Spaghetti al nero di seppia
Venice's black pasta: cuttlefish stewed slowly with garlic and white wine, then turned glossy jet-black with its own ink.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Spaghetti al nero di seppia is cuttlefish cooked slowly in its own ink. Venetian cooks buy the cuttlefish whole, save the small silver ink sac as they clean it, and cut the body and tentacles into strips. The cuttlefish goes into olive oil with garlic and a little onion, then white wine, and simmers gently for about half an hour until it is tender. Cuttlefish must be cooked either very fast or slowly: anything in between makes it rubbery. Only then does the ink go in, loosened with a splash of water, with a spoon of tomato that some families add for body. The spaghetti finishes in the pan until every strand is black. Done is shiny black pasta with soft ribbons of cuttlefish, briny and sweet, scattered with parsley and served without cheese.
What you'll need
11 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Pasta, spaghetti360 g
- Cuttlefish, whole, with ink sacs (about 450 g cleaned)700 g
- Cuttlefish ink, from the cuttlefish, or two 4 g sachets8 g
- Garlic, finely chopped2 clove
- Onion, finely chopped½ small
- Dry white wine100 ml
- Passata (optional)30 ml
- Olive oil, extra virgin74 ml
- Parsley, flat-leaf, chopped1 handful
- Black pepper2½ ml
- Salt, for the water15 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Clean the cuttlefish over the sink: pull the head and tentacles from the body, take out the bone and innards, and set the silver ink sacs aside in a small bowl. Peel off the skin. Cut the body into strips and the tentacles into short pieces, removing the beak and eyes.
15 min
Step 2
Soften the onion and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the cuttlefish and cook 3 minutes, then the wine. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes until tender, adding a splash of water if it dries.
38 min
Step 3
Break the ink sacs into 3 tbsp water, pour it into the pan with the passata, if using, and simmer 5 minutes until glossy.
5 min
Step 4
Boil the spaghetti until a minute short of al dente and finish it in the sauce with a little cooking water until every strand is black. Toss with parsley and pepper and serve.
12 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 407 kcal
- Protein
- 33.8 g
- Carbs
- 26.9 g
- Fat
- 17.6 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.5 g
- Fibre
- 1.8 g
- Sugar
- 1.2 g
- Sodium
- 2191 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Shellfish
- Pescatarian
- Dairy-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Cuttlefish → Squid
Thinner and quicker; simmer 15–20 minutes instead of 30.
Tips
- Wear gloves and an apron when you clean cuttlefish: the ink stains everything.
- Fishmongers sell sachets of cuttlefish ink if your cuttlefish have lost theirs.
History & culture
In Venice the same stew, seppie al nero, is served on its own over soft white polenta, and dressing spaghetti with it is the everyday version found in bacari and trattorie across the city. Sicily makes its own pasta col nero di seppia with more tomato and a pinch of chilli. Black teeth are part of the experience.
Cuttlefish crowd into the shallow Venetian lagoon in spring to breed, and lagoon fishermen have long cooked them whole in their ink rather than throw the dark liquid away. The dish is listed among Venice's traditional recipes, and the city's fish markets still sell cuttlefish with the ink sacs left in for it.
Traditional — The Venetian version: cuttlefish, its ink, garlic, white wine and parsley. No cheese, no cream.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Spaghetti al nero di seppia take?
1 hr 5 min all in — 20 min prep, 45 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Shellfish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Pescatarian, Dairy-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Saucepan, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tbsp (for the water).
What can I use instead?
Cuttlefish → Squid. Thinner and quicker; simmer 15–20 minutes instead of 30.
Any tips from this recipe?
Wear gloves and an apron when you clean cuttlefish: the ink stains everything. Fishmongers sell sachets of cuttlefish ink if your cuttlefish have lost theirs.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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