Stuffed Squid With Rice + Vegetables (2024)

4.34 from 3 votes

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: rice, seafood, stew, vegetables

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

• 600 grams Squid (1 large or 2 smaller ones)
• olive oil
• toothpicks

For The Stuffing:

• ½ medium-sized (80 grams) red onion minced
• ½ small (20 grams) green onion finely chopped
• ½ (30 grams) long sweet green pepper finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• ½ small (50 grams) zucchini grated not too fine
• ½ small (60 grams) carrot grated not too fine
• ½ small (30 grams) stick of celery finely chopped
• ⅓ cup (75 grams) round short-grain white rice
• ½ large (120 grams) tomato finely diced

For The Sauce:

• ½ medium-sized (80 grams) red onion minced
• 1 cup (250 grams) tomato passata
• 1 teaspoon sweet red pepper
• 1 dried bay leaf

• Clean and prepare the Squid. Separate the head from the body. Cut the head right at the base of the legs. Discard the head and keep only the legs. Finely chop the legs and place them in a bowl.

• Remove everything that's inside the body of the Squid and rinse well. Remove also the outer skin if there is any. Then place them in a strainer.

Make The Stuffing:

• In a non-stick frying pan heat a generous splash of olive oil over high heat.

• Add the chopped Squid legs to the pan and reduce heat to medium.

• Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add both types of onions, pepper, and garlic.

• Cook until slightly softened. Then add also the zucchini and carrot and cook until they soften also.

• Add the celery and rice. Then add the tomato and 1 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and simmer covered until rice absorbs all of the water.

• Take the pan off the heat and let the stuffing cool down a bit.

• Using a spoon, start stuffing the Squid leaving about 2 cm (1-inch) space at the top. Also, make sure the stuffing is just enough inside the squid. It shouldn't look like it's about to explode.

• When you are done, use one to two toothpicks to close each Squid at the top and secure the filling inside.

  NOTE: If there is leftover rice filling keep it to serve as a side to the squid.

Make The Sauce:

• In a medium-sized cooking pot heat a splash of olive oil over high heat.

• Add the red onion and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the onion softens a bit without letting it get any color.

• Add the Squid and cook for 2-3 minutes flipping it occasionally.

• Then add the passata along with 2 cups of water, sweet red pepper, and the bay leaf. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

• Put the lid on the pot and simmer covered over medium heat (medium-low on a gas stove) for about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Or until the sauce thickens nicely.

• Take the pot off the heat and let the Squid rest in the pot for at least 20 minutes. Then serve cutting it into slices. You may serve with some hot red pepper or red pepper flakes on top.