Wondering what the best sauces for calamari are, besides the classic cocktail sauce? I’ve got you covered with this handy guide of 15+ tasty calamari dipping sauces.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Platings + Pairings.
These are some of my favorite sauces to serve with calamari.
Why?
They’re made with simple ingredients. Plus, they come together so quickly!
Keep reading to discover a new favorite calamari dipping sauce. Add in a couple calamari side dishes, and you’re guaranteed an amazing dinner!
Calamari Sauce Recipes
Easy 30 Minute Marinara Sauce offers rich and sweet flavors that can be enjoyed on plenty of dishes. Using basic ingredients & only 1 pot.
This Louisiana-style Remoulade Sauce is a smoky and tangy dipping sauce that’s perfect for fried calamari, po’ boys, fried green tomatoes, and crab cakes.
Romesco Sauce is packed with flavor and easy to make with simple ingredients & your blender or food processor. This roasted red pepper based Spanish sauce is delicious with chicken, pork, seafood and roasted vegetables.
Add a tangy, sweet and spicy kick to your fried shrimp, seafood, fries, burgers, and more with Bang Bang Sauce! It’s an easy, creamy chili and mayo dipping sauce made from ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Plus, it's a dead ringer for the Bonefish Grill namesake appetizer Bang Bang Shrimp!
This easy Chimichurri Sauce is packed with flavor and easy to make with simple ingredients & your blender or food processor. This cilantro chimichurri steak sauce is also delicious with chicken, pork, seafood and roasted vegetables.
Learn how to make Seafood Boil Sauce from scratch! It’s a rich and layered butter sauce that’s perfect for Southern seafood boils and for sprucing up your usual weeknight dinner. Easy to make in 20 minutes!
Add some smoke and spice to your favorite shrimp recipe with this Chipotle Crema. A Mexican-inspired sauce, this creamy mix is made with chipotles in adobo to give shrimp a spicy kick.
This homemade tartar sauce recipe is so easy to make! Thanks to mayo, lemon juice, capers, dill pickles, and mustard, it’s creamy, tangy, and delicious.
This Buffalo Wing Sauce recipe can be made mild, medium or hot to suit your taste preference. It's the BEST Buffalo Sauce and made with only 4-ingredients and is SO good on breaded fried shrimp.
Many of these sauce recipes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or even in the freezer. Simply check the individual recipes for full storing instructions and details on how to make ahead.
Please leave a comment and rating below, if you loved this round up of calamari dipping sauces. Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
Wondering what the best sauces for calamari are, besides the classic cocktail sauce? I’ve got you covered with this handy guide of 15+ tasty calamari dipping sauces. Try this easy 30 Minute Marinara Sauce. It uses basic ingredients & only 1 pot.
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes (with their juices), basil sprig, oregano, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using).
Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and continue to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and using a sturdy spoon to crush the tomatoes as they cook.
Remove and discard the basil sprig. Season with additional salt and sugar, to taste. (If you prefer a smooth sauce, you can also purée it with an immersion blender, blender or food processor until it reaches your desired consistency.)
Notes
This sauce keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Freeze it for up to 3 months.Note: Amount of sugar needed will depend on the sweetness of your tomatoes, so be sure to season to taste.