Greek Stuffed Calamari Recipe (In Tomato Sauce)

This Greek stuffed calamari recipe is packed with flavour, filled with herby rice, fresh lemon, and baked in a light tomato sauce. It might look like a fancy seafood dish, but trust me, it’s really easy to pull off. I’ve made this super simple by using calamari tubes so it’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to fuss around with cleaning whole squid!

If you love this dish, be sure to check out my prawns/ shrimp with orzo for another classic seafood dinner. Or if you're into grilling over the charcoal, check out my Greek style chargrilled octopus recipe for one of the best meze's you’ll ever try!

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• Watch the short video tutorial
• Ingredients
• Preparation
• Step-by-step Cooking Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage
• 📖 Recipe

Why you will love this recipe

• Flavour-Packed and Herby: This stuffed calamari is loaded with onion, garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon, making every bite pop with classic flavours.
• Simple but Impressive: It looks like something you’d order at a restaurant, but it’s actually really straightforward to make with basic ingredients.
• Traditional Taste, Easier Prep: Using calamari tubes instead of whole squid keeps things simple, and it’s beginner-friendly but still feels like a proper Greek classic.
• Bakes in One Dish: Once everything is stuffed and sauced, it all goes into one baking dish, making clean-up easier and letting the flavours come together beautifully.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: This wonderful recipe is perfect if you're fasting for Lent, cooking a casual weeknight dinner, or putting together a fancy seafood feast.

Watch the short video tutorial

Want to see how it’s done? In this video, I’ll show you exactly how I prep the calamari tubes, make the stuffing mixture, and whip up a simple red sauce.

Give it a like, drop a comment, and share it with someone who’d love to try this stuffed squid recipe!

Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what makes this recipe so good. As always, check the recipe card below for exact amounts.

• Calamari tubes: I use cleaned calamari tubes and a couple of extras for the stuffing to keep things simple. If you’ve got whole squid, you can dice up the heads and squid tentacles instead and mix them into the stuffing.
• Onion and garlic cloves: Everyone loves onion, and calamari loves garlic! These soften while sautéing and bring out that beautiful savoury base.
• Tomatoes: Diced fresh tomatoes help keep the stuffing juicy and naturally sweet. They also add a bit of texture, which I really like.
• Medium grain rice: This is what I prefer to use, but feel free to go with your favourite rice. Just make sure to give it a good rinse before using.
• Fresh herbs (parsley, mint, dill): These give the stuffing a fresh lift and loads of flavour. If you’re short on one, just add more of another. It still works beautifully.
• Lemon zest and juice: Brightens up the dish and gives that little hit of zing that goes perfectly with seafood. If you want more, add an extra squeeze once it’s served!

Sauce Ingredients

• Tomato passata: This is the smooth base for the sauce. It surrounds the calamari while it bakes and turns into a light red sauce. Super simple and keeps the stuffed calamari as the star of the dish.
• Olive oil: Used in both the stuffing and the sauce. A good-quality olive oil makes all the difference in flavour.
• Water: A little water helps loosen the passata and stops the sauce from drying out in the oven.
• Salt and black pepper: Don’t forget to season everything before baking. The calamari itself isn’t salty, so it needs a good coating to bring out the full flavour.

Preparation

Here’s how to get everything prepared so that once you get started, everything just flows easily!

1. Chop the onion and garlic: Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves so they cook evenly and blend into the stuffing mixture.
2. Chop the herbs: Roughly chop the parsley, mint, and dill. You can adjust the amount depending on what you like more or what you have on hand.
3. Dice the tomatoes: Fresh diced tomatoes add a juicy texture to the stuffing. Set them aside in a bowl so they’re ready to go.
4. Zest and juice the lemon: Do this ahead of time so you’re not stopping mid-cook to mess around.
5. Toothpicks: Have toothpicks ready so you can seal the calamari tubes before and after stuffing them.
6. Set up your cooking gear: Grab a large frying pan for the stuffing mixture and a baking dish for the final bake. I use a 23cm x 34cm dish for this recipe.

Step-by-step Cooking Instructions

Follow these simple steps using the images for guidance. If you get stuck, watch the video to see exactly how I make this dish from start to finish.

Prepare the calamari

Make sure to rinse your calamari under cold water and check that the insides are properly cleaned before you start.

1. Take the extra calamari tubes you're using for the stuffing and dice them into small pieces. I find it easiest to slice them into rings first, then cut those into small cubes.
2. Use toothpicks to close the narrow end of each of the remaining whole tubes, then lay them flat on a tray ready for stuffing.
   
   Note: If you're using whole squid, remove the heads and legs, dice them up, and use them instead of the extra tubes. The chopped tentacles work great, but if you're not confident with cleaning squid, I recommend sticking to tubes to keep things simple.

Make the stuffing

1. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced calamari and cook for around 2 minutes.
2. Add the diced onion and minced garlic cloves. Sauté everything until soft and fragrant.

3. Add the diced tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Stir well to bring all the flavours together.
4. Add the rinsed medium grain rice, chopped parsley, mint, dill, lemon zest, and juice. Mix everything through, cook for another minute or two, then take it off the heat.

Prepare the sauce

1. Get your large baking dish out. I use a 23cm x 34cm dish for this recipe. You want to make sure each calamari tube has enough room to sit flat, but it’s also nice if they’re a little snug when baking.
2. Combine the tomato passata, olive oil, and the water directly in the dish. Mix it all together to create a simple base sauce.

Stuff the calamari

1. Use a small spoon to fill each calamari tube with the stuffing. Leave a bit of space at the top so the rice has room to expand as it cooks.
2. Don’t overfill them. The calamari will shrink slightly as well, so you want to leave space for that too.
3. Once filled, seal the open end of each tube with a toothpick. I do this by pushing the toothpick through one side, folding the top slightly, then pushing it through again twice to hold it closed.

Bake and finish

1. Place the stuffed calamari in the sauce and turn them gently so they’re lightly coated.
2. Sprinkle a bit of salt and black pepper over the top of each piece.
3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C fan forced (355°F) for 25 minutes.
4. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes. The calamari should be tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Serve with some crusty bread and spoon over plenty of that delicious sauce.

Serving Suggestions

These stuffed calamari tubes are a beautiful dish that can be served on their own as a main course with a few simple sides. You can also enjoy them as a meze or as a second course as part of a larger seafood spread. Here are a few suggestions:

• Fresh Salad: Personally, I love this with a Greek tomato and onion salad. There’s something about the tanginess that goes so well with seafood. But of course, a classic Greek salad or maroulosalata will do the trick too.
• Fresh Seafood: Enjoy this dish as part of a wider spread with fresh prawns or even some chargrilled octopus. Great for entertaining or celebrating with family.
• Crusty Bread: You need some fresh bread to mop up that extra sauce you’re going to scoop on top! Whether it’s a homemade loaf, store-bought, or one of my Greek pita breads, it’s a must have on the side.
• Extra Lemon: Right before serving, try squeezing a little extra lemon over the top to brighten everything up. If you’re like me, you can never have too much haha.

Storage

This Greek stuffed calamari is best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, but if you happen to have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Freezing

I don't recommend freezing this dish. The calamari can turn a bit rubbery once defrosted, and the rice loses its texture.

📖 Recipe