Korean Calamari Recipe; Spicy, Savoury, and Ready in Minutes

^{Published on October 29th, 2025}

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Easy

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If you love bold flavours and quick weeknight dinners, this Korean Calamari recipe is about to become one of your favourites. Tender squid rings are tossed in a fiery gochujang sauce, stir-fried with crisp baby corn and spring onions, and served over fluffy sushi rice for a dish that feels like a restaurant treat—ready in minutes at home.

What makes this recipe so good? It’s the balance. Gochujang brings heat and deep umami richness. Soy sauce and a touch of sugar deliver that salty-sweet harmony Korean cooking is famous for. And the sesame oil? That gorgeous nutty aroma that pulls everything together. It’s satisfying, punchy, and surprisingly easy.

Whether you’re exploring Korean flavours for the first time or already stocking your pantry with gochujang, this dish is a fun one to master. Perfect for a cosy night in or a flavour-packed lunch.

Why This Korean Calamari Recipe Works

• Quick to cook: Squid only needs 1–2 minutes, so dinner is ready fast.
• High-flavour ingredients: Gochujang + soy sauce + sesame oil = bold flavour.
• Versatile: Serve as a rice bowl or a standalone stir-fried dish.
• Beginner-friendly: Simple prep, no complicated techniques.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

150g sushi rice
150–175g squid (about 6 baby squid)
2 x 15ml tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 x 15ml tablespoons Korean gochujang paste
2 x 15ml tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
3–4 dashes sesame oil
2 teaspoons groundnut oil or another neutral oil
75g baby sweetcorn, chopped into 1cm (½-inch) chunks
6 thin spring onions or 3 fat ones, sliced

Instructions:

Rinse the sushi rice if needed and cook according to the packet instructions or in your rice cooker. Keep warm.
Gently squeeze any tentacles from the squid bodies. Slice the bodies into rings and place everything into a bowl with the rice wine. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes. Strain, keeping the marinade aside.
To the reserved marinade, add gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, and a few dashes of sesame oil. Stir until smooth.
Heat a wok or a large frying pan over high heat. When hot, drizzle in the groundnut oil. Add the chopped baby corn and spring onions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until they start to soften.
Add the drained squid to the pan and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. The squid should turn opaque—don’t overcook or it may become rubbery.
Pour in the spicy sauce and toss everything together for about 30 seconds until piping hot and glossy.
Spoon the rice into two bowls and divide the calamari stir-fry on top. Garnish with extra spring onions if you like.

Tips & Variations

• Make it mild: Swap some gochujang for ketchup to reduce heat.

• Add more veg: Bell peppers, mushrooms, or mangetout work beautifully.

• Grill option: Grill the squid separately and stir-fry the veg.

• Serve with noodles: Swap rice for udon or rice noodles.