“The sea is a garden.”
— Ángel León
There are foods that have always been part of our cooking and that, precisely because they are so familiar, we may not stop to think much about them.
Cuttlefish and squid are two good examples.
We find them in rice dishes, stews, grilled dishes, fried preparations or simply served with vegetables. They are very much part of Mediterranean cooking and, as well as being versatile, they have some interesting nutritional qualities worth knowing about.
What makes cephalopods special?
Cuttlefish and squid belong to a group of marine molluscs known as cephalopods, along with octopus.
From a nutritional point of view, they have something particularly interesting in common: they provide a good amount of protein while being naturally low in fat.
As a general reference, nutritional data for different species place the protein content of squid and cuttlefish at around 16 grams per 100 grams, while their fat content is relatively low. They also provide minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc, although the amounts can vary depending on the species and how they are prepared.
Squid is also a useful source of vitamin B12, while cuttlefish can provide interesting amounts of iron and other micronutrients. We do not need to think of them as “superfoods”; they are simply nutritious foods that can form part of a varied diet.
And there is another characteristic worth noting: they are quite lean foods.
There is also a food-safety point that may be reassuring. The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) lists both squid and cuttlefish among the species with low mercury levels.
Why can they sometimes feel like they do not fill you up very much?
Here it is worth making a small distinction.
Protein contributes to feelings of fullness, so it would not be accurate to say that cuttlefish or squid are not filling.
What can happen is that a meal made almost entirely from cephalopods may be relatively low in energy and incomplete from a nutritional point of view.
They contain plenty of water, a good amount of protein and little fat, but practically no fibre and very little carbohydrate. As a result, some people may feel hungry again sooner after eating a plate of squid or cuttlefish without any other accompaniment.
This is not a problem with the food.
It simply reminds us that a nutritious ingredient does not necessarily have to make up an entire meal on its own.
Can they be a complete meal?
Yes, depending on how we build the plate.
Cuttlefish or squid can absolutely be the main source of protein in a meal, but we can combine them with other foods to create a more balanced dish.
For example:
- Potatoes, particularly in stews and traditional dishes.
- Rice, which pairs beautifully with cephalopods.
- Vegetables, which provide fibre and a wider variety of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds.
- Extra virgin olive oil, which provides fat and flavour and is a natural part of Mediterranean cooking.
In fact, our cuttlefish stew this week is a good example: the cuttlefish is combined with potatoes, onion and extra virgin olive oil to create a much more complete meal than if we were simply eating the cuttlefish on its own.
There is no need to find the perfect combination in every single meal. Variety over the course of the day and week is what really matters.
The great mystery: why does cuttlefish become tough?
Most of us have probably experienced this at some point.
We prepare squid or cuttlefish with the best intentions and, when we take the first bite, it has that tough, rubbery texture that nobody was hoping for.
Part of the explanation lies in the structure of their muscles.
Cephalopods have a significant amount of connective tissue and collagen with a relatively resistant structure. Heat changes these proteins and, depending on the temperature and cooking time, we can end up with wonderfully tender meat… or with the elastic texture we were trying to avoid.
And this brings us to one of the most useful cooking rules:
Very quickly or for quite a long time.
Quick cooking at a suitable temperature can help maintain a tender texture, while preparations such as stews can benefit from longer, gentler cooking.
The problem often comes from the middle ground, when the cephalopod spends too long cooking without yet having had enough time to become tender.
Research into squid has shown improvements in texture with longer cooking times, linked to the changes that collagen undergoes during heating.
That is why patience can be one of the best tricks.
What about freezing it first?
This is a piece of advice we hear quite often, and there is some basis for it, but it deserves a little nuance.
Freezing can alter the proteins and muscle structure of cephalopods and, depending on the species and conditions, can affect their texture.
However, the effect is not necessarily the same for squid, cuttlefish and octopus. In some cases, freezing may help to tenderise the flesh, while in others it can have little effect or even increase certain measures of toughness.
So we would not say that “you should always freeze cuttlefish to make it tender.”
If we buy frozen cuttlefish, we can use it perfectly well. And if we have fresh cuttlefish, there is no need to freeze it simply for texture.
What probably matters more is choosing good-quality ingredients and using the right cooking method.
A few simple cooking tips
As well as getting the cooking time right, a few simple details can help:
- If you are cooking it on a hotplate or frying pan, keep the cooking quick and the heat sufficiently high. The aim is to avoid leaving the cephalopod cooking for too long.
- For a stew, do the opposite: cook it gently for longer, until the flesh is properly tender.
- Do not overcrowd the pan if you want it to brown. Adding too much at once can lower the temperature and cause the cuttlefish to release water rather than brown properly.
- And one final detail: do not be afraid to cook it until it is genuinely tender. In a stew, the required cooking time may be longer than we initially expect.
A simple food that deserves a place in our kitchen
Cuttlefish and squid do not need a special label to be part of a good diet.
They are protein-rich foods, relatively low in fat and provide a range of interesting micronutrients. They can become the protein component of a meal and combine easily with potatoes, rice, vegetables and extra virgin olive oil.
And perhaps that is precisely what we like most about them.
There is no need to complicate them.
A good stew, some vegetables, a little extra virgin olive oil and enough time for the cuttlefish to become tender can be more than enough to bring a simple, nourishing and deeply Mediterranean meal to the table.
Sometimes, the most everyday foods are the ones worth looking at again.
Glossary
Cephalopod: a marine mollusc belonging to a group that includes animals such as squid, cuttlefish and octopus.
References
- Batista, I. & Pires, C. (2022). Nutritional Value of Cephalopods: A Review. Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA). It is probably the most complete reference for the nutritional aspects of cuttlefish, squid, and other cephalopods.
- Elvevoll, E. O. et al. (2022). Cephalopods as Challenging and Promising Blue Foods: Structure, Taste, and Culinary Highlights and Applications. A review of cephalopod structure, texture, nutritional characteristics and culinary applications.
- Riccobene, V. et al. (2018). Cephalopod Gastronomy—A Promise for the Future. Frontiers in Communication. A review discussing the nutritional composition and culinary potential of squid, cuttlefish and other cephalopods.
- Roldán et al. (2022). Cephalopods as Challenging and Promising Blue Foods: Structure, Taste, and Culinary Highlights and Applications. This review is especially interesting for explaining muscle structure, collagen, and the relationship between freezing and texture.
- Effects of Freezing and Frozen Storage on Protein Functionality and Texture of Some Cephalopod Muscles. Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology. Research examining how freezing and thawing affect the structure and quality of cuttlefish.
- Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN). Consumption Advice Regarding Mercury in Fish. Includes squid and cuttlefish among species with low mercury levels.