Description
This easy stuffed squid recipe features tender squid perfectly simmered in a vibrant red pepper sauce. It is a hearty, healthy, and family-friendly meal that is surprisingly simple to prepare for a special weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 6–8 medium whole squid (700g or 1.5 lb), tentacles finely chopped and bodies cleaned
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed for filling, searing, and sauce
- 1 cup (180g) cooked short-grain rice
- 1 small yellow onion (100g or 3.5 oz), minced for filling
- 3 cloves garlic, minced for filling
- 1 cup (30g) fresh parsley, chopped for filling
- 0.5 cup (15g) fresh mint, chopped for filling
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) harissa paste, for filling
- Zest of 1 lemon, for filling
- 0.5 cup (30g) plain breadcrumbs (or gluten-free)
- Salt, to taste for filling
- Black pepper, to taste for filling
- 2 large red bell peppers (400g or 14 oz), for sauce
- 1 small yellow onion (100g or 3.5 oz), roughly chopped for sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped for sauce
- 1 can (400g or 14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup (250ml) vegetable broth (or water)
- 0.5 cup (45g) toasted walnuts, for sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) harissa paste, for sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh lemon juice, for sauce
- 1 can (400g or 15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) extra virgin olive oil, for chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) smoked paprika, for chickpeas
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prep Squid: Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F). Thoroughly clean the squid bodies, removing innards and quill, then finely chop the tentacles; pat the bodies dry, ensuring they are ready for stuffing.
- Mix Filling Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine cooked rice, chopped tentacles, minced onion, garlic, parsley, mint, harissa, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper; mix until well combined and fragrant.
- Stuff Squid Bodies: Carefully fill each squid body with the prepared mixture, leaving about 2-3 cm (1 inch) empty at the opening to prevent bursting; secure openings with toothpicks until firm.
- Roast Peppers & Chickpeas: Place whole red peppers on a baking sheet and roast until the skin is blistered; cover them to cool, then peel and chop. On another sheet, toss chickpeas with oil, paprika, and salt, roasting until golden and crispy.
- Build Red Pepper Sauce: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook chopped onion until softened (about 5 minutes), then add garlic until fragrant (1 minute). Stir in roasted peppers, crushed tomatoes, broth, and harissa; simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until flavors meld.
- Blend and Season Sauce: Carefully transfer the sauce mixture to a blender, add toasted walnuts and lemon juice, then blend until completely smooth; pour back into the pot, season to taste, and keep warm.
- Sear and Simmer Squid: Heat a sturdy 10-inch frying pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed squid for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Gently transfer seared squid to the simmering red pepper sauce, ensuring they are mostly submerged. Cover and cook for 25-35 minutes until tender.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle generous sauce onto plates, arrange 1-2 tender stuffed squid on top, scatter crispy chickpeas, and garnish with fresh mint and parsley leaves for a beautiful finish.
Notes
This recipe is versatile; use dried parsley (1 tsp for 1 tbsp fresh), quinoa or couscous for rice, or frozen cleaned squid. For healthier options, choose wild-caught squid, brown rice, or add spinach/zucchini to the filling. To save time, use pre-chopped ingredients, pre-cooked rice, or a food processor for herbs. Avoid overfilling squid (leave 1 inch space) and overcooking (simmer 25-35 minutes) to ensure tenderness. Fresh squid stores 1-2 days refrigerated, frozen for several months.
- Prep Time: 41 minutes
- Cook Time: 81 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1-2 stuffed squid with sauce
- Calories: 450 calories
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg
Keywords: stuffed squid, red pepper sauce, healthy, family-friendly, Mediterranean, seafood, easy, chickpeas, rice, harissa