Why You’ll Love This Dish
Stuffed squid (aka calamari ripieni) is one of those win-win meals: the tubes are basically all lean protein, the filling adds just enough flavor and texture, and a quick cream-fish stock sauce keeps things moist without piling on the calories. Think of it as a seafood spin on meat-stuffed chicken breasts—only with way fewer grams of fat and a cool Italian vibe.
Ingredients (Makes 3 hearty servings)
The Squid
* 3 large squid tubes (about 1 ½ lb / 680 g total), cleaned and ready to cook
The Filling
* 1 Tbsp olive oil (for sautéing)
* ½ large onion, minced
* 5 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 lb / 450 g whole baby squid, cleaned & chopped (tentacles + bodies)
* ½ tsp kosher salt
* ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tsp lemon zest
* ¼ cup dry rosé or unoaked white wine
* 2 Tbsp dried parsley or 1 small bunch fresh, chopped
* 3 oz breadcrumbs (≈ 1 cup; see notes)
* ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
The Sauce
* 2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream
* 2 cups fish stock (regular or smoked—see notes)
Step-by-Step
1. Overnight Thaw – Keep the squid sealed and let it thaw in the fridge 8–12 h.
2. Breadcrumbs, Blitzed – Pulse taralli (or any plain crumbs) to a coarse sand. Set aside.
3. Sauté & Season
* Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium.
* Cook onion until translucent, add garlic for 1 min.
* Stir in chopped baby squid, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and wine. Cook until liquid mostly evaporates.
4. Finish the Filling
* Add parsley and breadcrumbs; stir so crumbs soak up the juices.
* Off heat, cool to room temp. (If using less breadcrumbs, add eggs now. See notes.)
5. Stuff & Score
* Spoon filling into each tube (keep it ≤ ½ in thick). Close with toothpicks.
* Lightly score one side for even cooking and presentation.
6. Sear for Color – Film a wide pan with olive oil. Sear tubes scored-side down 2–3 min; flip and sear 2 min more.
7. Sauce & Simmer
* Splash in the cream; bring to a simmer.
* Add fish stock plus any leftover stuffing. Return to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 5 min.
8. Blend & Glaze – Lift out the tubes, blitz the sauce smooth, strain if you like it silky, then return tubes to the pan. Spoon sauce over for another 5 min.
9. Optional Torch Finish – Wipe off extra sauce and kiss the scored surface with a kitchen torch until just caramelized.
10. Serve Hot or Cold – Warm for comfort food vibes, or chill and slice into pretty rings. Extra sauce = tomorrow’s breakfast upgrade on toast with a poached egg.
Notes & Tweaks
* Breadcrumbs: Taralli crumbs stay springy; blitzed baguette is fine too.
* Carb-Light Swap: Want fewer carbs? Replace some crumbs with 1 whole egg (or two if you cut crumbs drastically). Beat the egg in so the stuffing still binds.
* Wine Options: Any crisp, unoaked white (Pinot Grigio, Vermentino) or dry rosé keeps flavors bright.
* Parsley: Dried works in a pinch; fresh adds color pop.
* Smoky Cream: Soak a chunk of smoked cheese in your cream overnight, then strain.
* Smoked Fish Stock: Simmer smoked fish heads/bones with aromatics. No smoked scraps? Use regular stock and finish with a pinch of smoked finishing salt.
* Macros (per serving, rough): 48 g protein · 14 g carbs · 22 g fat · ≈ 430 kcal (varies with crumb and cream choices).
Dig in and feed those gains!
1 Comment
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