🦑 Thai Restaurant-Style Grilled Squid

Prepare the Squid

If the squid is already cleaned, rinse it quickly and pat it completely dry with paper towels.

For whole squid, make several shallow diagonal cuts across the body.

Don't cut all the way through.

Keeping the squid whole helps it stay juicy while grilling.

Make the Marinade

In a bowl, combine:

3 cloves minced garlic
1½ tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon black pepper

Mix well.

Add the squid and toss until everything is coated.

Marinate for 20–30 minutes.

Don't marinate it for several hours. The lime juice can start changing the texture of the squid.

Make the Green Thai Seafood Sauce

Add the following to a small blender or food processor:

4–6 Thai green chilies
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1½ tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water

Pulse until finely chopped.

Stir in:

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Taste the sauce.

You want it to have a strong:

Sour + salty + spicy + slightly sweet flavor.

Adjust if necessary:
Too spicy → add more water, lime juice and a little sugar
Too sour → add a little more sugar
Too salty → add more lime juice/water
Not spicy enough → add another Thai chili

Set the sauce aside.

Preheat the Grill

Preheat your grill to:

475°F

Anything between 450–500°F is good.

You want direct, high heat.

Once the grill is hot, clean the grates and lightly oil them so the squid doesn't stick.

Grill the Squid

Remove the squid from the marinade and let the excess drip off.

Place the squid directly over the hot grill.

Whole squid bodies:

2–3 minutes per side

Tentacles:

1–2 minutes per side

You're looking for:

Dark grill marks
Lightly charred edges
Squid that has turned opaque/white
Slightly firm but still tender texture

Don't overcook it.

Squid can go from tender to rubbery very quickly.

Remove and Rest

Take the squid off the grill and let it rest for about 2 minutes.

Slice the body into thick rings.

Keep the tentacles whole.

🍋 7. Serve

Arrange the grilled squid on a plate.

Add:

Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Sliced Thai chilies, if desired

Serve the green Thai seafood sauce on the side.

You can also drizzle a little sauce over the squid right before serving.

⭐ Restaurant-Style Tip

Don't drown the squid in sauce.

The best version is:

🔥 Smoky, charred squid → 🍋 bright spicy sauce → 🦑 tender inside

Dip each piece into the green sauce as you eat it.

Grill: 475°F
Marinate: 20–30 minutes
Cook: 2–3 minutes per side
Sauce: spicy + sour + salty + slightly sweet
Most important: don't overcook the squid.