NEAPOLITAN STUFFED CALAMARI (CALAMARI ‘MBUTTUNATI’)

The Gulf of Naples in Every Bite – Rustic, Hearty, and homemade

Few dishes capture the spirit of southern Italian home cooking like Calamari ‘Mbuttunati’, or stuffed calamari, a classic from Naples and its coastal villages. The name "mbuttunati" comes from the Neapolitan dialect and means "buttoned up" or "stuffed", and that’s exactly what you get: tender squid filled with savory goodness, slow-cooked in a flavorful fresh tomato-based sauce.

Perfect for summer dinners, this hearty yet balanced dish brings together the flavors of the Amalfi Coast in one rustic bowl. It’s often served warm with crusty bread to mop up the sauce, or even cold the next day, as it becomes even more aromatic once rested. Neapolitan families love preparing it for Sunday lunches or festive gatherings, when slow cooking and conviviality go hand in hand.

Because it is naturally low in salt and high in taste, it's ideal for those seeking healthier alternatives without compromising flavor. The combination of land and sea, simplicity and richness, makes it one of those dishes where every bite feels like a dive into the Mediterranean sea.

Squid (calamari) is a great source of lean protein, vitamin B12, and essential minerals. When not deep-fried — as in this traditional version — it becomes a light and digestible seafood option. The recipe also allows for a controlled use of salt, with natural flavor coming from the tomatoes, herbs, and aromatic ingredients.

Thanks to the slow-cooking method, this dish is also gentle on the stomach and full of depth. Paired with seasonal vegetables, it can make for a nutritionally balanced and satisfying meal that fits into a Mediterranean diet.

If you are a seafood lover try also our Linguine, Mussels and Pecorino Pasta, and Spaghetti with Clams! [hyperlink]

The ingredients

• 400g | 14.1oz squids [small size]

• 240g | 8.4oz [yellow and red] cherry tomatoes + 60g | 2.2oz for stuffing

• 100g | 3.5oz white bread

• 110ml | 3.9fl oz white wine

• 10g | 0.4oz capers

• 20g | 0.7oz pitted black olives

• 1 garlic clove + 1 for the stuffing

• 1 fresh chili pepper

• 15g | 0.6oz fresh parsley

• Extra virgin olive oil

A little history

Stuffed calamari has ancient roots in Campania’s seafaring culture, where fishermen and families made use of every catch and every leftover ingredient. The version known as “mbuttunati” is deeply embedded in Naples’ culinary tradition, where the squid is filled with a mix of cooked tentacles, stale bread, and regional flavors, and simmered gently in tomato sauce.

Historically, this was a cucina povera dish: a way to stretch humble ingredients into something hearty and special. Over time, it became a cherished part of the summer table, often enjoyed during the Ferragosto holiday or for seaside family gatherings.

Its staying power lies in its balance of flavor, frugality, and festivity.

The recipe step by step

1. Clean and trim the squid, separating mantles from fins and tentacles, then chop finely 200g | 7oz of the smallest mantles, the least intact tentacles and the fins

2. quarter 240g | 8.4oz of cherry tomatoes, use red and yellow if you can find them, and set aside

3. Chop the bread roughly, quarter and deseed 60g | 2.2oz of mixed cherry tomatoes and chop finely

4. Add a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil to a pan and sizzle for a minute or two the fresh chili pepper together with 1 garlic clove, without its peel and core

5. Add the ‘minced’ calamari and sizzle for 3-4 minutes on a lively heat, stirring consistently

6. Add 40ml | 1.41fl oz of white wine and let it gently evaporate, before adding the ‘minced’ cherry tomatoes with capers and black olives

7. Stir all well together with 10g | 0.4oz freshly chopped parsley, before adding another 40ml | 1.41fl oz of white wine and let it gently evaporate once more

8. Add the bread to the pan and break it into crumbs with a wooden spoon, while stirring it into the cooking juices

9. When the bread has soaked up all the liquid and has crisped up a little, pass the mix into a blender, and blitz until it becomes homogeneous

10. Then fill a piping bag with it and stuff the squid mantles you kept aside

11. TIP: for an easier stuffing process, first pierce gently a few holes in each mantle with a cocktail stick, it will allow the air to escape and avoid air pockets. This will also avoid unwanted ‘explosions’ while cooking the squids later!

12. Pop a bunch of tentacles back onto each mantle and seal with two cocktail sticks

13. In the same pan add another generous glug of extra virgin olive oil and a garlic clove without peel or core, and bring to sizzle

14. Add the stuffed squid in and sizzle for 2 minutes on each side

15. Add 30ml | 1.06fl oz of white wine and let it evaporate, while stirring the squid to soak it in

16. Then add the quartered cherry tomatoes you set aside at the beginning together with 5g | 0.2oz of freshly chopped parsley and give it a good stir

17. Pop the lid on and cook on low heat for 25 minutes

18. Remove all cocktail stick before serving…then enjoy! 😋