Kalamarakia (Greek Fried Squid)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

The one appetizer that is on just about every Greek menu is Kalamarakia or Greek fried squid. It’s that perfectly fried fresh from the sea taste. It’s lightly fried to allow for the flavors of the squid to shine through. It’s the perfect pair with some freshly made marinara sauce or tzatziki sauce.

To start with you will need fresh squid that has been cleaned. Next, grab a shallow bowl to add the flour, salt and pepper.

That’s it! Seems pretty simple to make right?

All-purpose flour works great for this recipe, but you can substitute it with coconut or semolina flour. If you have another flour alternative that you have tried and loved, let me know in the comments below.

Cut the cleaned squid body into 1-inch thick rings, and leave the tentacles intact. Rinse the squid under cold water thoroughly.

This is a very important step. FULLY DRY the rinsed squid on a couple of pieces of paper towels. You don’t want any of the pieces to be wet still or the flour won’t stick properly when frying.

Take your shallow bowl of the flour mix and dredge the pieces one by one in the flour to fully coat them. Set aside while you heat the oil to 375F.

Fry the floured pieces a small handful at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan. It will take around 2-3 batches to do. I get a cooling rack pan that I put them on to drain the excess oil in the oven on the keep warm setting (around 170F).

Serve Kalamarakia warm with some classic marinara or tzatziki sauce. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over it all and top with chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!