Calamari substitutes

Peel, pat very dry, dredge in the same seasoned flour or semolina, and fry at 375F for about 90 seconds until just pink and crisp.

Best for

fried calamari, fritto misto, salads, pasta, tacos

The same experience of a crisp shell around a snappy bite, and everyone at the table will be happy. The differences are that shrimp is sweeter and more distinctly flavored where squid is nearly neutral, and the bite is softer and yields rather than springs back. Serve with the same lemon and aioli and it hardly matters.

Slice the cleaned body into ¼-inch strips or rings, slightly thinner than you would cut squid because the flesh is thicker.

Best for

fried calamari, grilling, seafood salad, stews

Genuinely the same eating experience, and in much of the Mediterranean the two are used interchangeably. Cuttlefish flesh is thicker, whiter and a shade sweeter, so it feels meatier in the mouth. The same rule applies: under 2 minutes or over 30, because the middle range is rubber.

Buy octopus already simmered tender, slice the legs into ½-inch coins, dry them well, then dredge and fry, or char on the grill.

Best for

fried seafood platters, grilled seafood, seafood salad, Spanish tapas

Fries beautifully and holds its shape, with a meatier, denser chew and a more mineral, faintly sweet flavor than squid. The catch is that raw octopus must be tenderized by long simmering first, so this is only a quick swap if you buy it pre-cooked. Vacuum-packed cooked octopus legs are widely sold and make it easy.

Tear oyster mushrooms into bite-sized pieces, or cut king oyster stems crosswise into ½-inch rings and push out the center with a small cutter. Dredge and fry the same way.

Best for

vegan calamari, shellfish allergy versions, appetizers, fritto misto

The best-known vegan version, and the chew is close enough that it surprises people. King oyster rings even look right on the plate. What is entirely absent is any sea flavor, so add half a teaspoon of crumbled toasted nori or kelp powder to the dredge, and salt generously. Squeeze the mushrooms dry first, since wet mushrooms steam instead of crisping.

Slice into ½-inch coins, push out the soft core to make rings, rinse thoroughly, then dry hard between towels before dredging.

Best for

vegan calamari, party appetizers, presentation-led dishes

The best visual match for rings that exists, which is why it has become the standard vegan trick. The bite is tender and slightly snappy rather than springy, so it eats gentler than squid. They come out of the jar acidic and wet, so rinse and dry them properly or the coating will slide off in the oil.

Cut cod, monkfish or haddock into finger-width strips, dredge, and fry at 375F for 2 to 3 minutes.

Best for

fritto misto, fried seafood platters, fish and chips style dishes

Delicious and easy, but be clear about what happens: fish flakes rather than springs, so the dish becomes crisp fried fish rather than calamari. Monkfish is the exception worth seeking out, since it is dense and firm enough to give you some of the resistance squid provides.