Scallops rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 109 recipes to cook with them.
Key Points
Sweet, mild shellfish muscle; sea scallops are large for searing, bay scallops tiny and tender.
Buy dry-packed, not wet: chemical-soaked wet scallops leak water and refuse to brown.
Sear bone-dry scallops in a screaming hot pan, 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side.
Pull them the instant they turn opaque; overcooking turns scallops rubbery in under a minute.
Substitute monkfish or peeled shrimp; both cook in roughly the same time.
What are scallops?
Scallops are the sweet, ivory muscle that opens and closes a fan-shaped shell. They are among the most forgiving luxury seafood you can cook at home.
The flavor is mild and faintly sweet, almost nutty. There is none of the briny punch of an oyster or a clam.
Two kinds turn up at the counter. Sea scallops are the big ones, often an inch and a half across and the ones cooks reach for to sear. Bay scallops are tiny and tender, the size of a thumbnail, and they are sweeter still.
The sear is the move that makes scallops worth buying. Pat them bone dry and season them well.
Lay them in a screaming hot pan with a little oil and leave them alone for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until a deep golden crust forms, then flip and give the second side about a minute.
Doneness is fast. A scallop is ready the moment it turns from translucent to opaque and the sides feel just firm to a gentle squeeze. The center should still be a touch soft, like a ripe peach.
Bay scallops cook even quicker. Toss them into a hot pan or a finished sauce for 1 to 2 minutes, just until opaque, then pull them off the heat.
Beyond searing, scallops bake well under a buttery crumb topping, as in Baked Sea Scallops. They also fold into pasta, gumbo, paella, and seafood pies without falling apart.
What to Pair With Scallops
Scallops love fat and acid. Brown butter and bacon play to their sweetness, while lemon and a splash of white wine keep them from feeling heavy. A smooth puree of cauliflower or fennel under them makes a classic restaurant plate.
The single biggest mistake is overcooking. Scallops go from silky to rubbery and tough in under a minute, and once they seize up there is no fixing them. Pull them early, since carryover heat finishes the job.
The other mistake is a wet pan. Crowd the skillet or skip the drying step and the scallops steam in their own liquid, turning out pale and gray instead of crusted and brown. Work in batches and give each one room.
Substitutes for Scallops
No swap nails that sweet, springy bite, but a few come close. Monkfish, sometimes called poor man's lobster, has the same firm texture and takes a sear well. Peeled shrimp cook in the same time and slot into most scallop pasta or stir-fry recipes one for one.
For a chowder or a pie where scallops are diced into a creamy base, cubed cod or halibut stands in. It loses the signature sweetness but keeps the tender, meaty character.
If you only need the look, king oyster mushroom rounds mimic the shape, though the flavor will be milder.
Buying and Storing Scallops
The most useful thing to know at the fish counter is the difference between dry and wet scallops. Dry scallops are untreated and sear beautifully.
Wet scallops are soaked in a sodium phosphate (STP) solution that pumps them full of water, so they leak liquid, refuse to brown, and can taste faintly of soap.
Ask for dry-packed, or look for scallops labeled chemical free or day boat.
Fresh dry scallops look slightly ivory or pinkish, never bright bleached white. They smell clean and sweet, like the ocean. They should feel firm and a little sticky to the touch.
Use fresh scallops within a day or two, stored cold over ice in the back of the fridge. Frozen scallops keep for about 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and blot them very dry before cooking, and never refreeze thawed scallops.
Types of scallops
Specific kinds of scallops and the recipes that use them.
Sea scallops are the large type of scallop, often an inch and a half across, with a meaty, ivory muscle that sears into a sweet golden disc. They are the ones you see fanned across a restaurant plate, and they dwarf the tiny bay scallop.
That size makes them the searing scallop. Pat them bone dry, then lay them in a screaming hot pan and leave them alone for 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side.
Cook until a deep crust forms and the center turns just opaque. Pull them the moment they firm up, since they go rubbery fast.
Bay scallops are the small, sweet cousins of the big sea scallop. Each one is about the size of a marble, roughly ½ inch across. You get 70 to 90 of them to a pound. They come from small bay-dwelling shellfish harvested mostly along the US Atlantic coast.
The flavor is delicate and noticeably sweeter than sea scallops, with a tender, almost springy bite. They cook in a flash, which is both their charm and the thing that trips people up.
Because they are so small, they go from juicy to rubbery in well under two minutes. Cook them just to opaque and pull them, and they reward you. Push them and they tighten into little erasers.
Restaurant and bistro Green’s of Whitby source and promote the very best of foods from the surrounding area.
Situated in the busy fishing harbour of Whitby, Rob chooses seafood fresh from the quayside every morning, recently winning one of the food industry’s most coveted awards; Seafood Chef of the Year.
Prime local meats and game are also a speciality. The abundance of fresh produce means that the menu changes frequently to offer the best of the day.
Pan-seared scallops with fennel over soba noodles plates golden-crusted scallops on Japanese buckwheat noodles in a Pernod and orange pan sauce. East-meets-West restaurant plating at home.
Prosciutto-wrapped sea scallops broil on skewers over a bed of quickly wilted baby spinach in a bright lemon-zest vinaigrette. A sophisticated seafood starter that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Tender sea scallops are halved, seasoned, and baked in a rich, buttery sherry breadcrumb topping for a simple yet elegant seafood dish. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a special occasion.
Pan seared scallops served on a bed of fennel puree with a sweet Balsamic drizzle. This recipe was inspired by Masterchef New Zealand contestant Rob and I've modified the ingredients and instructions to match those that are commonly available in North America along with experimentation to make the recipe lower in fats yet every bit as flavorful.
Rich and delicious. We used swiss instead of Gruyere and let out the monk fish using extra scallops. Loved the sauce, thick, creamy and rich with a subtle garlic flavor throughout. The creamy sauce enveloped the seafood stuffed crepes and then we topped them with some leftover sauce and a sprinkled on some parsley for color. Delicious, decadent breakfast. Fairly easy to make too.
Salmon is rich in omega 3 and is becoming more and more popular in our normal cooking, in this recipe we use salmon and scallops with the delicious shallot sauce, easy and simple to make, and very flavorful.
Shrimp and sea scallop stir-fry sears seafood and rainbow bell peppers, then tosses with cilantro, lime, sherry, and soy-coated soba noodles. A 35-minute restaurant-quality seafood dinner.
Italian seafood risotto layered with shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, and clams in a white wine garlic broth. Finished with bright gremolata and fresh herbs for a restaurant-worthy showstopper.
Scallops stir-fried with bamboo shoots, carrots, and snow peas in a ginger-gin sauce, served inside a crispy deep-fried potato basket. A Chinese banquet showpiece you can pull off at home.
Chilled seafood rice salad loaded with scallops, shrimp, crab, and blanched broccoli over fluffy basmati, all tossed in a bright lemon vinaigrette. Feeds a crowd in just 10 minutes of prep.
Shrimp and scallops simmered in a garlicky tomato-white wine marinara with red pepper flakes and fresh parsley. Tossed with pasta for a 30-minute Italian seafood dinner.
Lime and dill seafood skewers alternate scallops, shrimp, and halibut with corn, carrots, and purple onion. Marinated in garlic-lime-sesame and finished with dill mustard glaze.
Creamy Cajun stew loaded with shucked oysters and bay scallops in a spiced half-and-half broth with sherry, Worcestershire, and fresh herbs. Topped with croutons for a rich, warming bowl.
Grilled seafood kabobs with shrimp, sea scallops, and mushrooms marinated overnight in honey barbecue-Dijon sauce. Smoky, sweet, and done on the grill in under 10 minutes.
Nori lamb surprise butterflies lamb loin around scallops, mango, mushrooms, and pickled ginger, wraps it in seaweed, and pairs it with a chili-lemongrass syrup and a roasted pepper relish.
Seafood casserole with shrimp, scallops, crab, and oysters in a creamy dill-mayo sauce topped with crushed potato chips. A retro four-shellfish bake with a crunchy golden crust.
Chilled shellfish gazpacho with shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels served in roasted pepper halves with cucumber-tomato broth and olive oil croutons. A stunning cold summer seafood soup.
Light linguine tossed in a tarragon-shallot sauce with thinly sliced sea scallops and tender asparagus. A spa-cuisine pasta that delivers restaurant flavor without the heavy cream.
Mushrooms and queen scallops in a silky cream sauce finished with tarragon vinegar and anchovy essence. A refined British appetizer served in scallop shells or a gratin dish.
Grilled meli melo of seafood: salmon, sea bass, swordfish, shrimp, and scallops plated over crispy fried leeks and drizzled with a soy-spiked French beurre blanc. Fine-dining fusion on a plate.
Kakavia is the Greek fisherman's soup: tomato, fennel, and herb broth simmered with mixed fish, lobster, shrimp, and scallops, ladled over thick toast. Rustic Mediterranean seafood stew at its most generous.
Seared salmon over loaded seafood fried basmati rice with oysters, shrimp, scallops and crawfish, drizzled with chipotle sesame vinaigrette. A Southwestern-Asian mashup plate with bold layered flavors.
Curried prawns and scallops in a creamy apple juice sauce with banana and dill. A sweet-savory seafood curry served over rice with Austrian-Indian flair.
Bay scallops and steamed mussels tossed in a from-scratch Dijon mustard vinaigrette, served over asparagus and Boston lettuce. An elegant seafood appetizer or light main.
Avocado and scallop ceviche cures finely chopped scallops in lime juice and green peppercorns, then folds in mashed avocado and chives. Stuffed into raw mushroom caps brushed with garlic-lemon oil for a striking party appetizer.
Bay scallop ceviche cured in fresh lime and lemon juice with red pepper, cilantro, and green chile. No cooking needed for this bright, citrusy Mexican appetizer.
Chinese sizzling sweet and sour seafood with shrimp, scallops, and vegetables in a tangy sauce poured over deep-fried rice cakes for a dramatic tableside sizzle.
Potato crepes topped with stir-fried scallops, salmon, and asparagus in a ginger-soy sauce. A restaurant-quality Asian-fusion dish for two with wok technique.
Shellfish soup with shrimp and sea scallops in a white wine and shrimp shell stock infused with vanilla bean and cilantro. Spring vegetables simmered just one minute to stay crisp.
Turkey tacos with seared turkey scallops, refried black beans, salsa, pickled shallots, and avocado on warm flour tortillas. A weeknight 20-minute taco that's leaner than ground beef and more flavorful than rotisserie chicken.
Rumaki appetizers with bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, pineapple chunks, and bay scallops glazed in a sticky teriyaki-honey sauce. A retro party hors d'oeuvre ready in 30 minutes.
Broiled scallop and mushroom skewers marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, bay leaf, and coriander seeds. A simple seafood brochette served with tartar sauce.
Sea scallops stir-fry with broccoli, napa cabbage, snow peas, and shiitakes in a star anise-spiced soy-vinegar sauce. Light Chinese seafood dinner over steamed rice.
Scallop or shrimp curry with apple, onion, cardamom, and a lime-finished cream sauce. The mild Anglo-Indian seafood curry that reads as comfort food more than fiery heat.
Grilled shrimp and scallop kebabs marinated in lemon-garlic olive oil, threaded with mushrooms and scallions, then stuffed into warm whole wheat pita with yogurt and salsa.
Scallops and mussels with Dijon mustard vinaigrette, served over al dente asparagus on a bed of Boston lettuce. Lemon-marinated bay scallops and steamed mussels in a herb-rich dressing.
