Dive into the delightful world of Mediterranean and Eastern European cuisine with this simple yet elegant Squid in Tomato Sauce recipe. Often, the most memorable dishes are the ones made with just a few high-quality ingredients, and this one is a perfect example. Tender squid rings simmered in a rich, aromatic tomato sauce with garlic and herbs create a meal that feels special enough for guests but is quick enough for a weeknight dinner. Whether you're a seafood lover or new to cooking squid, this recipe will guide you to a perfect result every time.
Squid in Tomato Sauce — Simple and Delicious
Ingredients for Squid in Tomato Sauce
- 3 Pacific squid
- 2 onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 20 g butter
- 10 ml olive oil
- 150 g tomato purée
- bunch of dill
- salt, sugar, and pepper
How to Cook Squid in Tomato Sauce
Thawing the seafood for this squid in tomato sauce recipe takes a little time — about 20 minutes before cooking, take the squid bodies out of the freezer and place them in a pot or bowl filled with cold water.
Thawing the seafood
Take a large pot, fill it with boiling water, and add 2-3 teaspoons of table salt. One by one, place the squid into the boiling water. As soon as the water comes to a boil again, cook each squid for 2 minutes. If you add all the seafood at once, the water will cool down significantly and take a while to re-boil.
Have a bowl of cold water ready nearby. Using tongs, remove the squid bodies from the boiling water and place them in the cold water — this will stop the cooking process, keeping the squid tender and juicy.
Thoroughly rinse the cooled seafood under a stream of cold running water — wash off any remaining curled skin, and remove the innards and the khorda (the thin, transparent cartilage strip inside the body).
Place the squid into the boiling water one by one. Once the water boils again, cook each squid for 2 minutes
Remove the squid from the boiling water with tongs and place them in cold water
Rinse the squid — wash off any remaining skin, remove the innards and the quill
Cut the bodies of the boiled squid into rings about half a centimeter thick, and slice the tails into thin strips.
Cut the bodies of the boiled squid into rings, and slice the tails into thin strips
In a skillet, heat the butter and olive oil. Add finely chopped onion and minced garlic to the melted butter mixture, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
When the onion becomes translucent, add the sliced seafood to the skillet.
Next, add the tomato purée. This recipe for squid in tomato sauce uses homemade tomato purée without added salt or sugar, but you can also use canned tomatoes in their own juice, skinless.
Add the onion and garlic to the melted butter, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar
When the onion becomes translucent, add the sliced seafood to the pan
Add the tomato purée
Sauté the contents of the skillet over high heat for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan periodically.
Chop the dill very finely with a sharp knife or grind it in a mortar with a pinch of salt. Add the chopped dill to the other ingredients.
Stir, heat the dish for another 1-2 minutes, and then remove the skillet from the heat.
Sauté the contents of the pan over high heat for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan periodically
Add the chopped dill
Stir, heat the dish for another 1-2 minutes, and remove the pan from the heat
Serve the squid in tomato sauce hot or warm, with fresh, crusty white bread. You can also cook some spaghetti, mix it with the squid, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan — it’s delicious!
The squid in tomato sauce is ready
And there you have it—a beautiful dish of Squid in Tomato Sauce, ready to be enjoyed! This meal is wonderfully versatile. Serve it hot with a side of crusty bread to soak up every last drop of the delicious sauce, spoon it over fluffy rice, or toss it with freshly cooked spaghetti and a sprinkle of Parmesan for a complete Italian-style feast. We hope this recipe brings a taste of the sea to your table and inspires you to explore more simple, flavorful seafood dishes. Enjoy your meal!
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