MORE AIR FRYER APPETIZER RECIPES

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings are tangy and tasty and wonderful as an appetizer or a meal.

Air Fryer Potato Skins are another restaurant style favorite that’s easy to make at home in the air fryer.

Do you love seafood? Try Air Fryer Shrimp!

Pro Tips

Have you made this recipe? Please leave a comment AND rating below! It helps other readers!

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