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Calamari garden salad on a white serving plate.

Calamari Garden Salad

This garden salad with calamari is one of those dishes that looks fancy but is surprisingly simple to make. The mix of fresh greens, crunchy vegetables, and tangy citrus dressing perfectly matches tender, pan-seared calamari.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Author: Shilpa

Equipment

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 1 lb baby calamari cleaned and tentacles removed
  • 4 cups mixed salad greens such as spinach, arugula, and lettuce
  • 1 cup carrots grated
  • 1 cucumber thinly sliced
  • ¼ red onion thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup Kalamata olives pitted
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the citrusy vinaigrette:

Instructions

  • Prepare the citrusy vinaigrette by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, hoisin sauce, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle it with olive oil. Once hot, add the cleaned baby calamari to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes until they are cooked through and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. The calamari is fully cooked when it turns opaque, and the ends begin to curl.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the mixed salad greens, carrots, cucumbers, red onion slices, Kalamata olives, and chopped parsley.
  • Drizzle the citrusy vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat.
  • Divide the salad evenly among serving plates. Top each salad with the sautéed baby calamari and serve.

Notes

  • The calamari is fully cooked when it turns opaque, and the ends begin to curl. This can take 1-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it and take it off the heat immediately.
  • To prevent the greens from wilting, it's best to dress the salad just before you're ready to serve it.
  • If you want to make it ahead of time, prep the vegetables and make the vinaigrette a day in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Cook the calamari fresh just before serving, and combine everything together for the best flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 264mg | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6095IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg
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