Squid is a familiar and beloved seafood in family meals thanks to its delicious flavor and high nutritional value. Among many preparation methods, steamed squid is the top choice for food lovers because this method perfectly preserves the crunchy texture and the rich sweetness inherent to the sea.

So how do you know how to steam squid so it is crispy, delicious, and fragrant, without being fishy, shrunken, or chewy? In this article, the team of experts from Ola Squid will reveal to you the secrets of choosing fresh ingredients along with 5 simple ways to steam delicious squid right at home!

Summary of content

How to choose fresh, delicious squid before steaming

To have a plate of steamed squid of restaurant quality, the freshness of the ingredients decides 50% of the outcome. No matter how standard your squid steaming method is, if the squid is not fresh, the final product will be less sweet and easily become mushy. Here are some tips for choosing fresh, delicious squid that you should save:

Firm body, good elasticity: When buying squid, use your finger to gently press the squid meat. Fresh squid will have high elasticity, with the meat returning to its original state without being dented or mushy. The squid skin is shiny, with a characteristic slightly pinkish-white color.
Clear bright eyes, tentacles firmly attached to the body: Fresh squid eyes are clear, with the pupils clearly visible inside, not cloudy or watery. The tentacles and suckers must adhere tightly to the head, not slimy or loosely attached. The ink sac inside must be intact, not broken.
Characteristic aroma: Newly caught squid will emit a natural light ocean scent. If the squid has a strong fishy, foul odor, a chemical smell, or any strange smell, you should not buy it.

Fresh squid eyes are clear, with the pupils clearly visible inside, not cloudy or watery

5 delicious ways to steam squid at home

After choosing fresh, succulent squids, let’s join Ola Squid to start making 5 standard delicious ways to steam squid, changing the taste for a richer family meal.

How to steam squid with beer

Beer helps eliminate the fishy smell and enhances the sweet taste of squid, creating a rich, crispy beer-steamed squid dish.

Ingredients (for 3-4 people):

Fresh squid tubes: 500g
Fresh beer: 300ml
Ginger: 2 pieces
Lemongrass: 5 stalks
Seasoning powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Ground black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon

Steps to execute:

Step 1: Ingredient preparation: Clean the squid tubes with diluted salt water, remove the ink sac, squid bone, and beak, then drain. Crush the ginger and slice into strips. Wash the lemongrass, cut into sections, and crush.

Preparing ingredients for beer-steamed squid

Step 2: Marinate the squid: Place the squid in a large bowl, marinate with seasoning powder, ground pepper, some julienned ginger, and crushed lemongrass. Mix gently and leave for about 10–15 minutes to let the squid absorb the spices.

Marinate squid for 15 minutes to absorb spices

Step 3: Steam squid with beer: Pour 300ml of beer into the bottom of the steamer. Place the steaming rack on top, spread a layer of lemongrass and ginger at the bottom of the rack, then arrange the squid on top. Cover, bring to a high heat until the beer boils vigorously, then steam for another 4–5 minutes until the squid is just cooked through, then turn off the heat.

The finished dish is crispy and sweet beer-steamed squid

How to steam squid with ginger, lemongrass, and green onions

Steamed squid with ginger, lemongrass and green onions is a traditional steaming method that never goes out of style. The warm, robust aroma of ginger and lemongrass blends with the natural sweetness of squid to deliver an incredibly appealing dish.

Ingredients (for 3 – 4 people):

Fresh squid tubes or broad squid: 500g
Fresh ginger: 2 pieces
Lemongrass: 3 stalks
Green onions: 4–5 sprigs
Sea salt: a pinch
Seasoning: fish sauce, seasoning powder, ground pepper

Steps to execute:

Step 1: Ingredient preparation: Clean the squid, rub gently with sea salt to remove the slime, then rinse with clean water, cut into bite-sized rings, or score crosswise. Shred the ginger, thinly slice the lemongrass. Wash green onions and cut into 3-4cm pieces.

Preparing squid and accompanying ingredients

Step 2: Arrange ingredients: Place a layer of crushed lemongrass and shredded ginger at the bottom of a deep dish or steaming rack to release aroma from below.

Step 3: Arrange squid and garnish: Place squid that has been lightly marinated with a bit of seasoning powder on top of the lemongrass and ginger layer, then scatter green onions on top to cover the squid.

Place squid on the ginger and lemongrass layer

Step 4: Steam squid: Place the squid plate in a steamer with pre-boiled water. Steam on high heat for about 5-7 minutes until the squid meat turns opaque white and firms up, then it is complete.

After 5 - 7 minutes, you have a delicious and flavorful steamed squid with ginger and lemongrass — After 5 – 7 minutes, you have a delicious and flavorful steamed squid with ginger and lemongrass

How to steam squid with coconut water

If you want to enjoy a rich, uniquely sweet, and pleasant flavor, then steaming crispy delicious squid combined with fresh coconut water is an option you cannot miss.

Ingredients (for 4-5 people)

Fresh squid: 1kg
Fresh coconut water: 1 coconut
Minced ginger: 50g
Lemongrass: 5 stalks
Fried shallots: 10g
Seasonings: sugar, ground pepper, salt, white wine, cooking oil

Steps to execute

Step 1: Ingredient preparation: Rinse squid with a little white wine and ginger to eliminate fishy odors, then wash with clean water and drain. Crush the lemongrass and cut into sections.

Preparing ingredients for coconut-water-steamed squid

Step 2: Marinate squid: Marinate squid with minced ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of ground pepper, and salt for 10 minutes.

Marinate squid with prepared seasonings for 10 minutes

Step 3: Steam with coconut water: Pour fresh coconut water into the bottom pot. Place the steaming rack on top, arrange the crushed lemongrass and squid on the rack. Steam on high heat for 7-8 minutes. When the squid is cooked, place it on a plate and sprinkle fragrant fried shallots on top to enhance its appeal.

The finished product is rich, sweet, and unique coconut-water-steamed squid

How to steam squid with wild betel leaves

Wild betel leaves are not only suitable for grilled or stir-fried dishes, but when used to steam squid, they also bring a uniquely rich, warm aroma that warms the stomach.

Ingredients (for 3-4 people):

Squid tubes: 400g
Young wild betel leaves: 15 leaves
Seasoning powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Chili powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Ground pepper: a pinch

Steps to execute

Step 1: Ingredient preparation: Clean the squid, leave whole or cut into large pieces. Wash wild betel leaves and divide into 2 parts: keep one part whole, and finely slice the other.

Preparing ingredients for steamed squid with wild betel leaves

Step 2: Prepare the steamer: Place a layer of whole wild betel leaves at the bottom of the steaming rack. Meanwhile, drop some sliced wild betel leaves into the water pot below so the steam carries a gentle fragrance.

Place a layer of whole wild betel leaves at the bottom of the steaming rack

Step 3: Arrange squid: Marinate squid with seasoning powder, chili powder, ground pepper, and the remaining sliced wild betel leaves, then arrange evenly on top of the betel leaves in the rack.

Marinate squid with seasonings before steaming with wild betel leaves

Step 4: Steam squid: Cover tightly and steam on high heat for 4-5 minutes. The freshly cooked, sweet, and crispy squid blended with the fragrant wild betel leaves will keep you eating non-stop.

Freshly cooked, sweet, and crispy squid blended with fragrant wild betel leaves

See details: How to make super delicious steamed squid with wild betel leaves, authentic home taste

How to steam squid with scallion oil

Steamed squid with scallion oil is a combination of the crunchy sweet texture of fresh squid and the rich, fragrant taste of savory scallion oil.

Ingredients (for 4 people):

Fresh squid tubes: 500g
Green onions: 5-6 sprigs
Shallots: 2 bulbs
Scallion oil (using lard or cooking oil): 3 tablespoons
Ginger: 1 small root
Seasonings: Fish sauce, salt, ground pepper.

Steps to execute

Step 1: Ingredient preparation: Clean the squid and lightly score its body. Wash and finely slice the green onions. Finely mince the shallots. Shred the ginger.

Preparing ingredients for steamed squid with scallion oil

Step 2: Make scallion oil: Heat 3 tablespoons of lard (or cooking oil), fry the minced shallots until fragrant, then pour directly into the bowl of chopped green onions, season with a pinch of salt and fish sauce, and mix well.

Step 3: Steam squid: Place shredded ginger at the bottom of a plate, place squid on top, and steam over high heat for about 5 minutes until just cooked.

Steam squid for 5 minutes over high heat

Step 4: Pour scallion oil: Remove the squid plate from the pot, immediately drizzle the fragrant scallion oil all over the squid. The heat from the squid will make the scallion oil release an extremely appealing rich aroma.

Drizzle fragrant scallion oil all over the squid

The finished product is rich, fragrant steamed squid with scallion oil

>>> See details: Simple yet irresistibly delicious way to prepare steamed squid with onions

Notes to keep steamed squid crispy and sweet, not chewy or shrunken

Although the preparation steps are very simple, many people still experience squid shrinking, releasing too much water, or becoming very chewy. To ensure a perfect steamed squid plate, refer to these tips from Ola Squid below:

Ideal squid steaming time

Many people wonder how many minutes to steam squid until cooked? Squid is a seafood that cooks very quickly; if steamed for too long, the meat will lose water, shrink, and become chewy. Steaming time depends on the squid size:

Small squid (baby squid): Steam for about 3 minutes.
Medium squid (medium squid tubes): Steam for 4–5 minutes.
Large squid (broad squid, thick-bodied cuttlefish): Steam for 7–10 minutes.

See more: How long to boil squid so it doesn’t get chewy?

Do not steam squid for too long as it will cause it to lose water, shrink, and get chewy

Suitable temperature

Boil water thoroughly: Always bring the water in the pot to a rolling boil before putting the squid steaming rack in.
Maintain high heat throughout: Keep the temperature high during the entire steaming process so that the steam rises strongly, helping the squid cook quickly and retain its full sweetness.
Limit opening the lid: Avoid opening the pot lid repeatedly to prevent heat loss, which causes uneven cooking.

Signs of perfectly cooked squid

Perfectly cooked squid has a plump body, curls up slightly, and turns opaque white or naturally pinkish. When eaten, the squid meat is crunchy, firm, elastic, and naturally sweet. Here are some signs of perfectly cooked squid:

Squid cooked just right will turn from translucent white to an even off-white.
The body of the squid is slightly plump and naturally curved.
Pressing with chopsticks or a finger shows firm, slightly elastic meat, neither mushy nor too hard.

See more recipes for crispy, fresh steamed squid:

What is delicious to dip steamed squid in?

A delicious plate of steamed squid cannot be complete without a perfect dipping sauce to elevate the dish. Depending on your family’s taste, you can customize with the following dipping sauces:

Lemon pepper salt: The classic combination of salt, fragrant ground pepper, and the sour taste of fresh lime helps fully preserve the natural sweetness of squid.
Ginger fish sauce: Rich fish sauce mixed with a bit of sugar, spicy chili, and crushed ginger not only enhances the flavor but also warms the stomach when enjoying seafood.
Green chili salt / Chili sauce: Nha Trang creamy, sour, and spicy green chili salt or hot chili sauce is the perfect choice for those who love an explosive spicy kick.

SEE NOW: Top 6 irresistibly delicious steamed squid dipping sauce recipes

Dipping sauce is the soul of steamed squid

We hope through these detailed shares from Ola Squid, you have mastered the secrets of how to steam delicious squid that is crispy, sweet, and rich, and are ready to enter the kitchen and show off your cooking skills for the whole family. Do not forget to visit the website olasquid.com to update more attractive seafood recipes.

If you love squid and want to discover more high-quality dried squid and seasoned shredded squid products, visit Ola Squid to view the complete product catalog. OlaSquid dried squid is cleanly processed, properly sun-dried, and is perfect both as a cooking ingredient or a snack.

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How to choose fresh, delicious squid before steaming