Calamares a la Romana
A weeknight-friendly Spanish seafood built around cleaned squid and flat-leaf parsley — roughly 55 minutes start to finish, and rated easy to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's pescatarian — fish but no meat.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Slice the cleaned squid bodies into rings about 1 cm wide, pat them thoroughly dry with kitchen paper, and toss with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon, then let them sit for 10 minutes.
- Set up a coating station with the flour seasoned with salt in one bowl, and the eggs beaten with the milk in another.
- Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 180°C, checking with a cube of bread that browns in about 30 seconds.
- Dredge each ring lightly in flour, dip it into the egg, then back into the flour, shaking off any excess so the coating stays thin and crisp.
- Fry the rings in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until pale golden and the squid is just opaque and tender, avoiding overcrowding so the oil stays hot.
- Lift the calamares onto kitchen paper to drain, season with a little more salt, scatter with chopped parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
What to serve with Calamares a la Romana
- Spanish Tortilla Vegetarian
- Roast fennel and aubergine paella Vegan
- Migas Miscellaneous
- Spiced tortilla Vegetarian
Tips & common questions
How long does Calamares a la Romana take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Calamares a la Romana is an original Spanish recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Anillas fritas de calamar. Nombre del plato calamares a la romana (España).jpg by Juan Emilio Prades Bel, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.