Simple recipes · clear steps · everyday ingredients
Quick Med KitchenSaved
Home/Recipes/Klamari Mimli (Stuffed Calamari)

Maltese

Klamari Mimli (Stuffed Calamari)

Maltese stuffed calamari filled with breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, capers, olives, and tentacles, simmered in tomato sauce.

Maltese stuffed calamari filled with breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, capers, olives, and tentacles, simmered in tomato sauce.

Jump to recipe
Prep30 minsCook45 minsServes4DifficultyMedium
Watercolour illustration of stuffed calamari in tomato sauce with a sliced portion showing the filling.

Bright, satisfying and built for real life.

This recipe brings together the generous flavours of Maltese cooking in a format that works on a busy day. Read through the method before starting and adjust seasoning to your taste.

The recipe

Klamari Mimli (Stuffed Calamari)

30 min prep45 min cook75 min total4 people
Scale:

Ingredients

Ingredients

Method

  1. 1

    Prepare the filling: Chop the calamari tentacles finely. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and cook half the onion with one clove garlic. Add the tentacles and cook briefly. Mix with breadcrumbs, capers, olives, parsley, salt, and pepper.

  2. 2

    Stuff: Fill the calamari bodies loosely with the mixture and secure the openings with toothpicks.

  3. 3

    Start the sauce: Heat the remaining olive oil in a wide pan. Cook the remaining onion and garlic until soft. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes.

  4. 4

    Simmer: Add the chopped tomatoes, then nestle in the stuffed calamari. Cover and simmer gently for 35-40 minutes until tender.

  5. 5

    Serve: Remove toothpicks and serve with the tomato sauce.

Klamari Mimli are Maltese stuffed calamari, filled with breadcrumbs, garlic, herbs, capers, olives, and chopped tentacles, then gently cooked in tomato sauce. It is a generous seafood dish with a strong Mediterranean character.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve with crusty bread
  • Pair with spaghetti or rice
  • Add a green salad on the side
  • Spoon extra tomato sauce over each portion

Traditional Notes & Tips

  • Do not overfill the calamari, as they shrink during cooking
  • Gentle simmering keeps them tender
  • Toothpicks help hold the filling in place
  • Capers and olives add a Maltese savoury edge
  • Small to medium calamari are easier to stuff

Recipe adapted from Maltese Recipes.

Storage

No specific storage guidance is provided in the source recipe.

Freezing

Check the recipe notes for any dish-specific freezing guidance.

Reheating

Follow current food-safety guidance and reheat cooked food thoroughly where appropriate.

Keep cooking

You might also like