The grilled calamari salad is a recipe I learned from my aunt, who ran a trattoria, and I immediately made it my own.
Delicious in its simplicity: a combination of skillet-cooked salad greens and grilled calamari, dressed with oil and lemon that surprises and wins you over instantly.
A pairing that may seem unusual but believe me it is truly worth trying. I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised.
Excellent served as an appetizer or as a main course.
Easy to prepare, even for those new to the kitchen.
Separate cooking of the two components and the final seasoning are essential.
A dish that has no season — serve it hot in winter and cool in summer.
I recommend buying fresh, already cleaned fish. If frozen, cleaning must be very thorough. It is necessary to rinse the calamari under running water and, gently, remove the tentacles, the innards and the internal cartilaginous quill from the sac. Then drain them very well and dry with paper towels.
I also recommend
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for preparing the grilled calamari salad
- 2.2 lbs calamari (squid)
- 12.3 oz mixed salad greens (about 12 cups loosely packed)
- 2 lemons
- to taste fine salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
Tools
- 1 Grill pan
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Citrus juicer
- Paper towels
Steps to prepare the grilled calamari salad
To prepare the delicious calamari salad begin with the cleaning of the calamari as described above and rinse the mixed salad greens (I recommend the pre-washed, pre-cut bags). Squeeze two medium lemons with a juicer, set the juice aside.
Then heat a grill pan very well and cook the calamari, turning them at least twice per side, for about ten minutes.
Meanwhile, in a nonstick frying pan add about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and four garlic cloves crushed with the blade of a knife so the skin separates from the flesh, and sauté. Once the garlic is lightly browned, remove it and add the salad greens, a pinch of salt, and cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spatula and with the lid on.
When both components are done, combine the calamari with the greens, mix well with the wooden spatula and, before serving, dress with the previously squeezed lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Our recipe is finally ready to be served… in winter serve warm, in summer it is also excellent cold.
Enjoy! From Barbara!
Storage of grilled calamari salad
Grilled calamari salad can be stored in the refrigerator:
Duration: up to 1–2 days
Container: airtight, preferably glass or food-grade plastic
Tip: allow the dish to cool before sealing, but no more than 1 hour at room temperature
How to store best
If possible, store calamari and salad separately in two containers.
Add oil or lemon only when serving to avoid the calamari becoming too limp.
Cover well to prevent the fish from absorbing odors from the fridge.
Reheating
To enjoy the next day:
heat briefly in a skillet with a drizzle of oil
or consume at room temperature if the salad is already dressed.
⚠️ Warning: cooked calamari should not be refrozen. If you notice a strong fishy odor or slimy texture, it is better not to consume them.
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