Tempura of Squid and Vegetables
- Easy
- 45 min
- Kcal 164
Golden rings with a satisfying crunch—air fryer calamari delivers the crispy texture seafood fans crave in a way that fits busy weeknights, family dinners, and pretty much every celebration. This crispy calamari recipe stands out with its light, golden outside and tender center, so every bite feels delicious and fresh. Kids love that irresistible texture, while adults appreciate having an easy seafood appetizer that brings great flavor without a greasy feel. The nice look on a party platter helps too…it just looks good! People often serve air fried calamari at birthday parties, game nights, or summer BBQs—always gets compliments for looking impressive but working for casual gatherings. Choosing this DISH keeps things healthy, satisfying, and full of WOW without the usual heavy fare. Families return to this quick air fryer recipe over and over, knowing everyone from picky eaters to seafood fans will find something to love. Since it’s a REAL crowd-pleaser, don’t be surprised if friends ask for the name of that “good crispy dish” next time.
Home cooks definitely appreciate the balance of taste and health—since air fryer calamari turns out reliably moist inside but gives up that extra oil, landing it in the favorite healthy calamari recipe category for modern families. For anyone aiming for lighter meals, this choice keeps things low-calorie and always feels like a treat. Plus, with a few tweaks, it fits many diets—it’s simple to adapt for gluten-free air fryer recipes so it works for everyone at the table. Dipping sauces? Absolutely…simple marinara or lemony aioli ADD that bright, vibrant touch kids and adults both love (serving suggestion: pile onto a platter, squeeze over lemon, let folks grab their own). Whether as a snack with fries, a way to boost seafood nights, or even a surprise appetizer on pizza night, the air fryer fried calamari always delivers—tasty, fluffy, easy to eat, and quick to disappear. Good news for home cooks: this air fryer calamari pretty much guarantees flavor, fun, and easy family wins every time it shows up at the table.
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To prepare air fryer calamari, first clean the calamari. Pull the tentacles away 1 and keep them aside. Empty the inside of the mantle, extract the cartilage 2 and peel the squid 3.
Take back the tentacles, cut the part of the eyes 4 and remove the beak that is in the center. Continue in this way until all the squids are cleaned 5. Rinse them and cut the squid into 2 cm rings 6. If the tentacles are large, cut them in half. Once cleaned you will get 1.33 lbs (620 g).
Transfer the squids onto some sheets of kitchen paper 7, place another one on top 8 and dry them well 9.
Transfer half of the squids into a bowl and season them with a little oil 10. Mix well and then add half of the cornmeal 11. Mix again, until all the squids are breaded 12. Distribute the breaded squid rings in the basket of the air fryer, spray them with a little oil on the surface and cook at 390°F (200°C) for 13 minutes. After 7 minutes, shake the basket and continue cooking for another 6 minutes or until you get nice golden squid rings on the surface. Meanwhile, repeat the operation with the other 4 squids.
Distribute the breaded squid rings in the basket of the air fryer 13, we used a 7 liter one. It is important not to overlap the squid. Sprinkle the surface with a little oil and cook at 390°F (200°C) for 13 minutes. After 7 minutes, shake the basket and continue cooking for another 6 minutes or until you get nice golden squid rings on the surface 14. In the meantime, also panate the other squids and cook them in the same way. Serve the air fryer calamari hot 15.