This crispy air fryer calamari is the best side dish or appetizer. Soaked in buttermilk and then breaded in seasoned panko breadcrumbs, this tasty fried calamari is a lightened up version without being greasy.
We love having calamari, whether it's fried or in Italian Seafood Salad during the holidays. Traditionally calamari is breaded and fried in oil, however, this recipe is a lightened up version that is cooked in an air fryer. It's crispy and delicious, but without the extra oil from traditional frying.
This air fryer calamari would be great served with bucatini cacio e pepe, polenta cakes, spaghetti squash alfredo or Italian wedding soup.
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🦑 Ingredient notes
- Calamari - Fresh calamari isn't always easy to find, so frozen will work just as well. Make sure to thaw frozen calamari completely before using. We like using both the tubes and tentacles for this air fryer calamari recipe, but you can use one or the other, if that is what you prefer.
- Buttermilk - Soaking the calamari in buttermilk helps to both flavor and tenderize it. If you don't have buttermilk, whole milk mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice will also work.
- Bread Crumbs - Panko bread crumbs are light and give this air fryer calamari an extra crispy flavor. Plain bread crumbs may also be used, but may yield a heavier coating.
- Oil Sprayer - Oil spray works best for air frying to provide a light even coating to both the basket and food. Avocado oil has a high smoke point, so it is great for cooking at high temperatures. Grapeseed, olive, canola or vegetable oil sprayers will also work.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Gluten Free - Use gluten free panko bread crumbs and cup for cup gluten free flour.
- No Egg - Floured calamari can be dipped in buttermilk again before coating with bread crumbs.
- Dairy Free - Use unsweetened dairy free milk mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, slice the calamari tubes into half inch slices and place them on a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Pat the calamari with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Place calamari in a bowl with the buttermilk and toss to combine. Let the calamari marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
While the calamari is marinating, mix the flour with the salt and pepper in one bowl and then whisk the egg and milk together in another bowl.
In a third bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the garlic powder, onion powder and old bay seasoning. Get a sheet pan lined with parchment paper ready to place the breaded calamari.
When the calamari is done marinating, working in small batches, remove it from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off and then place it in the flour mixture. Toss to coat, shake off the excess flour and then place it in the egg mixture. Toss it to cover in the egg mixture, let the excess drip off and place it in the bread crumbs. Coat the calamari in the bread crumbs, place on the sheet pan and repeat with the remaining calamari.
Spray the air fryer basket generously with the avocado oil spray and add a small batch to the basket in an even layer, being careful not to overcrowd the basket. Spray the calamari with the oil spray and then cook at 400˚ for 6-8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Repeat with the remaining pieces and then serve the air fryer calamari with old school italian gravy or marinara for dipping with lemon wedges!
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Use tongs for each breading step to move the calamari so that the breading mixture doesn't clump on your hands or the calamari.
- Make sure you shake off the excess milk, flour, egg or bread crumbs before moving to the next step so the breading doesn't get too heavy and fall off.
- Make sure to spray the basket as well as the calamari to help prevent sticking and provide even browning to the calamari.
- Work in small batches when frying, so the basket isn't overcrowded and the calamari is in an even layer. If there is too much loaded in the air fryer, the pieces won't fry evenly.
- Air fryers come in different sizes, so timing of how long it takes to cook all of the calamari may vary.
🥘 Alternative cooking methods
Deep Fried - This calamari can be deep fried instead. Heat vegetable or canola oil in a pot to 350˚ and then fry the calamari in batches for 1-2 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Oven - To bake this calamari in the oven, place the breaded calamari on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and spray generously with the oil spray. Bake at 425˚ for 10-15 minutes until browned and cooked through.
🥡 Storage suggestions
This air fryer calamari will keep in an air tight container for 2-3 days and can be re-crisped up in the air fryer or under the broiler in the oven.
🍤 More seafood recipes
If you loved this air fryer calamari recipe, here are some more seafood recipes that I know you will love too!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Calamari
Ingredients
- 1 pound calamari tubes and tentacles
- 1 pint buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- avocado oil or olive oil spray
- old school italian gravy or marinara for dipping
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Slice calamari tubes into half inch slices and place them on a sheet pan lined with paper towels with the tentacles. Pat the calamari with paper towels to remove as much excess moisture.
- Add calamari to a bowl with the buttermilk and toss to combine. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to marinate.
- In a shallow dish or bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- In a second shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until well combined.
- In a third shallow dish or bowl, mix together the panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder and old bay seasoning.
- When the calamari is done marinating, remove it from the refrigerator and set up the flour, egg mixture and bread crumbs in a line to get ready for breading. Set up a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to place the breaded calamari.
- Working in small batches, remove the calamari from buttermilk, allowing the excess liquid to drip from it and add it to the flour mixture, tossing it to coat.
- Remove the calamari from the flour mixture, shaking to remove excess flour and add it to the egg mixture, tossing it to coat.
- Take the calamari from the egg mixture, letting the excess egg drip from it and place it in the bread crumbs, tossing it to coat.
- Place breaded calamari pieces on the sheet pan and repeat until all of the pieces are breaded.
- When all of the calamari is breaded, spray the basket of the air fryer with avocado or olive oil spray. Place a small batch of the calamari in the basket in an even layer, being careful not to over crowd the basket.
- Spray the top of the calamari with oil spray. Close and cook at 400˚ for 6-8 minutes until browned and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining calamari until it all has been air fried.
- Serve crispy air fried calamari with old school italian gravy or marinara for dipping and lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
- Use tongs for each breading step to move the calamari so that the breading mixture doesn't clump on your hands or the calamari.
- Make sure you shake off the excess milk, flour, egg or bread crumbs before moving to the next step so the breading doesn't get too heavy and fall off.
- Make sure to spray the basket as well as the calamari to help prevent sticking and provide even browning to the calamari.
- Work in small batches when frying, so the basket isn't overcrowded and the calamari is in an even layer. If there is too much loaded in the air fryer, the pieces won't fry evenly.
- Air fryers come in different sizes, so timing of how long it takes to cook all of the calamari may vary.
Substitutions and Variations
- Calamari - Fresh or frozen calamari can be used, but frozen should be thawed completely.
- Buttermilk - Whole milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice can be substituted.
- Bread Crumbs - Plain bread crumbs may used, but may yield a heavier coating.
- Oil Sprayer - Oil spray as opposed to straight oil, works best for air frying to provide a light even coating to both the basket and food. Avocado, grapeseed, olive, canola or vegetable oil sprayers will also work.
- Gluten Free - Use gluten free panko bread crumbs and cup for cup gluten free flour.
- No Egg - Dip floured calamari in buttermilk again and then in bread crumbs.
- Dairy Free - Use unsweetened dairy free milk mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice.
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