Stuffed Squid: Kalamarakia Yemista
This stuffed squid recipe is a taste of sunny Greece - tender baby squid filled with herby tomato rice, baked in a rich sauce
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Ingredients
Method
2) Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 secs. Add the rice and stir to coat with the mixture; cook for 1 min. Add 750ml water, tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is tender and the water is completely absorbed, about 14 to 16 mins. Remove from the heat and let sit 5 mins. Fluff with a fork and stir in the mint and parsley. Let cool.
3) Stuff the squid with the rice mixture. Drizzle half of the remaining oil in a medium baking dish. Add the squid and drizzle with remaining oil and the tomato juice and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the squid is tender, about 25 to 30 mins. Serve immediately.
A Greek classic that’s packed with Mediterranean magic!
Looking for a seafood dish that’s a little bit different but still wonderfully homely? Kalamarakia yemista, meaning stuffed squid, is a much-loved Greek recipe that brings together tender squid, rice, tomatoes, olive oil and fresh herbs. Popular throughout Greece and Cyprus, this stuffed squid recipe is especially associated with Lenten cooking, when seafood features prominently on the table.
Perfectly-cooked squid is soft and tender, but it’s the filling of this stuffed squid recipe that really shines. Spanish onion and chopped garlic are softened in Greek olive oil before being joined by long-grain rice, diced plum tomatoes, fresh mint and flat-leaf parsley. This is one of those stuffed squid dishes that transforms simple seafood into neat little parcels of deliciousness.
Serve this stuffed squid recipe with a crisp minty Greek salad, warm crusty sourdough bread and a generous spoonful of garlicky yoghurt. It’s also delicious alongside lemony roasted potatoes, sautéed greens or a platter of olives and feta. And for more stuffed squid ideas to make this dish your own, stir through toasted pine nuts or replace some of the plum tomatoes with roasted red peppers. A pinch of chilli flakes brings extra heat, while a little lemon zest adds a citrus zing.
However you fill it, this stuffed squid recipe is a celebration of great Greek home cooking, and if you’re craving more Mediterranean favourites, try a classic veggie moussaka, chicken and pork souvlaki or Greek-style stuffed peppers.
