Healthy Puttanesca-Style Sautéed Squid

As a dietitian, I love to recommend eating sustainably-caught seafood across the lifespan as part of a balanced diet. It provides so many nutrition and health benefits, from pregnancy all the way to older adulthood. And by choosing a sustainable option, it also helps keep our ocean healthy for future generations. 

While each species of seafood has varying amounts of different nutrients, there are some commonalities at a higher level. For instance:

• seafood is rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, with salmon, sardines, mackerel, sardines and herring being some of the best sources. Most major health organizations and dietary guidelines recommend eating at least 8 ounces of seafood per week in order to get in adequate omega-3s. Why? These omega-3s play key roles in both our heart health and brain health!
• seafood is rich in high-quality protein, which is essential for building and repairing all the muscles in our body.
• most seafood varieties are sources of B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and selenium. These nutrients are essential for both our bone health and immune health, among many other functions!

Sustainably wild-caught squid is an excellent source of high-quality protein. A 100 gram serving of squid provides 18 grams of protein.

In addition to protein, squid is a good source of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA which (as mentioned above) support both our heart and brain health.

On the micronutrient side, squid is:

• a good source of B-vitamins, including B12 and niacin.
• a good source of minerals, like copper, selenium phosphorus, and zinc.
• a source of other micronutrients in smaller amounts, including magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, iron, B6, and calcium.

While squid may be a source of cholesterol, current nutrition research has revealed that dietary cholesterol may not impact our blood cholesterol as we once thought. In fact, most dietary guidelines have removed cholesterol intake guidelines for otherwise healthy individuals. More important are overall dietary patterns and squid can be included in a healthy diet!

If you’re looking for a deeper dive on the nutritional benefits of seafood and how it supports mental and physical health, check out this in-depth blog post I wrote for the MSC. I discuss the link between seafood intake and brain health and development, mental health, and healthy aging. READ MORE HERE!

To support a healthy planet when choosing seafood that’s also healthy for you, always check for the MSC blue fish label while shopping. It looks just like the large blue label featured in the first two pictures of this blog post and helps you identify seafood that comes from a wild-caught, certified sustainable fishery.

The blue fish label will either be located on the package (say of frozen or canned seafood) or you can find it in the fresh seafood aisle at certain stores (on the label cards indicating the type of fish). With its nice blue colour, it’s hard to miss!

Whenever you choose wild-caught seafood that has the MSC blue fish label, you’ll know that your purchase is supporting fisheries, retailers, and brands committed to making sustainable fishing the standard in the commercial fishing industry. It’s great to know that this one small act can help protect our oceans for future generations.

Never cooked with squid before? I only tried cooking with it super recently myself, and I was pleasantly surprised with how quick and easy it is!

When you purchase sustainable wild-caught squid, it’s often in the form of “tubes” rather than in the “rings” you typically see in recipes. Here are some tips for preparing and cutting those squid tubes:

1. Start by rinsing squid tubes under cold water.
2. With a paper towel, gently pat squid tubes dry. Try to get them as dry as you possibly can!
3. Then, place one tube flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the tube into approximately 1/2-inch rings.
4. Repeat until all tubes are cut!

And that’s it – your squid is now ready to cook. Sautéing them in a pan takes only about 3 minutes!

I modified the original recipe for this puttanesca-style squid by serving it over a bed of quinoa. Because the squid recipe is a great source of protein and healthy fats, choosing a fiber-rich starch to serve it with helps to make it a filling and nutritionally-balanced meal.

Instead of quinoa, you can try serving this over another whole grain. Some ideas:

• farro
• millet
• barley
• brown rice
• a whole wheat pasta (or even a legume-based one)