6 Easy & Delicious Baby Squid Recipes You Must Try

Baby squid has natural sweetness and soft, tender meat, so it’s always a beloved choice for family meals. Good squid is available, but cooking something novel that doesn’t get boring while still keeping its natural sweetness might not be something everyone knows. If you’re running out of ideas, let’s go through some amazing baby squid variations with Ola Squid below!

What is baby squid? Nutritional benefits

Baby squid is small in size, has soft flesh, natural sweetness, and is usually prepared whole, helping preserve its distinctive flavor.

Distinguishing features of baby squid

Baby squid, also called milk squid, is a small type of squid, about 3–5 cm long. The body is short, soft, with a translucent or milky white color when fresh, and the skin may have brown or dark brown spots. Fresh squid has a certain elasticity, shiny skin, clear eyes, and no unusual fishy smell.

A fairly easy-to-recognize feature is that baby squid is prepared whole. Due to its small size, both the body and tentacles are soft, so when cooked, the squid has a light crunch, natural sweetness, and absorbs seasoning easily.

Distinguishing baby squid from other types of squid

Because of its small size, baby squid is sometimes confused with egg squid or other young squid varieties. You can tell them apart quickly based on the following characteristics:

• Squid: Long, tube-shaped body, usually much larger than baby squid. The flesh is thick, cut into rings or pieces before cooking.
• Cuttlefish: Round, wide, and thick body, with a hard cuttlebone inside. The flesh is thick, firm, and crunchier than baby squid.
• Egg squid: Shape fairly similar to baby squid, but the difference lies in the belly. Female egg squid during spawning season may carry many eggs inside, creating a distinctive rich, fatty texture when cooked.
• Baby squid: Small in size, soft body, prepared whole. The flesh has a light sweetness and is not too thick, suitable for many quick cooking methods.

Nutritional value of baby squid

Baby squid provides many valuable nutrients such as protein, vitamin B12, and many essential minerals.

• Protein: Squid provides high-quality protein, necessary for building and maintaining muscle, while also participating in many bodily functions.
• Vitamin B12: This micronutrient plays an important role in red blood cell formation and normal nervous system function. Seafood in general, including squid, is one of the natural food sources rich in vitamin B12.
• Selenium: Selenium is involved in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and contributes to maintaining immune system function.
• Zinc and copper: These two minerals participate in many metabolic processes in the body, and are also necessary for immune system activity and red blood cell formation.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Squid contains a certain amount of omega-3, including EPA and DHA. These are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are good for cardiovascular health and brain function.

How to choose fresh, quality baby squid

Ingredient quality determines up to 80% of a dish’s deliciousness. To choose fresh baby squid with the right flavor, you can refer to the tips shared by Ola Squid below:

• Color: Prioritize squid with a dark brown, glossy, healthy skin layer and a naturally milky white body, without much peeling or shedding skin.
• Elasticity: Gently press the squid’s body with your hand. If the squid is fresh, the flesh will be firm and quickly return to its original shape.
• Squid eyes: Observe the squid’s eyes to see if they’re clear, with the pupil clearly visible. Avoid buying squid with cloudy or watery eyes.
• Smell: Properly fresh squid only has the light, distinctive fishy smell of seafood, with no rotten or chemical cleaning agent smell at all.

See more: How to choose fresh squid that not everyone knows

What dishes can be made with baby squid?

If you’re wondering what dishes taste good with baby squid, here are 6 delicious, simple suggestions to make at home.

Baby squid fried with fish sauce

Baby squid fried with fish sauce is a combination of soft, sweet baby squid, a golden crispy outer layer, and rich garlic fish sauce. After frying, the squid is coated evenly with a thick sauce, fragrant with garlic, lightly spicy from chili, and has a harmonious salty-sweet flavor. This dish is suitable as a main dish for family meals or as a drinking snack.

Ingredients for baby squid fried with fish sauce:

To prepare baby squid fried with fish sauce for about 3–4 people, you need to prepare:

• 500g fresh baby squid.
• 2–3 tablespoons of good fish sauce, depending on the saltiness of the fish sauce used.
• 1–1.5 tablespoons of sugar to create sweetness and help the sauce thicken.
• 3–4 cloves of garlic, minced.
• 1–2 chilies, minced or sliced depending on taste.
• 2–3 tablespoons of tapioca starch to coat the squid.
• Chopped scallions.
• Cooking oil for frying the squid.
• Tools: Pan, basin.

Steps to make baby squid fried with fish sauce

To make the dish fragrant, not fishy, and keep the squid’s tender texture, you can follow these 5 steps:

• Step 1 – Prepare the baby squid: Boil 1 liter of water with 3 crushed shallots, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 30ml of vinegar. Add the squid and blanch for 30–45 seconds, then remove and soak immediately in ice water for 20–30 minutes before draining thoroughly.

• Step 2 – Prepare the ingredients: Mince 4 cloves of shallot, 3 cloves of garlic, slice 2 chilies, and chop 5g of scallions. If you don’t eat spicy food, you can use horn chili instead.

• Step 3 – Pre-fry the squid: Heat the oil, you can add a little salt to reduce oil splattering. Deep-fry the squid for about 5 minutes until lightly golden, then remove and drain.

• Step 4 – Make the fish sauce coating: Add 10ml of oil to the pan, add 5g of annatto oil and stir for about 30 seconds then remove. Sauté the garlic, shallot, scallion, and chili until fragrant. Add 30ml of fish sauce, 20ml of chili sauce, 10ml of oyster sauce, 10g of sugar, 10ml of seasoning powder, and 30ml of water, cook until the sauce thickens. Add the squid and stir for 5–7 minutes so the sauce coats evenly, then turn off the heat.

• Step 5 – Finish: Place the fried baby squid with fish sauce on a plate, garnish with cilantro, scallions, or a few chili slices. The dish tastes best served hot with white rice.

Crispy frying tip: Make sure to dry the squid thoroughly before frying and keep the heat high so the squid is crispy outside without being dry and tough inside.

See more: How to make rich squid fried with fish sauce that’s addictive

Baby squid steamed with scallion and ginger

Steaming is one of the suitable cooking methods to preserve the light sweetness, tender texture, and natural flavor of baby squid. With the right steaming time, the squid cooks through without becoming dry or tough, while still keeping its distinctive sweetness.

Ingredients for baby squid steamed with scallion and ginger

To prepare baby squid steamed with scallion and ginger for about 3–4 people, you need to prepare:

• 500g fresh baby squid
• Julienned fresh ginger
• Scallions cut into segments
• Horn chili and bird’s eye chili, sliced
• A little seasoning powder
• White wine and crushed ginger to remove the fishy smell.

Steps to make baby squid steamed with scallion and ginger

• Step 1: Prepare the squid: Clean the baby squid thoroughly, wash with water mixed with a little white wine and crushed ginger to remove the fishy smell, helping the squid smell more fragrant when steamed.

• Step 2: Marinate the squid: Place the squid in a bowl, add 1 spoon of seasoning powder, 1 spoon of fish sauce, and ½ spoon of MSG, mix well, then marinate for about 20 minutes. This time helps the squid absorb the seasoning, so it will be richer when steamed without needing much more seasoning afterward.

• Step 3: Prepare the other ingredients

• • Ginger: Peel, wash, and divide into 3 parts. Julienne two parts, keep the remaining part for making the dipping sauce.
  • Scallions: Remove damaged parts, wash, drain, then cut into segments about 5 cm long.
  • Horn chili: Remove the stem, wash. Split one part in half, remove the seeds, and julienne; keep the remaining part whole for making the dipping sauce.
  • Garlic: Peel, wash, and drain.
  • Lime: Squeeze out the juice, strain out the seeds.

• Step 4: Steam the squid with scallion and ginger: Once the squid has absorbed the seasoning, mix it evenly with the julienned ginger, chili, and chopped scallions. Place the mixture into a steamer and steam for about 10 minutes, until the squid is just cooked through, then turn off the heat.

• Step 5: Make the ginger-lime-garlic fish sauce: To make the dipping sauce, add the horn chili, the remaining ginger, garlic, and 2 spoons of sugar into a mortar and pound finely. Then, transfer the mixture to a bowl, add 5 spoons of fish sauce and 2 spoons of lime juice, stir well until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients blend together.

• Step 6: Result: The baby squid steamed with scallion and ginger meets the standard when the squid is just cooked through, the flesh is lightly firm but still tender, crunchy, and has a natural sweetness. The fragrance of ginger, scallion, and chili blends together, helping the steamed squid dish lose its fishy smell completely.

How to remove the fishy smell: Soak the squid in a little white wine and crushed ginger for about 5 minutes before cooking to completely remove the fishy smell.

Similar delicious dish: How to make fragrant, delicious ginger-steamed squid without a fishy smell

Baby squid braised sweet and salty

Baby squid braised sweet and salty is a rich, delicious dish with a moderately salty flavor blended with a gentle sweetness, great with hot rice. Baby squid has tender, naturally sweet flesh, and when braised with fish sauce and seasoning absorbed evenly, it creates an appealing dish, suitable for cool weather days.

Ingredients for baby squid braised sweet and salty

To prepare baby squid braised sweet and salty for about 3–4 people, you need to prepare:

• Baby squid: 500 gr
• Ginger: 1 small piece
• Shallots: 5 bulbs
• Scallions: a little
• Horn chili or bird’s eye chili: 1 piece
• Common seasonings: fish sauce/ caramel sauce/ chili sauce/ sugar/ MSG/ salt/ ground pepper.

Steps to make baby squid braised sweet and salty

• Step 1: Prepare the baby squid and seasoning: Wash 500g of baby squid thoroughly, drain. Prepare the ginger, shallots, scallions, and chili separately. Boil water with salt, ginger, and shallots, add the squid and blanch quickly for about 1 minute, then remove and soak immediately in ice water for 15–20 minutes. Afterward, drain the squid thoroughly so it doesn’t release too much water when braising.

• Step 2: Marinate the squid richly: Place the squid in a basin, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce or annatto oil, minced shallots, scallion tips, minced chili, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Mix well and marinate for about 5–10 minutes so the squid absorbs the seasoning.

• Step 3: Braise the squid sweet and salty: Sauté the remaining minced shallots, scallion tips, and chili with a little cooking oil until fragrant. Add the squid along with the marinade into the pan, lower the heat, and braise slowly. Add 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, stir gently so the seasoning coats evenly. Braise until the sauce thickens and coats the squid, then taste and adjust the seasoning one final time.

• Step 4: Finish and enjoy: Place the squid on a plate, sprinkle with scallions, julienned chili, and a little ground pepper. The braised baby squid has an attractive golden-brown color, firm and crunchy flesh, absorbing a salty-sweet flavor with a light spiciness. The dish tastes best served hot with white rice or paired with lettuce and cucumber.

Small tip: Blanching the squid before braising helps it keep its shape without releasing too much water that would dilute the sauce.

See more: How to make rich, delicious sweet and salty braised squid at home

Baby squid grilled with salt and chili

Baby squid grilled with salt and chili is appealing with its rich spicy, salty flavor outside, combined with soft, naturally sweet flesh inside, suitable for weekend gatherings where friends enjoy delicious food and conversation together.

Ingredients for baby squid grilled with salt and chili

To prepare baby squid grilled with salt and chili for about 3–4 people, you need to prepare:

• Reef squid: 600 gr (about 2 pieces)
• Lettuce: 100 gr
• Cucumber: 100 gr
• Fresh chili: 5 pieces
• White wine: 200 ml
• Coarse salt: 2 tablespoons.

Steps to make baby squid grilled with salt and chili

• Step 1 – Prepare the squid: After buying the baby squid, remove the cuttlebone, eyes, and teeth, wash thoroughly inside and out with vinegar and ginger to remove the fishy smell.

• Step 2 – Pound the salt and chili: Place the fresh chili and coarse salt into a mortar, pound finely into a salt and chili mixture. You can add a moderate amount of sugar to balance the saltiness, and adjust the amount of chili according to taste.

• Step 3 – Marinate the squid: Mix the squid evenly with the salt and chili mixture so the squid absorbs it evenly. Marinate for about 30 minutes before grilling.

• Step 4 – Grill the squid: You can grill the squid using charcoal, an air fryer, or an oven.

• Step 5 – Result: The salt and chili grilled baby squid has an attractive golden color, chewy crunchy flesh, naturally sweet, blended with a rich salty and spicy flavor. The dish is best served hot, dipped with green salt and chili, or as a snack on cold days.

Small tip: Brush a thin layer of cooking oil on the squid’s surface while grilling so it doesn’t dry out or burn.

Baby squid stir-fried with tomato

Baby squid stir-fried with tomato is an easy-to-make dish, combining the natural sweetness of baby squid with the gentle sourness and fragrance of tomato. The squid is stir-fried just until cooked, keeping it tender and juicy, while the tomato creates a lightly thickened, rich sauce. This dish can be served with hot rice, suitable for family meals.

Ingredients for baby squid stir-fried with tomato

To prepare baby squid stir-fried with tomato for about 3–4 people, you need to prepare:

• 500 gr baby squid
• 2-3 tomatoes
• Water celery, scallions, cilantro
• 2 spoons of cooking oil
• 3 spoons of fish sauce
• 1 spoon of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
• 2 shallot bulbs
• 1 garlic bulb
• 3-4 rakkyo bulbs.

Steps to make baby squid stir-fried with tomato

• Step 1: Prepare the ingredients: Clean the squid, remove the cuttlebone, wash. Wash the tomatoes, cut into wedges; trim the roots off the scallions and cilantro, wash, and chop finely.

• Step 2: Marinate the squid: Place the squid in a bowl, add minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and a few chili slices. Mix well, marinate for about 15 minutes.

• Step 3: Stir-fry the squid with tomato: Sauté the garlic with cooking oil until fragrant, add the tomato and stir-fry until just cooked. Continue adding the marinated squid, stir quickly over high heat until the squid firms up and is just cooked through, then turn off the heat.

• Step 4: Result: Place the tomato stir-fried squid on a plate, sprinkle scallions and cilantro on top. The dish has the white color of the squid, red of the tomato, a rich, delicious, and appealing flavor.

Baby squid stir-fried sweet and sour

Baby squid stir-fried sweet and sour is an appealing dish with a light sour, gentle sweet flavor blended with tender, lightly crunchy baby squid. The squid is cleaned thoroughly, stir-fried quickly over high heat to keep its freshness, then combined with a rich sweet and sour sauce. This dish can be served with hot rice, suitable for family meals.

Ingredients for baby squid stir-fried sweet and sour

To prepare baby squid stir-fried sweet and sour for about 3–4 people, you need to prepare:

• Squid: 200 gr
• Carrot: 1 root
• Onion: 1 bulb
• Bell pepper: 2 pieces
• Celery: 20 gr
• Ginger: 20 gr
• White wine: 1/2 cup
• Scallions: 10 gr
• Vinegar: 1/2 tablespoon
• Seasoning: salt/seasoning powder/sugar/MSG.

Steps to make baby squid stir-fried sweet and sour

• Step 1: Prepare the ingredients: Clean the fresh squid, remove the skin, ink sac, and internal organs, then cut into rings about 1.5 cm for small squid or bite-sized pieces for larger squid. Blanch the squid in a mixture of crushed ginger, 1/2 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of white wine for about 1 minute, then remove and rinse with cold water. Prepare the carrot, onion, bell pepper, celery, and scallions, cut into bite-sized pieces; mince the ginger.

• Step 2: Make the sweet and sour sauce: Add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1/3 teaspoon of seasoning salt, 1/2 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons of ketchup, and 3 tablespoons of water into a bowl. Stir well until the seasoning dissolves and forms a slightly thick mixture.

• Step 3: Stir-fry the squid: Sauté the garlic with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil until fragrant, add the squid and stir-fry until slightly firm. Continue adding the onion, bell pepper, carrot, and minced ginger, stir quickly for about 1 minute. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce, stir-fry until the squid is cooked, then add the celery and scallions, mix evenly, and turn off the heat.

• Step 4: Result: Place the sweet and sour stir-fried squid on a plate, garnish as desired. The squid is crunchy and chewy, absorbing a harmonious sweet and sour flavor, combined with crunchy vegetables. The dish is suitable served with hot rice or as a drinking snack.

Small tip: Always stir-fry the squid separately over high heat first so it doesn’t become chewy and doesn’t crush the vegetables.

See more: How to make crunchy, delicious sweet and sour stir-fried squid that’s addictive

Baby squid noodles

A hot bowl of baby squid noodles is a suitable choice for meals eaten alone but still wanting to be delicious and filling. Tender, sweet baby squid combined with chewy noodles and a rich broth create a simple, warming dish that doesn’t take much preparation time.

Ingredients for baby squid noodles

To prepare baby squid noodles for 1 person, you need to prepare:

• 200 baby squid
• 1 pack of instant noodles
• raw vegetables, seasoning.

Steps to make baby squid noodles

• Step 1: Add 200ml of water to a pot, boil until the water boils.
• Step 2: Add 200g of baby squid to the pot, cook for about 2 minutes until just cooked through.
• Step 3: Add the instant noodles, cook for about 3 minutes according to the package instructions, then turn off the heat.
• Step 4: Add scallions, cilantro, and seasoning to taste, mix well, then enjoy while the noodles are still hot.

See more: How to make crunchy, rich stir-fried dried squid noodles

Baby squid hot pot

Baby squid hot pot is an ideal choice for weekend gatherings, when the whole family gathers around a hot pot together. Baby squid is small in size, has tender flesh and natural sweetness, and when dipped just until cooked, still keeps its crunchy, juicy texture without becoming chewy. The hot pot broth can be combined with the sour and spicy flavor of chili paste, the light freshness of vegetables, or a rich Thai style to suit each family’s taste.

Ingredients for baby squid hot pot

To prepare baby squid hot pot for about 3–4 people, you need to prepare:

• Fresh squid: 500g baby squid
• Pork bones: 500g
• Tomato, onion, ginger, lemongrass, chili
• Straw mushrooms, water spinach, napa cabbage, sliced banana blossom
• Fresh rice noodles or egg noodles to serve
• Seasoning: salt, sugar, seasoning powder, fish sauce, chili paste.

Steps to make baby squid hot pot

• Step 1 – Simmer the broth: Wash the pork bones thoroughly, blanch, then simmer with roasted shallots and crushed ginger for about 1.5–2 hours so the broth becomes naturally sweet.

• Step 2 – Prepare the squid: Clean the baby squid thoroughly, remove the internal organs and ink sac, wash with salt water mixed with ginger to remove the fishy smell, then drain.

• Step 3 – Cook the hot pot broth: Sauté the garlic and onion until fragrant, stir-fry the tomato and minced lemongrass, then add the bone broth. Season with fish sauce, seasoning powder, and chili paste to taste.

• Step 4 – Arrange and enjoy: Pour the hot pot broth into a pot, serve with baby squid, vegetables, mushrooms, and rice noodles.

Small tip: Dip the squid just until cooked (about 1–2 minutes) to keep its crunchy sweetness, avoid dipping too long or the squid will shrink and become chewy.

See more: How to cook a fully flavored squid hot pot: fresh squid, naturally sweet broth

Notes when cooking baby squid

Whichever method you cook with, you should keep the following principles in mind so the dish stays deliciously fully flavored:

• Only blanch the squid briefly: If you need to blanch the squid, only blanch it in boiling water for 20–30 seconds then remove immediately, don’t boil or fully cook it during preparation.
• Don’t cook too long: Baby squid cooks very quickly. Cooking on the stove longer than needed will cause the squid’s flesh to lose water, becoming chewy and mealy.
• Properly prepare to remove the fishy smell: Use white wine, crushed ginger, or soak in diluted lime salt water to wash the squid before cooking.
• Marinate the seasoning appropriately: Marinate the squid for about 10–15 minutes before cooking so the seasoning absorbs evenly, helping the dish stay rich and fully flavored.

Hopefully, through this article, you’ve found the answer to the question what dishes taste good with baby squid and feel confident cooking to treat your family. Visit Ola Squid now to explore more recipes made from squid!