This "calamari" saved my life!  Delish!

Vegan Calamari- partially defrosted

Garlic- sliced

Pasta (spaghetti)- get the water boiling

Zucchini- sliced in half-inch rounds

Pasta Sauce- homemade or bottled

Olive Oil

This is not my usual one-pot meal.  There are two pots and a frying pan involved, but it’s not all that confusing and the result is worth it.

These “calamari” would be delicious fried or baked according to the package directions, and served with marinara sauce or tartar sauce, which is my fave.  But, as usual, I didn’t follow the directions!

Who wants to take the time to bake, or waste SO much oil deep frying?

Take the calamari out of the freezer far enough in advance to partially defrost them.  (Take the interior package out of the box, and it will shorten the defrosting time.)  Start the water boiling for the pasta, cut the zucchini in rounds and start sautéing them in the pot you’ll use to heat the pasta sauce.  Start sautéing the partially defrosted calamari in olive oil in a frying pan.

You don’t have to be perfect on the timing for all of these items, but do have a sense of how long the pasta will cook, and work accordingly.

While the pasta is cooking, sauté the zucchini until the rounds are crisp-tender and add the pasta sauce and allow to simmer.  Sauté the calamari, and add sliced garlic part-way through.   It will have a sweet, nutty flavor if sautéed until opaque, but not burned.

Transfer the cooked pasta into a colander, transfer portions to bowls, add sauce and zucchini, and top with the Garlic Fried Calamari.

It's up to you whether you’d like to savor each piece of Calamari on its own, or “moosh” it into the pasta and let it soak up the sauce.  Yummy either way!