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Air Fryer Calamari with Seafood Sauce

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Hey everybody, I’m here to share this perfect appetizer or snack! I love how light and crispy calamari gets in the air fryer. Enjoy this patio weather worthy recipe.

The Ingredients:

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These are fairly simple. I get my calamari rings at my local Chinatown grocery store. You can usually find them frozen in the seafood section.

  • calamari rings

  • lemon juice

  • flour or gluten-free 1 to 1 flour

  • salt

  • dill

  • milk or dairy free alternative

  • cooking oil spray

and for the seafood sauce

  • ketchup

  • horseradish (I found a beet flavoured one but regular grated ‘prepared’ horseradish is just fine)

  • lime juice

  • fish sauce (or Worcestershire sauce)

  • sriracha (or any other hot sauce you like)

  • salt and pepper to taste

Making the Seafood Sauce

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Simply just put all of the ingredients in a bowl together and whisk. Season with more hot sauce if you like it spicier. If you absolutely love seafood sauce you can multiply the recipe and keep it in the fridge for at least 2 weeks to one month.

Coating The Calamari

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Make sure the calamari is completely thawed if you’re working with it from frozen before you cook it. Marinate it first in a little lime juice for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Then you set up your 3 bowls. Two with flour seasoned with salt & dried dill and one with milk. toss the calamari a few at a time in flour, shake excess flour off, and then put in the milk. Remove and drain excess milk off then toss with the second bowl of flour, making sure flour coats the center of the ring as well.

Air Frying To Get Crispy Calamari

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When you put anything in the air fryer basket you need to ensure all of the raw flour is coated with oil. This is essential to getting a crispy (and tasty) calamari. Spray it generously all over the surface, air fry it for 1 or two minutes, then flip them and spray them again. When you remove them from the air fryer season them with salt again. These are best eaten warm. Enjoy that crispy calamari!

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Air Fryer Calamari with Seafood Sauce

This is the perfect appetizer or snack! I love how light and crispy calamari gets in the air fryer. Enjoy this patio weather worthy recipe.

Prep Time - 10 mins

Cook Time - 5 mins

Marinating time - 15 mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Seafood

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Seafood Sauce

  • ½ cup ketchup

  • 1 tbsp horseradish

  • 1 tsp lime juice

  • ½ tsp fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce

  • ½ tsp sriracha hot sauce or other hot sauce

  • salt and pepper to taste

Calamari Rings

  • 200 g calamari rings defrosted and blotted dry with a paper towel

  • 2 tbsp lime juice or lemon juice

  • 1 cup flour or 1 to 1 all-purpose gluten-free flour

  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning

  • ½ tsp dried dill (optional)

  • ½ cup milk

  • cooking oil spray

Instructions

  • Preheat air fryer to 390F.

Seafood Sauce

  • Mix all of the ingredients together. Set aside.

  • Taste for seasoning and add more salt or hot sauce as desired.

Calamari

  • Marinate calamari rings in lime juice for 15-20 minutes.

  • Mix the flour together with salt and dill. Divide into two bowls.

  • Pour milk into another bowl.

  • Blot calamari rings dry on top with a paper towel.

  • Working with a third of the calamari at a time, toss with in the first bowl of flour, opening up the rings to get the flour completely coated. Toss in milk gently until just coated. Drain through your fingers then toss in the second bowl of flour.

  • Place calamari rings on the air fryer basket opening up the rings. You may need to do this in batches as well to ensure you don't overcrowd the rings. Do not overlap them. Spray thoroughly with cooking oil spray.

  • Air fry for 2 minutes or until the top is firm. Flip, spray again with cooking spray, and air fry one more minute or until firm. Season with salt.

  • Repeat with the remaining calamari and serve with seafood sauce.

Eva Bee