Chilli Lime Squid Salad (Printable)

Tender squid rings with a zesty chilli-lime dressing and fresh salad leaves, garnished with crispy shallots.

# What you'll need:

→ Squid

01 - 1.1 lb cleaned squid tubes, sliced into rings
02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

→ Dressing

03 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
04 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
05 - 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon palm sugar or light brown sugar
07 - 2 red chillies, finely sliced
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Salad

09 - 3.5 oz mixed salad leaves (rocket, baby spinach, cilantro)
10 - 1 small cucumber, seeded and sliced into half-moons
11 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
12 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
13 - 0.5 cup fresh mint leaves
14 - 0.5 cup fresh cilantro leaves

→ Garnish

15 - 0.25 cup crispy fried shallots
16 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Method:

01 - Pat the squid dry with paper towels. Toss with vegetable oil and a pinch of salt to season evenly.
02 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over high heat. Sear the squid in batches for 1 to 2 minutes until just opaque and lightly charred. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, palm sugar, chillies, and garlic until the sugar is completely dissolved.
04 - In a large bowl, combine salad leaves, cucumber, carrot, red onion, mint, and cilantro. Add the cooled squid and drizzle with the dressing. Toss gently to coat all ingredients.
05 - Divide the salad among serving plates. Top with crispy fried shallots and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, so you can pull off restaurant-quality dinner without the stress.
  • The dressing does all the heavy lifting—balancing heat, acid, sweetness, and umami in one perfect pour.
  • Squid cooks so fast you'll barely believe it, staying tender if you don't look away for more than a blink.
02 -
  • Overcooking squid even by 30 seconds transforms it into tiny rubber erasers—the high heat and short cook time are not negotiable.
  • Toss the salad at the last possible moment, or your greens will start to wilt and everything becomes soggy instead of crisp.
03 -
  • Toast the crispy shallots lightly in a dry pan just before serving if they've been sitting around—it wakes them up and makes them crispier.
  • Slice your red onion super thin and let it sit in the lime juice for 5 minutes before adding it to the salad; it takes the harshness out and makes it sweet.
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