The Stuffed Squid in the air fryer is a clever and tasty recipe, perfect for bringing an elegant seafood main to the table without stress. The air fryer allows you to cook the squid evenly, keeping the flesh tender and the stuffing flavorful, with a light golden exterior, without using too much oil.
The stuffing I chose is rich and aromatic: stale bread, capers, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan and the squid’s tentacles and fins. The result is a perfect balance between tenderness and a pronounced sea flavor, with a salty and aromatic note.
To complete the dish, I prepared a simple parsley-infused oil, which gives freshness and color, making the Stuffed Squid, cooked in the air fryer, even more appetizing.
An important tip: if you are not used to cleaning squid, it is better to have them cleaned by the fishmonger. This way you save time and you are sure they are ready for stuffing; you will only need to rinse them under running water and remove any residues.
If you like seafood stuffings, you can also try my braised version: stuffed cuttlefish in tomato sauce, a rich and flavorful dish, perfect to serve with good country bread.
And if you don’t have an air fryer, at the end of the recipe you’ll also find the instructions for oven cooking.
Let’s get started with this tasty and surprising main course: I’ll guide you step by step for a perfect result!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 17 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Air Fryer, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
Ingredients for 2/3 servings
- 1 squid (about 1.1 lb (500 g))
- cup stale bread
- 3 tbsp capers (salted), rinsed
- 3 fillets anchovy fillets in oil
- 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (about 30 g)
- 4 tbsp grated Parmesan (about 20 g (or Grana Padano))
- 1 bunch parsley
- to taste black pepper
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 tbsp pine nuts (about 10 g)
- 1 fillet anchovy in oil
- 1 clove garlic (small)
- 1 chili pepper
- 1 lemon (unwaxed zest)
Tools
Recommended tools
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 Blender
- 1 Immersion Blender
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Kitchen scale
Steps
Preparing the Stuffed Squid in the Air Fryer
Before you start: wash and dry a bunch of parsley and desalt the capers. To desalinate the capers: put them in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water for a few minutes, then squeeze them gently with your fingers. This step is important to avoid an overly salty stuffing.
Now focus on the squid. If you are not experienced in cleaning squid, I recommend having the fishmonger do it. Alternatively, here are the main steps:
Remove the head and eyes, keeping the tentacles and fins. Extract the transparent internal pen and the innards. Rinse the inside of the squid well under cold running water. Dry and pat with kitchen paper.
Cut the tentacles and fins into small pieces.
Add the stale bread torn into pieces into the food processor and pulse.
Add the rinsed capers, the garlic, the anchovy fillets, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, oil and a little pepper.
Stir in the grated Parmesan and pulse again until the mixture is well combined. Do not add salt: the anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan and capers provide enough saltiness to the stuffing.
Add the chopped squid tentacles and fins and mix with a spoon.
Gently fill the squid with the prepared mixture, without packing it too tightly to avoid bursting during cooking. You can help yourself with a spoon.
Close the opening with toothpicks.
Place the squid in the air fryer basket or on the tray and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Cook at 356°F for about 17 minutes, turning halfway through cooking to achieve an even golden color.
To ensure it’s well cooked, gently pierce the squid with a toothpick in the thickest part. The toothpick should go in without excessive resistance. This lets you check if cooking is optimal without risking breaking them.
Wash and dry the parsley well. Put it in the blender jar together with all the ingredients including the grated lemon zest.
Blend with the immersion blender until you obtain a smooth sauce, not too liquid, with a slightly rustic texture and bits of parsley.
Let the squid cool for a few minutes, then slice gently and arrange on a plate. Serve with the freshly made parsley oil for a touch of freshness and color. Serve immediately and enjoy this flavorful and aromatic main course!
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Oven cooking
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the stuffed squid in the oven and still get an excellent result.
Place them in a lightly oiled baking dish, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 20–25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking for an even browning.
To ensure they are well cooked, gently pierce the squid with a toothpick in the thickest part. The toothpick should enter without excessive resistance. This lets you judge if cooking is optimal without risking breaking them.
Storage and Tips
Parsley Oil: store in the refrigerator in a small airtight jar/container for 1–2 days. Before using, bring it to room temperature and stir slightly to redistribute the oil.
Stuffed Squid: keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1–2 days. To serve, reheat in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes.
You can also freeze them already cooked for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat in the air fryer or in the oven at 338°F for a few minutes.
Tip: avoid reheating for too long to prevent them from becoming rubbery; a few minutes are enough to bring them back to the right temperature. If needed, cover them with foil during reheating to retain moisture and prevent drying out.
