• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking My Dreams
  • Recipes
  • Online Cooking Classes
  • Work with me
    • Portfolio
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Online Cooking Classes
  • Work with me
  • Subscribe!
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Fresh Pasta » Squid Ink Pasta with Squids and Tomatoes

    Squid Ink Pasta with Squids and Tomatoes

    Published: Aug 25, 2019 · Modified: Apr 27, 2022 by Jessica Montanelli · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Sharing is caring!

    168 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • WhatsApp
    • Yummly
    • Email
    Total time to make this recipe: 55 minutes
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    overhead plate with squid ink tagliatelle with squid sauce

    Squid ink turns pasta into a black ocean-flavored delicacy. Don't let the color turn you down, it has an incredible flavor! The best sauce is, of course, the same fresh squids and delicious garlicky cherry tomatoes.

    squid ink pasta with squids and tomatoes

    Have you ever tried squid ink pasta before? If you've been to Italy or to a good Italian restaurant, you may have.

    Italian cuisine was born when poverty was the norm, so many traditional recipes have peasant origins. A famous Italian saying is "we don't throw away anything", especially when it's edible.

    We use in our recipes every single part of the cows and pigs and, in this case, of squids too.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • What is Squid Ink
    • How to use it
    • Instructions
    • FAQ & Tips
    • Related Recipes you might like
    • 📖 RECIPE

    Ingredients

    Fresh pasta can be made with simply flour and eggs with the addition of squid ink, and the sauce only has 5 ingredients, so it's important you select the best quality ingredients.

    squid ink pasta ingredients list
    • Squids. I absolutely recommend fresh squids. They're much more flavorful and the meat is softer, while frozen squids are often flavorless and chewy. Ask your fishmonger to clean them for you if you prefer to skip that step.
    • Tomatoes. I love to use cherry Roma tomatoes for pasta sauces. They're as small as cherry tomatoes but they're less sweet and more flavorful, like Roma tomatoes. You can also use cherry tomatoes or Roma tomatoes as well.
    • White Wine. I recommend using a dry white wine when cooking pasta sauce, it complements best the sweetness of tomatoes. If you don't want to use wine, you can skip it but the flavor of the sauce will be weaker (also keep in mind that the alcohol completely evaporates during the cooking).
    • Semolina Flour. When making fresh pasta I recommend using both all-purpose flour and semolina flour for the best consistency and flavor. Semolina flour is slightly coarser than all-purpose flour. Look for "Semola Rimacinata" if you can, usually sold specifically to make pasta and bread. If you cannot find semolina flour, you can use only all-purpose flour.

    What is Squid Ink

    You may know that squids, cuttlefish, and octopuses produce ink as a self-defense mechanism to spray on their enemies when they feel in danger. What you may not know is that this ink is edible.

    The squid ink is mainly made of melanin, the pigment that also makes its dark color and also the same thing that gives humans their skin color.

    To learn more about it, you can visit this page that provides all the information about squid ink.

    What does it taste like?

    It may look unappetizing with its pitch-black color, but squid ink is actually tasty. It has a faint taste of squid and seafood flavor. Nothing too strong or too fishy, it's very delicate and elegant. That's why it can be used in many recipes, like risottos, bread, crackers, and of course, pasta.

    Either in a pasta sauce or directly in the pasta dough like in this recipe. It will make each bite of pasta much more flavorful.

    overhead plate with squid ink tagliatelle with squid sauce

    How to use it

    Squid ink is commercially sold in liquid form or dehydrated powder form (see also Amazon links at the bottom of this post), but if you cannot find it in your supermarket, you could also harvest it yourself from fresh squids.

    The ink is situated in the head of the squids, between the eyes, so you need to be careful while you cut and clean your squids. Watch this video for step-by-step instructions on how to harvest squid ink.

    The most common uses for squid ink are in pasta dough and risotto. Since it doesn't only give color but also flavor, be careful how you use it: you may think a black bread would be cool, but do you really want a fish-flavored bread? Unless you're going to use it as a garnish for fish, probably not. The same goes if you use it with pasta or risotto, serve it with a fish or seafood sauce.

    Since it has a liquid consistency, you can easily implement it in many doughs or sauces. Just mix it first with other wet ingredients before you add the dry ingredients to make sure the color will be uniform. If instead, you use the powder form, mix in with the dry ingredients first.

    Instructions

    Compared to the traditional fresh pasta, like tagliatelle, in this case, there is basically only the addition of one ingredient to make: squid ink.

    In a large bowl, add the flour, and a pinch of salt, and in the middle add the eggs and the squid ink (1). With a fork, whisk the eggs with the squid ink, then slowly incorporate the flour until you get a sticky dough.

    Knead the dough with your hands (I recommend wearing gloves for this step) for about 10 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 15 minutes (2).

    Divide the dough into 2 to 4 pieces, take one, dust it with flour and stretch it a few times with a pasta machine or a rolling pin until you get a thin pasta sheet (3). Then cut the sheet into thin ribbons to make the tagliatelle (4) (most pasta machines have a special attachment to cut tagliatelle and tagliolini).

    Let the pasta rest on a clean towel until it's time to boil it.

    how to make squid ink pasta step by step

    Want more recipe ideas to use squids? Check my "Calamarata" pasta with Squids Tomato sauce, these healthier Crispy Oven-Baked Calamari, or my favorite Stuffed Calamari.

    If you enjoy making fresh pasta, check out also this extensive guide with step-by-step videos on how to make 10 different shapes of fresh pasta without a pasta machine.

    FAQ & Tips

    Can I freeze fresh squid ink pasta?

    Yes, you can absolutely freeze raw fresh pasta. Make little nests of the tagliatelle, then place them on a plate lined with baking paper. Place flat in the freezer for about 1 hour, then transfer the frozen pasta to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Toss directly in boiling water without thawing first.

    Can I skip the white wine?

    If you don't want to use wine, you can skip it but the flavor of the sauce will be weaker (also keep in mind that the alcohol completely evaporates during the cooking).

    Can I use frozen squids?

    I absolutely recommend fresh squids. They're much more flavorful and the meat is softer, while frozen squids are often flavorless and chewy. Ask your fishmonger to clean them for you if you prefer to skip that step.

    fork grabbing a portion of squid ink pasta

    You can find step-by-step photos, and tips in the post above.

    Related Recipes you might like

    • How to make Pici Pasta (no tools needed)
    • 25 Best Baked Pasta Recipes (packed with veggies)
    • Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad with Pesto
    • Spinach & Ham Lasagna Roll Ups

    If you like this recipe, you can leave a comment and a star rating to support me. ★★★★★
    Thank you so much!

    📖 RECIPE

    overhead plate with squid ink tagliatelle with squid sauce

    Squid Ink Pasta with Squids and Tomatoes

    Black flavorful squid ink pasta dough with a garlicky tomato and squids sauce.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Author: Jessica Montanelli

    Equipment

    • Pasta Machine

    Ingredients

    For the Pasta

    • 1 ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
    • ½ cup Semolina
    • 2 Eggs
    • ¾ teaspoon Squid Ink, liquid
    • EV Olive Oil

    For the Sauce

    • 3 Squids, large
    • 10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
    • 3 Garlic cloves, halved
    • ¼ cup White Wine
    • Parsley, chopped

    Instructions

    Make the Pasta

    • In a large bowl, add both flours, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well and make a hole in the center.
    • Add the eggs in the center and beat them with a fork, then add the squid ink to the eggs and beat until combined (if you prefer you can do this step in a separate bowl). When the eggs and ink are combined, start slowly adding the flour.
    • When the dough it's too stick to mix with a fork, start kneading with your hands and knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until you have a smooth and uniform dough.
    • Cover the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
    • Take a large wooden board and sprinkle with flour. Divide the dough in 4 parts and start kneading the first part again and flatten it with your hands.
    • Roll it in the pasta machine starting with the wider settings and slowly reducing the thickness. Once it's thin enough, add the spaghetti attachment and pass it through.
    • Set the pasta on a clean towel and sprinkle some more flour on top.

    Make the Sauce and finish the dish

    • Clean the squids and cut them into rings. Drizzle a large pan with olive oil and turn on the heat. When it's hot, add the squids and cook for about 3 minutes.
    • Add the white wine and let it evaporate.
    • Add the peeled and halved garlic cloves and the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes, turning down the heat if necessary.
    • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and when the sauce it's almost ready, toss the pasta. Boil the pasta for 2-3 minutes, then add it in the pan with the sauce.
    • Add a ladle or two of pasta water to the pan and sautèe for a minute. Add the finely chopped parsley and serve

    Video

    Notes

    If you want to make the pasta in advance, dust it with flour and freeze it raw. At the moment of cooking, toss it directly in boiling water without thawing.
    Leftovers can be kept refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 552 kcal | Carbohydrates: 97 g | Protein: 20 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Cholesterol: 167 mg

    Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Have you tried this recipe?Snap a photo and tag @jess.cookingmydreams or use the hashtag #cookingmydreams!
    « Pear and Chocolate Chip Pancakes
    Spicy Sweet Potato Gnocchi »

    Sharing is caring!

    168 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • WhatsApp
    • Yummly
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Candy

      September 15, 2021 at 11:48 pm

      how do I use the Squid Ink Powder to make pasta

      Reply
      • Jessica - Cooking my Dreams

        September 16, 2021 at 4:59 pm

        Hi Candy, Dissolve the squid ink powder in a small amount of water and then use the same amount and directions in this recipe.

        Reply

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm an Italian who moved to the Netherlands with a true passion for food, travel, and everything handmade. I love to experiment, learn new skills, and share my knowledge about everything I do!

    This blog is my perfect escape to search for my path towards happiness. :)

    More about me →

    • jess.cookingmydreams
    • Cooking my Dreams
    • jess.cookingmydreams

    Popular Recipes

    • Ricotta and Smoked Salmon Ravioli
    • Pici Cacio e Pepe (Tuscan Pasta with Creamy Cheese and Black Pepper Sauce)
    • Classic Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
    • Classic Tuscan Lasagna
    • Soffritto (Mirepoix): What it is, how to use and how to freeze
    • Pasta with Easy Creamy Eggplant Sauce

    Subscribe and get a Free E-Cookbook

    ebook page that says 10 classic tuscan recipes.

    As Seen In

    Valentine's Day Recipes

    • Soft Raspberry Ricotta Cake with Chocolate Chunks
    • Smoked Salmon and Avocado Tartare
    • Creamy Wild Mushroom Ravioli
    • Raspberry Chocolate mini Bundt Cakes

    Follow me

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with me
    • Portfolio
    • Cooking Classes

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    I refuse.
    SettingsAccept
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    168 shares