Calamari Marinara

Recipe By Chef John
Rating
Published Apr 28th
Prep 15m Cook 56m Additional - Ready In 1h 11m
Servings 4 servings Calories 806.4

Calamari has an unfair reputation for being tricky to work with and that it’s rubbery when cooked. Here’s the secret: cook it in 45 seconds or 45 minutes–very quickly or a long slow simmer. For this marinara dish, I use the long simmer method.

Recipe Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced thin
  • 1 serrano chile pepper, sliced thin
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
  • 1 anchovy fillet
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup clam juice
  • 6 cups crushed or pureed Italian plum tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 pounds frozen calamari (tubes and tentacles), thawed, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1 (16 ounce) package dry pasta

Cooking Directions

  1. 1 Drizzle olive oil into saucepan (not over heat). Add onions, Serrano pepper, garlic, anchovy filet, red pepper flakes, and salt. Place pot over medium-high heat. When onions start to sizzle after a minute or so, stir and cook until onions and garlic just start to turn golden, 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in wine.
  2. 2 Cook until wine is reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add clam juice, tomatoes, and oregano. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
  3. 3 Transfer calamari to sauce pot; stir gently. Simmer until calamari are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley.
  4. 4 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
  5. 5 Stir some sauce into the hot, drained pasta. Serve in warm bowls topped with more marinara sauce and grated cheese.

Nutrition Facts

  • Calories 806.4
  • Carbohydrate 117.8 g
  • Cholesterol 3.8 mg
  • Fat 12.2 g
  • Fiber 11.9 g
  • Protein 53.4 g
  • Saturated Fat 1.7 g
  • Sodium 921.2 mg
  • Sugar 5.8 g

Reviews

  1. Beverly McNulty Feb 27, 2021 08:35 AM
    Absolutely delicious. Restaurant worthy dish. Followed recipe exactly as written. Flavors blended beautifully. I love calamari but have always shied away from cooking it at home. This is a keeper for sure.
  2. Courtney Barringer May 30, 2020 09:13 AM
    An Incredible dish that will definitely make your guests think you spent hours in the kitchen. The serrano peppers & pepper flakes give a very nice "kick" to the dish without being over the top. Everyone went back for seconds. I'll definitely be making this dish again!
  3. nickie k Jan 17, 2020 02:32 AM
    Followed recipe. No need for changes. It was DELICIOUS!!!!!
  4. Beth Kobernik Nov 27, 2019 02:38 AM
    Fantastic recipe! We live in the PNW and can get fresh squid...I didn't use the clam juice, as I like my sauce a bit drier. The anchovy filet gives such a nice taste to this dish! We lived in Italy for 4 years with the military, and I felt transported back to that time when - Read more ...
  5. RDB Oct 27, 2019 05:01 AM
    Very bland sauce and calamari. Not really special
  6. Christina Jun 3, 2019 12:04 AM
    Awesome recipe it's a fun spicy twist off of marinara
  7. Chef Steve Feb 14, 2019 06:39 AM
    What can I say? Chef John did it again! The extended cooking method made the most tender calamari I ever had. Local grocer didn't have serrano pepper so I substituted with jalapeno, which is just not as hot. Excellent recipe.
  8. roadrider Oct 10, 2018 08:07 AM
    Excellent! Chef Joh has done it again!
  9. Michael Telson Jul 21, 2017 10:53 PM
    A Marinara sauce that kicks nicely, would be good with black mussels or other seafood as well.
  10. Vassilis Sinopoulos Jun 2, 2017 12:57 PM
    Very good and easy!
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