Chilli, Tomato & Squid Linguine
If you’re craving something special for dinner but still want it to be easy enough for a weeknight, this Chilli, Tomato & Squid Linguine is the answer. Tender, slow-cooked squid melts in a rich tomato and red wine sauce, with just the right kick from fresh chilli. Tossed with al dente linguine, a sprinkle of parsley, and a hint of lemon zest, it’s a dish that feels fancy without the fuss
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1-2 long red chillies, finely chopped (See Note 2)
- 700g squid tubes, scored and cut into 4-5cm pieces (See Note 4)
- ⅔ cup red wine
- 2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes (I used Mutti brand)
- 400g dried linguine
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ fresh lemon, zested
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based frying pan or Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, or until lightly golden in colour. Stir in the garlic and chilli and cook, stirring for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the squid pieces to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the squid has tightened up and turned opaque.
- Add the red wine and allow it to bubble up for 2 mins then add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water. Using the back of your spoon, gently squish the tomatoes to burst them, whilst stirring. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until squid is very tender, adding a little extra water if necessary if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Meanwhile, cook the linguine in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet directions or till al dente. Drain the pasta over a colander, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Add the linguine, parsley, lemon zest and the some of the reserved pasta water (if required to loosen it up) to the squid sauce and toss to combine. Divide amongst serving bowls. Garnish with extra parsley, lemon zest and cracked black pepper. Serve with a rocket and parmesan salad and fresh crunchy bread if desired.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml and 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - CHILLI
I used the long red chillies. Sometimes they are not very spicy, if at all but sometimes they are very spicy. I always try a little when I first cut them to test. If the ones you have purchased are NOT spicy, add 1/2-1 teaspoon dried red chilli flakes to the sauce to boost the spiciness. Or you could use 1-2 small birds eye chillies instead if you like it super hot! - WINE
You could replace the red wine for white wine or use chicken stock if you want or need it to be alcohol free. If using wine, use a good bold wine like Cab Sav or Merlot. - SQUID
You can use frozen or fresh with fresh being the best option. Unfortunately were I live this is hard to come by so I had to use frozen and thawed squid in this recipe. When defrosting, they will leak quite a lot of juices. Drain well and pat the squid dry inside and out with paper towel before scoring.
You can score the squid and cut into bite size pieces (as I have) or cut into "calamari rings" if you prefer. See the video I have linked above to see how to score squid tubes. - PASTA
Swap the linguine for fettuccini, spaghetti or any other pasta you like.