Air Fryer Calamari
If you are looking for a healthier way to make fried calamari, you'll love this recipe! This air fryer calamari is so crispy and it's made with very little oil.
Ingredients
- 8 oz calamari or squid rings
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon regular milk
- 1 cup panko breadcrumb
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning , (use more according to your liking)
- 3 tablespoons avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- salt and/or black pepper, (to taste)
Instructions
- Put the panko breadcrumb in a large ziplock. Use a rolling pin to crush the breadcrumb until finely ground.
- In a large bowl, combine calamari strips and buttermilk. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Set up three dishes and put them in the right order.1st bowl: add all-purpose flour 2nd bowl: beat an egg with milk.3rd bowl: combine panko breadcrumbs, oil, paprika, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Remove the calamari from the buttermilk marinade. Allow the excess to drip off. Coat the calamari strips in the flour; shake off excess flour.
- Dip the calamari rings in the egg and milk mixture, allow the excess to drip off. Toss the calamari rings into the breadcrumb mixture; gently pressing to coat. To help breadcrumb coatings dry and adhere, let the breaded calamari sit on a rack for up to 30 minutes before air frying.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Lightly grease the air fryer basket and crisper tray with oil.
- Place the calamari rings in a basket, in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan, work in multiple batches if needed. Cook the calamari for 4 minutes, flip, then cook for another 2-4 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Do not overcook.
Notes
To achieve the perfect breading you must remember to ALWAYS:
1. Shake off the excess flour every time. After shaking the flour, the breadcrumbs will stick onto the calamari properly. As a result, you'll get crispier and more flavorful calamari.
2. Shake off the excess egg. That helps avoid dull flavors and texture from clumping.
2. Gently press the meat into the breadcrumb. The breadcrumb should cover the calamari evenly on all sides in a thin layer. Do not overdo it, too many breadcrumbs do not make the meat tastier!
Cooking time. Please note that cooking time will vary depending on a variety of other factors, including types of air fryers and air fryer quality. Check the doneness halfway through cooking and adjust the cooking time accordingly. Do not overcook to prevent tough calamari.
The air fryer basket tends to cook foods a little faster than the air fryer oven. In this recipe, I used my Gourmia 8Qt Air Fryer
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 19gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 236mgSodium: 245mgPotassium: 326mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 360IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!