Crispy Breaded Calamari Steaks

This calamari steak recipe is a delicious way to transform your favorite calamari appetizer into a spectacular main dish, all in less than 30 minutes. Each steak is perfectly tender yet firm, with crisp golden brown edges, served in a light yet flavorful lemon caper sauce.

Why I Love This Fried Calamari Steak Recipe

Calamari is low fat and high protein, no to mention packed with nutrients crucial for bone and brain health. That's why this recipe is one of my go-to meals for when I'm craving something hearty and wholesome.

This recipe is seamless and takes only 30 minutes start to finish. So whether you're a seafood expert, or a novice chef looking to add more seafood recipes to your rotation, each steak is guaranteed to come out perfectly crisp and restaurant quality.

The bright, delicate flavors are sure to impress anyone who tries it. Even the pickiest of eaters will be asking for more.

Ingredients 

I'm willing to bet you have most of these ingredients already, but they can also readily be found at your local grocery store.

Here's what you need for the calamari:

• Calamari Steak - two steaks, pounded
• Egg and Flour - to bread your steaks
• Bread crumbs - I like to use panko
• Olive oil and Butter - for frying
• Salt and Pepper - to taste

And for the sauce:

• Chicken stock - a savory base for the sauce
• Butter - for creaminess
• Lemon juice - a brightening citrus
• Capers - for a briny zest

How To Make Calamari Steaks

You're only four simple steps away from digging into this gourmet recipe. Like I said before, this dish can be prepared in less than 30 minutes, but everyone will think you've been cooking all day.

STEP 1: BREAD THE CALAMARI STEAKS

You'll want to start by dividing the egg, flour, and bread crumbs into 3 separate bowls. Whisk the eggs and season each bowl with a bit of salt and pepper.

Take one of your calamari steaks and dip it into the egg mixture, followed by the flour mixture, and finish with the bread crumbs. Allow any excess to drip off at each stage. Bread the other calamari steak in the same manner, making sure each steak is evenly breaded.

STEP 2: FRY THE STEAKS

In a large skillet, cook the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts and the pan is nice and hot.

Fry the coated calamari for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are a crisp golden brown. Once the steaks are fried, transfer them to a separate dish.

STEP 3: PREPARE THE SAUCE

Using the same pan, add the stock, lemon juice, butter, and capers to it.

Stir everything together until the mixture has emulsified, and lower the heat to medium low. Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes until thickened.

STEP 4: BASTE THE CALAMARI STEAKS

Add the calamari steaks to the pan and baste with the lemon caper sauce. Once your steaks are well saturated, transfer them to a dish and pour additional sauce over the steaks.

Garnish each with lemon wedges and fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

My Pro Tips 

• Fire up the grill and omit the breading to make grilled calamari steaks
• Serve your calamari steaks with mashed sweet potatoes, these grilled green beans, or on their own with tartar sauce
• Pair the lemon caper sauce with other seafood dishes like my Mahi Mahi recipe
• Substitute the chicken stock for veggie stock to make this meal pescatarian
• Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese to your panko bread crumbs for a sharp, savory taste

How To Store and Reheat The Breaded Calamari

Store In the fridge

I recommend storing your leftovers in the fridge for the freshest quality. I also like to store the steaks and sauce separately to prevent the fried calamari from getting soggy. Simply transfer each into separate airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheating

The best way to reheat these calamari steaks is to cook them in a large pan with oil and butter. Once your steaks are warm, incorporate the lemon caper sauce until everything is evenly warm.

You can also use your microwave by placing everything in a microwave-safe dish and reheating in intervals of 20 seconds until the steaks and sauce have reached your desired temperature.

More Seafood Recipes

• Baked snapper
• Pan seared salmon
• Blackened salmon
• Lemon butter mahi mahi