Grilled Marinated Squid with Fresh Herb Salad – Light, Aromatic and Perfect for Summer.
This Mediterranean-inspired grilled recipe combines tender grilled baby squid, a type of small calamari, with a finely balanced lime-chili marinade and a fresh herb salad. Briefly cooking on a hot griddle ensures the squid remains juicy and develops an intense roasted aroma. Crisp lettuce, aromatic herbs, and a light lime dressing provide freshness and balance. Ideal for warm days, outdoor cooking, and anyone who loves light grilled fish and seafood recipes.
Serves 6
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: *
For the marinade
- 1 kg baby squid (eight-armed cephalopods, also known as calamari)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 chili
- 1 lime
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp cane sugar
- Salt and pepper
For the herb salad
- 1 radicchio heart
- 1 chicory heart
- 50 g small mixed salad leaves (rocket, lamb's lettuce...)
- 1 large bunch mixed herbs (parsley, chives, tarragon, chervil, mint and coriander)
For the dressing
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- Juice of half a lime
- First, wash the squid and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Squid are not fish, but belong to the class of cephalopods, which also includes octopuses and cuttlefish.
- To prepare the marinade, finely chop the garlic and chop the chili as finely as possible.
- Mix all the prepared ingredients and add the olive oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime, and cane sugar.
- Add the squid and mix carefully, cover with cling film, and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- In the meantime, prepare the salads. Wash the various salad leaves. Pick the herbs from their stems. Cut everything into small pieces with scissors and place in a large bowl. Then prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients.
- Turn on the plancha grill and wait until it is hot. Place the squid on the grill and drizzle with marinade. Grill for 5 minutes, turning regularly.
- Serve the seared squid with the herb salad and dressing. The ink sacs remain juicy inside when grilled, while the tentacles with their suction cups provide a tender texture.
