Crispy Fried Squid Rings (Printable)
Light, crunchy squid rings coated in a flavorful batter, served with lemon and spicy dipping sauce for a quick bite.
# What You'll Need:
→ Squid
01 - 1.1 lb fresh squid, cleaned and sliced into rings or tentacles
→ Marinade
02 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Batter
06 - ¾ cup all-purpose flour
07 - ¼ cup cornstarch
08 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1 large egg
10 - ½ cup cold sparkling water
→ For Frying
11 - Vegetable oil for deep frying
→ Serving (Optional)
12 - Lemon wedges
13 - Sriracha mayo or sweet chili sauce
# How-to Steps:
01 - Pat squid dry using paper towels. Toss squid rings with soy sauce, garlic powder, white pepper, and salt in a bowl. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - Combine flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with cold sparkling water. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until loosely combined; batter should be slightly lumpy.
03 - Heat vegetable oil to 350°F (180°C) in a deep pan or fryer.
04 - Dip marinated squid rings into the batter, allowing excess to drip off.
05 - Fry squid in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
06 - Remove fried squid using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and desired dipping sauce.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- Ready in 25 minutes from squid to plate, which means you can impress people without hours of prep.
- The batter stays impossibly light and crispy because the cold sparkling water creates tiny bubbles that fry up golden and delicate.
- One batch feeds four people as an appetizer, or you can double it and call it dinner alongside rice.
02 -
- Overcrowding the pan is the silent killer—the oil temperature drops, and your squid steams instead of fries, turning rubbery within seconds. Give each batch breathing room.
- Don't skip patting the squid dry; that one step is the difference between crispy and soggy, between people asking for the recipe and politely pushing it around their plate.
03 -
- Keep your batter cold from start to finish—mix it right before frying, and if it sits more than a few minutes, the carbonation fades and the crispness suffers.
- Taste one piece of your first batch to adjust seasoning before finishing the rest; the marinade flavor mellows slightly once fried, so go slightly bolder than you think.