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Fish, Italy

Neapolitan stuffed calamari with rice

Neapolitan stuffed calamari are squid filled with breadcrumbs, olives and capers, simmered in a white wine tomato sauce and served with rice. For 4 people, it takes 75 minutes at a medium difficulty level, for €4.40 per person. The key is filling the calamari only two thirds full so the stuffing can swell without bursting the flesh.

I suggest Neapolitan stuffed calamari, filled with breadcrumbs, olives and capers, simmered in tomato sauce and served with rice.

Neapolitan stuffed calamari with rice
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.40
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall

Neapolitan stuffed calamari play on two textures that work well together. The squid stays tender yet slightly firm after simmering gently, while the breadcrumb, olive and caper stuffing brings crunch and a salty punch. The tomato sauce, flavored with white wine and garlic, ties everything together and begs to be soaked up with the rice served alongside.

This is a Sunday or unhurried weeknight dish, not really a fast weekday dinner given the simmering time. You'll want to make it when you have time to cook properly, for adults or older kids curious to try something different. The olives and capers give it a bold character, better suited to palates already used to Mediterranean flavors.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • medium calamari with tentacles 8

Pantry

  • breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 80 g
  • black olivesoften in the pantry 50 g
  • capersoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 500 g
  • white wineoften in the pantry 10 cl
  • riceoften in the pantry 280 g
  • olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • parsley 6 sprigs
  • garlic 3 cloves

Allergens Gluten, Mollusks

The step by step recipe

  1. Chop the tentacles and mix them with the breadcrumbs, olives, capers, parsley, garlic and a little oil.

    Add a drizzle of oil to the stuffing, it holds together and stays moist after cooking.

  2. Fill the calamari two thirds full and close them with a toothpick.

    Close each calamari with a toothpick inserted at an angle, so the stuffing stays inside.

  3. Brown them in hot oil, deglaze with white wine, add the tomatoes. 8 min

    Turn the calamari only once, they lose their shape if moved around too much.

  4. Let simmer covered over very low heat. 40 min

    Cook at a bare simmer, a hard boil makes the flesh rubbery.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water and serve with the calamari and sauce. 11 min

    Remove all the toothpicks before serving, count them so you don't miss any.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick medium, evenly sized calamari, they cook more evenly and are easier to stuff than very large or very small ones.
  • Make the stuffing a bit ahead of time so the garlic and parsley flavors have time to develop before you fill the calamari.
  • Keep an eye on the simmer, the sauce should never boil hard, a gentle simmer is enough for the full 40 minutes.

The variations

  • Swap the black olives for green ones for a tangier, less salty stuffing.
  • For a shellfish free version, use the same stuffing in hollowed out bell peppers or round zucchini, cooked the same way in tomato sauce.
  • To save time, simmer covered for just 20 minutes over medium heat instead of 40 minutes on very low heat, the texture will be a bit firmer but the dish still works.

What to serve it with

  • Plain or lightly lemony rice
  • Crusty bread for dipping
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

Stuffed calamari keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, separate from the rice. They freeze well in their sauce, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a skillet or over low heat in a saucepan so the flesh doesn't toughen.

Questions about this dish

Can I use frozen, already cleaned calamari?

Yes, thaw them fully and pat them dry before stuffing. Just avoid soaking them in water too long, they would absorb water and turn fragile during cooking.

How do you keep the calamari from turning rubbery?

The secret is cooking over very low heat for the full 40 minute simmer, without a hard boil. Cooking too hard or too long is the main cause of tough flesh.

Can you prepare stuffed calamari ahead of time?

Yes, you can stuff and close them several hours ahead, keep them in the fridge, then cook them at mealtime. You can also make the whole dish the day before and reheat it gently before serving.

What can replace capers if you don't like them?

You can leave them out of the stuffing without adding anything else, or replace them with a bit of lemon zest to keep some tang. The result will be slightly less salty but just as flavorful.

How long does it take to make a Neapolitan stuffed calamari with rice?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Neapolitan stuffed calamari with rice?

About 510 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Neapolitan stuffed calamari with rice cost?

About €4.40 per serving, or €17.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, mollusks. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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