Greek Main Courses
Kalamari Gemisto Recipe (Greek Stuffed Whole Squid)
Καλαμάρι γεμιστό kah-lah-MAH-ree yeh-mee-STOH · Kalamari gemisto
Photo: Stuffed squid with tare sauce by Jonathan Baker-Bates, CC BY 2.0. Placeholder until original photography is shot.
In short
Kalamari gemisto is whole squid tubes stuffed with a filling of rice, herbs and the squid's own chopped tentacles, then braised gently in a light tomato and wine sauce until tender. It is a completely different preparation from fried calamari rings, turning the same creature into a substantial, savoury one-pot main course.
Kalamari gemisto asks something genuinely different of squid than the quick-fried rings most people know it as, using the whole cleaned tube as a vessel to stuff with rice, herbs and its own finely chopped tentacles, then braising the whole thing gently until it becomes a substantial, savoury main course rather than a crisp starter.
The stuffing needs to be measured with real restraint, since rice expands considerably as it cooks and a squid tube stuffed too tightly can split open during the braise, losing its filling into the sauce rather than staying neatly packed.
This is patient, one-pot cooking, the squid becoming genuinely tender as it simmers in a light tomato and wine sauce, taking on flavour from the sauce while the sauce, in turn, picks up the sweetness of the squid.
Key preparation steps
- Clean whole squid tubes, keeping them intact, and reserve the tentacles.
- Make a rice and herb stuffing with the chopped tentacles.
- Stuff the tubes loosely and secure the openings.
- Braise gently in a light tomato and wine sauce until tender.
Preparing the squid
Clean the squid tubes thoroughly, keeping them whole and intact for stuffing, and finely chop the tentacles to fold into the filling rather than discarding them, since they add real flavour and texture to the stuffing.
The stuffing
Cook rice partway with the chopped tentacles, onion, garlic and plenty of fresh herbs, parsley and dill work well, until the rice is just starting to soften but not fully cooked, since it will finish cooking inside the squid during the braise.
Stuffing and braising
Fill each squid tube loosely, no more than two-thirds full, to leave room for the rice to expand, and secure the opening with a toothpick. Brown the stuffed tubes briefly, then simmer gently in a light tomato and wine sauce for around thirty minutes, until the squid is tender and the rice fully cooked.
Tips from my kitchen
Do not overfill the tubes
Rice expands considerably as it finishes cooking inside the squid. Filling two-thirds full leaves room for this, avoiding splitting.
Use the tentacles in the stuffing
They add real flavour and texture rather than being wasted, and using the whole animal is genuinely traditional here.
Secure the opening well
A toothpick keeps the stuffing in place through the braise. Without it, the filling can escape into the sauce as the squid moves around while cooking.
Kalamari Gemisto Recipe (Greek Stuffed Whole Squid)
Καλαμάρι γεμιστό · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 40m
- Cook
- 40m
- Total
- 1h 20m
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the squid and stuffing
For the sauce
Method
- Heat half the olive oil and cook the onion for 6 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and chopped tentacles, and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the rice and 100ml water, and simmer for 8 minutes, until the rice is just starting to soften but not fully cooked. Stir in the parsley and dill. Season and cool slightly.
- Fill each squid tube two-thirds full with the stuffing and secure the opening with a toothpick.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a wide pan and brown the stuffed tubes briefly on each side.
- Add the tomatoes, wine and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 30 minutes, until the squid is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and toothpicks before serving.
Nutrition, per 2 stuffed squid
- Calories
- 312
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Sat fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Kalamari gemisto
How is kalamari gemisto different from fried calamari rings?
Fried calamari rings are a quick-cooked starter, sliced and battered. Kalamari gemisto uses the whole tube as a stuffed vessel, braised slowly into a substantial one-pot main course, a genuinely different dish and format.
Why not fill the squid tube all the way?
The rice inside continues to expand as it finishes cooking during the braise. A tube stuffed too full can split open, losing its filling into the sauce.
Can kalamari gemisto be made ahead?
Yes, it reheats gently well the next day, and the flavours if anything deepen slightly, similar to most braised dishes.
