Calamari Marinara

4.7
(25)

This is a rich and tasty Italian calamari recipe. Calamari has an unfair reputation for being tricky to work with and that it's rubbery when cooked. Here's the secret... Cook it for 45 seconds or 45 minutes — very quickly or a long slow simmer. For this marinara dish, I use the long simmer method.

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Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
56 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 11 mins
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • 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

Directions

  1. Drizzle olive oil into a saucepan. Add onions, chile pepper, garlic, anchovy filet, red pepper flakes, and salt; place over medium-high heat. Stir and cook until onions and garlic just start to turn golden, 3 or 4 minutes.

  2. Stir in wine and simmer until wine is reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add clam juice, tomatoes, and oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

  3. Gently stir in calamari and simmer until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley.

  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. Stir some sauce into the hot, drained pasta. Serve in warm bowls topped with more marinara sauce and grated cheese.

    close up view of Calamari Marinara with squid ink pasta, garnished with cheese and fresh herbs in a white bowl
    Chef John
37 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

806 Calories
12g Fat
118g Carbs
53g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 806
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Sodium 921mg 40%
Total Carbohydrate 118g 43%
Dietary Fiber 12g 43%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 53g 107%
Vitamin C 45mg 49%
Calcium 286mg 22%
Iron 12mg 68%
Potassium 1564mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.