This easy Breaded Scallops Recipe takes 30 minutes or less! You'll love these oven-baked scallops with bread crumbs. Serve them as the main dish or over pasta, polenta or salad!
My go-to scallops recipe is so easy and delicious! I've been making it for decades, and it was one of my parents' favorites.
Unlike these broiled scallops with Parmesan, there's no cheese here. Instead, these dairy-free scallops are simply coated with seasoned bread crumbs, drizzled with olive oil, baked and topped with lemon juice.
That's it! You don't even need to dip the raw scallops in egg first.
You're welcome.
Recipe ingredients
Scallops: I like to use sea scallops, but feel free to use bay scallops instead. Just be sure to bake them for less time, since they're smaller and will cook more quickly.
Don't use packages of "scallop pieces" because they come in all different sizes and don't cook evenly.
Bread crumbs: I recommend starting with plain bread crumbs and seasoning them yourself. Use store-bought plain ones and season them as directed, or make homemade Italian bread crumbs and omit the cheese.
If you only have store-bought Italian-style bread crumbs, which are already seasoned, taste them to see if you want to add anything.
How to clean scallops
- Rinse the thawed scallops in a colander (affiliate link) in the sink.
- Pull off and discard the side muscle from each scallop. The muscle has a tough texture that's difficult to chew when cooked.
- Scrape off any specks of sand.
How to make breaded scallops
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
- Combine the bread crumbs and seasonings in a bowl.
- Mix the seasoned bread crumbs into the cleaned scallops and mix well to coat all sides of the scallops.
- Place the breaded scallops on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet (affiliate link).
- Drizzle with just a bit of olive oil and bake until the bread crumbs are browned and crispy and the scallops are white and cooked through on the inside.
Recipe tips
- While cleaning raw scallops, examine each one very closely (with your eyeglasses on if needed!) to find any specks of sand to remove. Even one grain of sand will taste crunchy. (Ew!)
- To avoid soggy scallops, use a small amount of oil during baking. You can always drizzle on extra oil after the scallops are cooked.
What to serve with it
Squeeze lemon juice on the Breaded Scallops and serve them with sides like marinated carrot salad or Italian tomato and onion salad and basic risotto.
These scallops also are delicious over pasta with oil and garlic or in this scallops salad with mustard-free lemon vinaigrette! The latter is my favorite way to enjoy leftover scallops for lunch the next day.
Or serve them over garlic Parmesan polenta with Italian mushrooms.
How to thaw frozen scallops
The best way to thaw scallops is to leave them in the refrigerator overnight and then run them under cool water for a few minutes the next day to finish defrosting them.
If you need to defrost scallops at the last minute, run cool water over them until thawed, turning them over as needed. Never use the microwave for thawing scallops, or they'll become tough.
Can you freeze cooked scallops?
It's not a good idea to freeze cooked scallops, because it will ruin their taste and texture. The scallops will be tough and won't taste good.
More seafood recipes to try
- Jumbo Fried Shrimp
- Crispy Breaded Cod
- Baked Fish with Bread Crumb Topping
- Calamari Fritti
- Baked Clam Dip
- Cod Fish Piccata
Enjoy!
If you try this easy Breaded Scallops Recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!
Breaded Scallops Recipe (Easy!)
Equipment
Ingredients
Scallops
- 2 pounds sea scallops (See notes if using bay scallops. Don't use "scallop pieces.")
- ½ cup plain bread crumbs (If you only have seasoned bread crumbs, don't add the seasonings listed next unless you think they need something.)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- If the scallops are frozen, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Then, place the scallops in a colander in the sink and run cold water over them for 4-5 minutes until completely thawed. (See notes if thawing them at the last minute.)
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. (For convection, set it to 450 degrees, which will reduce it to 425.) Line a half-sheet pan with foil and grease it with cooking spray.
- Remove the side muscle from each scallop, as it will be tough. (See photo in post.) Look carefully for any specks of sand to scrape off the scallops. Leave the raw scallops wet.
- Add the bread crumbs to a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the garlic powder, pepper, dried basil and salt.
- Pour the bread crumb mixture over the wet scallops in the colander. Gently mix with your hands to coat the scallops evenly.
- Place the breaded scallops in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle on the tablespoon of olive oil. Bake them on the center rack for about 13-16 minutes if using a regular oven, or 8 minutes for a convection oven. The scallops are done when the breading is golden brown, and if you cut open a scallop, the inside is white.) Don't overbake them, or they'll become tough and rubbery.
- Squeeze lemon juice on the scallops and serve. You can drizzle on extra olive oil, if desired. Store any leftover scallops in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
- It's best to defrost scallops by leaving them in the refrigerator overnight and then running them under cool water for a few minutes the next day to finish thawing.
- If you didn't plan ahead, you'll need to run cool water over the scallops until they're thawed, turning them over as needed.
- Never use the microwave for thawing scallops, or they'll become tough.
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C)
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