Name: Spaghetti with Cuttlefish
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 450 g dry spaghetti; 450 g cuttlefish, cleaned, ink sac reserved; 150 g yellow onion, finely chopped; 10 g garlic cloves, minced; 45 ml olive oil; Sea salt, to taste; Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; 480 ml dry white wine; 450 g vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped; 2 fresh bay leaves; 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil for finishing; 80 g shallots, finely sliced; Ink from the cuttlefish, strained; 120 ml water

Spaghetti with cuttlefish and squid ink sauce

Recipe Overview

This dish captures the soul of the sea with an old-world Italian sensibility. The cuttlefish is slowly braised until tender with onion, garlic, tomato, white wine, and bay leaves, while its reserved ink becomes a glossy finishing sauce that adds depth, minerality, and visual drama. Served with spaghetti, this recipe offers a refined coastal pasta experience that feels both rustic and elegant.

Yield 5 servings

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Category Spaghetti

Adjust Servings

Ingredients

450 g dry spaghetti
450 g cuttlefish, cleaned, ink sac reserved
150 g yellow onion, finely chopped
10 g garlic cloves, minced
45 ml olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
480 ml dry white wine
450 g vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
30 ml extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
80 g shallots, finely sliced
Ink from the cuttlefish, strained
120 ml water

Preparation

Clean the cuttlefish carefully, reserving the ink sac. Rinse and pat dry, then slice the cuttlefish into fine julienne strips.
Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook gently until soft and fragrant, without browning.
Add the cuttlefish, season lightly with sea salt and black pepper, and cook until the natural liquid reduces and evaporates.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and bay leaves. Simmer briefly, then deglaze with the white wine and reduce by about half.
Cover and simmer very gently for about 1 hour. Uncover and continue cooking for about 40 minutes more, until the cuttlefish is tender and the sauce is rich and concentrated. Adjust seasoning as needed.
For the squid ink sauce, sauté the shallots in a little olive oil until soft. Add the strained cuttlefish ink and the water. Simmer gently, blend, pass through a fine sieve, then return to low heat and reduce until glossy and lightly thickened.
Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve a small amount of cooking water, then drain.
Toss the spaghetti with the extra-virgin olive oil and a splash of pasta water just to coat.
To plate, spread a spoonful of warm squid ink sauce on each plate. Spoon the tomato-cuttlefish mixture over it, then top with a nest of spaghetti. Serve immediately.

Chef Note: This is a pasta that depends on patience and balance. The cuttlefish should be tender, never rushed, and the ink sauce should remain elegant and glossy rather than heavy. The contrast between the sweetness of the tomato braise and the briny intensity of the ink is what gives the dish its signature character.

History & Tradition

Seafood pasta has long been one of the most expressive traditions of the Italian coast, where local fishermen and home cooks built dishes around what the sea offered that day. Cuttlefish, with its delicate flesh and natural ink, has been especially prized in many Mediterranean kitchens because it brings two dimensions to a recipe at once: tenderness in the braise and depth in the sauce.

Spaghetti with cuttlefish reflects that same philosophy of cucina di mare: few ingredients, careful cooking, and respect for the natural salinity and sweetness of the seafood. The use of squid or cuttlefish ink gives the plate drama and intensity, while tomato, white wine, onion, and bay leaves keep the dish rooted in classic Italian flavor structure.

Explore more on the culture of handmade pasta in the Tuscany Cuisine journal: Flour & Water Pasta Journal .