Calamarata is a classic Neapolitan pasta featuring succulent calamari bathed in a light and brothy tomato sauce. Each bite is filled with tender squid, al dente pasta tubes, and fresh juicy tomatoes. Make this authentic Italian dish with just a few ingredients in 20 minutes!
Calamarata is one of our go to pasta dishes. The flavor-packed calamari rings and tentacles are tender and simmered in a fresh tomato sauce. This simple yet elegant pasta dish is easy to make and perfect for any occasion. It only takes 20 minutes to make so it is perfect for a weeknight dinner, date night at home, or entertaining.
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What is Calamarata Pasta?
Calamarata is a Neapolitan thick ring pasta that is typically served with a simple calamari (squid) and tomato sauce. In fact, the name calamarata comes from calamari because the pasta looks like squid rings. The rings provide more surface area and allow the brothy sauce to fully coat the pasta inside and out. Calamarata rings are also sometimes dyed black with squid ink to accentuate the squid flavor.
Ingredients
- Calamarata pasta - Thick pasta rings are great for brothy sauces like this one because the sauce fully coats each piece of pasta.
- Cherry Tomatoes - Cherry or grape tomatoes are best for this recipe. Heirloom cherry tomatoes are another bright and flavorful option. Check out this article to learn about the difference between cherry and grape tomatoes.
- Calamari - Calamari is the Italian word for squid. It is lightly sweet and absorbs the other rich flavors of the dish.
- Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil adds fat to the recipe, melding the flavors together.
- Garlic - Garlic offers a deep, aromatic quintessential Italian flavor.
- White wine - White wine adds flavor and deglazes the pan.
- Fresh parsley - Chopped parsley brightens the dish with a fresh herb flavor.
- Kosher salt - Kosher salt adds flavor to the pasta water.
- Pasta water - Pasta water is an essential ingredient for this pasta recipe. The pasta water is starchy and creates a creamy sauce when mixed with the cheese.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Prepare Squid - Cut the squid into 1-inch rings and keep the tentacles whole.
- Heat oil and garlic - Press the side of your knife blade onto the garlic clove and gently press with your hand to crush the clove, while leaving it whole. This will release garlic oil into the sauce. Then, in a large pan or braiser, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic cloves.
- Add ingredients - After 1 minute, stir in squid rings and tentacles to the pan. After 2 minutes, add the white wine and let cook until the white wine evaporates. Use tongs to remove garlic, then stir in the tomatoes. Stir in chili flakes, sea salt, and parsley. Let the sauce simmer for 12 minutes. The squid will be tender, but not chewy.
- Cook pasta - While the sauce cookes, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and season generously with kosher salt. Cook pasta per the packaging instructions, or until al dente. Reserve one cup of starchy pasta water and drain the rest.
- Combine pasta and sauce - Stir in a couple tablespoons of pasta water in the sauce and add the pasta to the pan. Gently stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Add a bit more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the pasta is dry.
- Garnish and serve - Season with flaky sea salt to taste and garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley. Serve in a serving dish or in bowls and serve immediately.
Hint: Keep the garlic whole to prevent the garlic from burning while the sauce simmers.
What to Eat with Calamarata
This calamari pasta is an approachable, flavorful weeknight dinner. Check out these delicious sides and starters:
- Sautéed Broccolini (Broccoletti as a starter
- Burrata Caprese with Balsamic Glaze as a starter
- Peach Arugula Salad with Prosciutto and Burrata as a starter
Substitutions
- Fresh calamari - You can also use fresh calamari for this recipe.
- Octopus - Replace squid with octopus for a leaner and lighter protein with a similar texture.
- Cuttlefish - Cuttlefish is more flavorful than squid but not as rich as octopus.
- Paccheri - Use this pasta shape if you want even large tubes of pasta.
- Mezze maniche - Replace calamarata with mezze maniche if you want a smaller tube pasta with ridges. The ridges help the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Rigatoni - If you can't find calamarata, paccheri, or mezze maniche, you can use Rigatoni (which is easier to find). Rigatoni is shorter and wide pasta with deep ridges and a broad surface that the sauce will cling to well.
- Homemade Pasta - Use homemade pasta from scratch instead of store bought calamarata.
- Gluten Free - Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Squid ink Calamarata - Use dyed calamarata pasta to add more briny and rich seafood flavor.
- Eggplant - Make this pasta with roasted eggplant instead of squid to make it vegetarian.
Variations
- Spicy - Add more ground crushed red pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish
- Seared scallops - To make the dish even more decadent, add seared scallops on top or to the side of the finished pasta dish.
- Garlic - Add more garlic to the pasta for extra aromatic flavor.
- Lemon - Add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the pasta.
- Fresh basil - Fresh torn basil adds a brightness to the tomatoes and aromatics.
FAQ
Essentially, yes. Most people consider calamari to just be the culinary name for squid. However, others view calamari as a specific type of squid that is more tender and expensive than generic squid.
Most of the ingredients can be found at major grocery stores. Specifically, Calamarata pasta is available at most stores, but can also be ordered online. Fresh squid can be found at the seafood counter or the frozen section of most grocery stores. You can also check out your local fish monger.
Calamari is a rich source of vitamins and nutrients. Specifically, calamari is rich in protein and antioxidants that can prevent cancer. It is also packed with B vitamins that help digestion, energy production, and vision.
Squid and octopus are 2 different animals, but both belong to the mollusk family. With regard to taste, octopus is lighter and less chewy. Both soak up sauces well.
Yes, calamari are mollusks, which are shellfish. You should avoid eating calamari if you have a shellfish allergy. If you have a shellfish allergy, you can enjoy this pasta with eggplant or just blistered tomatoes.
Equipment
Pasta Calamarata requires common kitchen essentials. To make this classic Italian pasta, you need a knife, cutting board, cheese grater, tongs, measuring cup, skillet or non-stick pan, and medium pot or dutch oven.
Storage
This southern Italian recipe is best enjoyed immediately. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container and keep in the fridge up to 1 day. To reheat leftovers, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over low-medium heat. Add the leftover pasta and use tongs to gently separate the pasta in the pan to cook. Place a lid on top of the pan and allow it to reheat, about 2-3 minutes. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top tips
- Defrost squid - If using frozen squid, defrost overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
- Serve with bread - Enjoy this pasta with a delicious baguette or roll to dip in the brothy tomato sauce. In Italian, this is called "fare la scarpetta," or "make the little shoe."
Related Recipes
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Calamarata (Calamari and Tomato Sauce Pasta)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Calamarata pasta
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 whole garlic cloves crushed
- 1 lb squid cleaned, sliced into 1-inch rings and tentacles whole
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley minced, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Squid - Cut the squid into 1-inch rings and keep the tentacles whole.1 lb squid
- Heat oil and garlic - Press the side of your knife blade onto the garlic clove and gently press with your hand to crush the clove, while leaving it whole. This will release garlic oil into the sauce. Then, in a large pan or braiser, heat olive oil on medium heat and add garlic cloves.2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 whole garlic cloves
- Add ingredients - After 1 minute, stir in squid rings and tentacles to the pan. After 2 minutes, add the white wine and let cook until the white wine evaporates. Use tongs to remove garlic, then stir in the tomatoes. Stir in chili flakes, sea salt, and parsley. Let the sauce simmer for 12 minutes. The squid will be tender, but not chewy.1 lb squid, ½ cup white wine, 1 lb cherry tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley
- Cook pasta - While the sauce cookes, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and season generously with kosher salt. Cook pasta per the packaging instructions, or until al dente. Reserve one cup of starchy pasta water and drain the rest.1 lb Calamarata pasta
- Combine pasta and sauce - Stir in a couple tablespoons of pasta water in the sauce and add the pasta to the pan. Gently stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Add a bit more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the pasta is dry.
- Garnish and serve - Season with flaky sea salt to taste and garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley. Serve in a serving dish or in bowls and serve immediately.1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley
Notes
Storage and Reheat Instructions
Store leftovers in an air-tight container and keep in the fridge up to 1 day. To reheat leftovers, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over low-medium heat. Add the leftover pasta and use tongs to gently separate the pasta in the pan to cook. Place a lid on top of the pan and allow it to reheat, about 2-3 minutes. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.Top tips
- Defrost squid - If using frozen squid, defrost overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
- Serve with bread - Enjoy this pasta with a delicious baguette or roll to dip in the brothy tomato sauce. In Italian, this is called "fare la scarpetta," or "make the little shoe."
Nutrition
Food safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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