If you like calamari, you’re going to love perfectly tender, super fast, and wonderfully smoky grilled squid. The Asian-inspired marinade adds spice to the party.
How do you feel about squid? While it’s more popular in Asian and Italian cuisine, we also enjoy it in Africa as deep-fried street food, skewered, or simmered low and slow in a stew. So, when I saw some gorgeous, fresh squid on sale at my local market, I knew what I wanted to do with it.
Why Grill Squid
First, the high heat from the grill cooks squid fast enough that it stays sweet and tender with smoky BBQ vibes. Grilling it is also easy, with just a marinade to make it even better. Remember to pat them dry before putting them on the grill so they sear instead of steam.
How to Grill Squid
Clean, season, score, and grill. It’s that easy.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the squid flat, pressing it against the grates for good grill marks. Work fast and pull it off the grill as soon as it’s done.
- Grill over high heat for 1-2 minutes for fast and tender squid. As soon as the flesh turns opaque and feels firm but springs back to the touch, take it off the grill and serve.
- If you accidentally overcook the squid and it becomes rubbery, simmer it in a braising liquid (or broth) for 30-45 minutes to break down the collagen for a tender treat.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Leftover Makeovers
If you plan on enjoying grilled squid cold, definitely make it a day ahead and store it in an airtight, glass container. If you must reheat it, do so quickly or warm it in a sauce.
Store leftovers properly in the fridge for 2-3 days, but always check them for spoilage, discarding if it starts smelling sour or like ammonia, becomes slimy, or changes color. To freeze the leftovers, wrap squid tightly (vacuum-sealed is best), and it should stay fresh for about 2 months. It can last up to 8 months in the freezer, but the texture will start degrading (still edible, just not as delicious).
Dice leftover grilled squid and include them in a cold seafood salad, or toss them in at the end after removing from the heat when making paella, egg fried rice, and seafood pasta.
What Goes With Grilled Squid
We love this light seafood dish with a Greek or spinach salad, crispy potato wedges, and grilled veggies. Squid also makes a wonderful side for a mezze platter loaded with tzatziki, hummus, and fresh homemade pita.
More Sensational Seafood Dishes to Try
By Imma
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Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes
Total: 54 minutes
American, Asian, Fusion
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Clean the squid (see notes for detailed instructions).
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Score the squid for more even cooking and a better presentation. Then season them with salt and pepper.
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Mix olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and chili sauce in a glass bowl.
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Brush the seasoning mixture over the squid and marinate them in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, reserving the rest for basting.
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Preheat your grill to medium-high heat or around 375-400°F (190-205℃).
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Place the squid on the hot grill, and grill them for 1-2 minutes per side, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade. The flesh will become opaque, firm, yet tender. How long it takes will depend on the squid’s size.
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Remove them from the grill and serve them whole or slice them into rings, however you prefer.
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Garnish them with sliced green onions, and serve immediately with extra sauce and your choice of sides.
- To clean the squid:
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- Get a firm hold on the body in one hand and the tentacles in the other hand. Gently pull the tentacles along with the head until they separate. Set the tentacles aside. Feel inside the body for the cartilage (quill) and gently remove it. Rinse the body in cold water to flush out the rest of the organs. Gently remove the fins and the skin and discard them.
- If you want to grill the tentacles, remove the head just below the eyes with a sharp knife and discard the head and organs. Find the small, hard beak, pop it out, and discard it.
- Thoroughly rinse the body and tentacles and pat dry with paper towels. You’re now ready to proceed.
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- Double the marinade recipe, simmer it in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for about a minute to reduce, adjust seasonings to taste, and enjoy as a dipping sauce. Add a little water if needed to prevent burning.
- Avoid overcooking the squid, as it can become rubbery. 1-2 minutes on each side on high heat usually delivers the best results.
- If you don’t want to break out the grill, a hot grill pan on the stove works fine. Either cooking method works with this recipe.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional data is approximate and can vary greatly depending on the ingredients used in the recipe.
Serving: 4ounces| Calories: 110kcal (6%)| Carbohydrates: 3g (1%)| Protein: 1g (2%)| Fat: 11g (17%)| Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g| Monounsaturated Fat: 8g| Cholesterol: 1mg| Sodium: 806mg (35%)| Potassium: 52mg (1%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 1g (1%)| Vitamin A: 42IU (1%)| Vitamin C: 8mg (10%)| Calcium: 10mg (1%)| Iron: 0.3mg (2%)
Course: Main
Cuisine: American, Asian, Fusion
Diet: Gluten Free
