Vegan Calamari
This Vegan Calamari is quick and easy, yet has a unique flavor. Using hearts of palm instead of fish – it’s a must try!
This plant-based calamari recipe is a great way to get your seafood fix without the fish. Growing up, I absolutely loved calamari. When I was younger and my family and I would go out to dinner, 4-year-old me would order calamari as my meal. The waiters would look at my parents like “for real?!”. Since I went vegan, the idea of fish has put me off, but I will always have a sweet spot for the taste and flavor of calamari, so I decided to recreate it to the best of my abilities, but using all plant-based ingredients!
Instead of real fish, this recipe uses hearts of palm. Hearts of palm is a white vegetable that comes from the core of certain kinds of palm trees. It’s similar to tofu in the way that it can take on whatever flavor it is given. So, in this case, that would be calamari. The shape of the hearts of palm is so convenient for this recipe, because when you cut it and push out the core, it’s the shape of a ring, just like calamari!
To make Vegan Calamari, slice the hearts of palm, coat in the flour mixture, and pan-fry in oil. Top with lemon juice and seasonings. That’s it! I like to garnish with fresh parsley and nori flakes which add a hint of sea flavor to the calamari.
This Vegan Calamari is fresh, delicious, and unaccompanied by the guilt of eating real fish! Not to mention, it’s quicker and easier to make than actual calamari. My dad, who is a huge calamari lover, says, and I quote, “this is better than the real thing”. So, with that, I suggest you make this recipe ASAP!
Leave a comment or tag me on Instagram to share your thoughts on this fresh and tasty Vegan Calamari! I’d love to hear your thoughts and see how you enjoy it. In my opinion, this Vegan Calamari pairs perfectly with my Summer Squash Pasta.
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Vegan Calamari
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz can hearts of palm
- ½ cup all purpose flour, or sub gf flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon
- oil, for frying
- fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
- nori flakes, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Drain most of the liquid from the can and remove the hearts of palm.
- Slice each cylinder of the hearts of palm so you have round "o" shaped pieces. For some of them, push out the center of the "o" so it's hollow in the middle, like calamari. You can save those pieces and batter/fry them as well.
- Dip each piece into the flour mixture and toss until completely coated.
- Add oil to a frying pan and heat over medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot, add the vegan calamari pieces to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until lightly brown on both sides.
- Transfer the cooked pieces to a paper-towel lined plate to drain the excess oil.
- Transfer the vegan calamari to a serving dish and squeeze lemon juice on top. Garnish with fresh parsley and nori flakes. Enjoy!
