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A few years ago when I was in Greece I had the most amazing calamari cooked in rich red sauce. Here's my version of it and it's pretty close to the one I remember. If you like Greek food, you simply need to add this delicious seafood stew to your must-try list!
Calamari rings are cooked in rich tomato sauce which is also known as Kokkinisto. The combination of herbs, onions, garlic, wine and olives add a fantastic depth to this sauce. If you don't want to use wine, simply replace it with 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and add a dash of water. Eggplant (aubergine) is used as a side and is cooked in the same pan for minimum clean up!
We're using squid sliced into calamari rings. If you use frozen calamari (avoid battered types), make sure to weigh the calamari after they are defrosted to get the same amount needed in this recipe.
Recipe Tips
This recipe is nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free and pescatarian.
You can add more eggplant if you prefer more veggies, or add more calamari for extra protein. Just remember that both of these will add extra carbs in case you keep your carb intake very low (even squid is not zero-carb).
If you're not a fan of seafood, this recipe will work well with chicken (same instructions), beef and lamb (will need longer cooking or slow cooking), all of which are commonly found in Greek Kokkinisto recipes.
We all have different dietary needs so it's only natural that you may need to adjust the macros in this recipe. You can make any adjustments directly in the KetoDiet App by cloning any of the recipes from my blog and customizing them to fit your macros and preferences.
More Mediterranean Keto Recipes
This is a great example of a recipe that follows the Mediterranean Keto approach which emphasizes the importance of healthy fats, sufficient protein and nutrient density. For even more delicious Mediterranean recipes, make sure to check out my latest keto cookbook, The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook which I wrote together with my friends and co-authors, Dr. Nicholas Norwitz, fitness expert Thomas Delauer and Rohan Kashid.
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Hands-on Overall
Nutritional values (per serving)
Net carbs10.6 grams
Protein25.7 grams
Fat27 grams
Calories429 kcal
Calories from carbs 11%, protein 26%, fat 63%
Total carbs15.8 gramsFiber5.2 gramsSugars5.9 gramsSaturated fat4.4 gramsSodium556 mg(24% RDA)Magnesium75 mg(19% RDA)Potassium775 mg(39% EMR)
Ingredients (makes 4 servings)
- 8 squids, sliced or defrosted calamari rings (600 g/ 1.3 lb)
- 1 small onion, chopped (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (80 ml/ 2.7 fl oz)
- 1 can chopped tomatoes (400 g/ 14.2 oz)
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (120 ml/ 4 fl oz)
- 1 medium eggplant (250 g/ 8.8 oz)
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Start by slicing the squid into 1 to 1 1/2 cm (about 1/2 inch) slices. You can use fresh squid or pre-cut frozen calamari rings. (Make sure you weigh the calamari after they are defrosted to get the same amount needed in this recipe.)
- Chop the onion and finely mince the garlic. Cut the eggplant (aubergine) into about 1 1/2 cm (about 1/2 inch) cubes.
- Grease a large pan with about half of the olive oil and add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until lightly browned and fragrant for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves and white wine (If you don't want to use wine, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a dash of water.)
- Add the diced eggplant and olives. Stir to combine.
- Add the sliced squid. Season with salt and pepper and stir through. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley or basil. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Season more to taste if needed and serve warm. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Ingredients
- 8 squids, sliced or defrosted calamari rings (600 g/ 1.3 lb)
- 1 small onion, chopped (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (80 ml/ 2.7 fl oz)
- 1 can chopped tomatoes (400 g/ 14.2 oz)
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (120 ml/ 4 fl oz)
- 1 medium eggplant (250 g/ 8.8 oz)
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Start by slicing the squid into 1 to 1 1/2 cm (about 1/2 inch) slices. You can use fresh squid or pre-cut frozen calamari rings. (Make sure you weigh the calamari after they are defrosted to get the same amount needed in this recipe.)
- Chop the onion and finely mince the garlic. Cut the eggplant (aubergine) into about 1 1/2 cm (about 1/2 inch) cubes.
- Grease a large pan with about half of the olive oil and add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until lightly browned and fragrant for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves and white wine (If you don't want to use wine, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a dash of water.)
- Add the diced eggplant and olives. Stir to combine.
- Add the sliced squid. Season with salt and pepper and stir through. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley or basil. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Season more to taste if needed and serve warm. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories429kcal
Net Carbs10.6g
Carbohydrates15.8g
Protein25.7g
Fat27g
Saturated Fat4.4g
Fiber5.2g
Sugar5.9g
Sodium556mg
Magnesium75mg
Potassium775mg
Detailed nutritional breakdown (per serving)
| Total per serving |
| 10.6 g | 25.7 g | 27 g | 429 kcal |
| Squid, calamari (seafood), raw |
| 4.6 g | 23.4 g | 2.1 g | 138 kcal |
| Onion, red, fresh |
| 1 g | 0.2 g | 0 g | 6 kcal |
| Garlic, fresh |
| 0.7 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 3 kcal |
| Olive oil, extra virgin |
| 0 g | 0 g | 18 g | 159 kcal |
| Tomatoes, canned (unsweetened) |
| 1.6 g | 0.8 g | 0.3 g | 16 kcal |
| Oregano, dried |
| 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
| Bay leaf, dried or fresh |
| 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
| Wine, white, dry |
| 0.6 g | 0 g | 0 g | 24 kcal |
| Eggplant (aubergine), fresh |
| 1.8 g | 0.6 g | 0.1 g | 16 kcal |
| Kalamata olives |
| 0 g | 0.5 g | 6.5 g | 64 kcal |
| Salt, sea salt |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Pepper, black, spices |
| 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Parsley, fresh (spices) |
| 0.1 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
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