A New England favorite, Bay scallops are tossed in butter and coated in a lemon and garlic panko topping then baked until golden and bubbly.
When my husband and I lived in Boston we would go out for seafood at least once a week, sometimes more. His favorite dishes are always the simplest – often a piece of scrod or haddock baked with butter and some sort of crunchy coating.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I decided to kick it up a notch and use bay scallops but really this recipe (like most of my recipes) is more of a method than a specific set of rules you must follow.
The idea is simple – bay scallops are tossed in a little melted butter and lemon juice then baked with crispy panko and parmesan topping. If you can’t find bay scallops you can use shrimp, sea scallops or simply use a piece of fresh white fish.
If you’re having company over, these can be prepped ahead of time and simply tossed in the oven as your guests arrive. Sounds like it’s time to crack open the bubbly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What’s a good substitute for panko breadcrumbs?
If you don’t have panko breadcrumbs in your pantry, try substituting with gluten free matzo meal or almond flour.
What’s a good side dish for baked scallops?
Roasted veggies (like cauliflower or broccoli) are usually a good idea.
Your fork is waiting.
Baked Scallops with Garlic Panko
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds bay scallops
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- minced scallions or parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and have one 8 x 8 baking dish or four small ramekins ready to use.
- In a medium bowl, toss scallops with melted butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cayenne. Divide mixture evenly between ramekins or place in baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix together panko, parmesan and olive oil. Sprinkle mixture evenly on top of scallops. Bake until bubbly and scallops are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Garnish with scallions or parsley to serve.
This may be a few years old, but I made this tonight and it was sooooo good. Thank you!!!
Isn’t it so good Krysti? So glad you enjoyed!
Delicious! I deviated a bit by omitting the breadcrumbs and serving over pasta with a little bit of arugula Thank you for the inspiration!
Great idea!
Bay scallops were on sale at my grocery, but I didn’t want to make a pasta or rice dish (as is usually recommended for bays), so I went searching for something else. This recipe is what I found. Being from New England, the cook-in-butter-with-breadcrumbs approach made sense. I cooked this last night, and it was incredibly easy and incredibly delicious. I thought it could easily be served with some linguini, too – or a crusty baguette to soak up the juices. But it was also perfect with asparagus on the side. Thank you!
Oh I’m so glad!! That sounds outstanding!
this was delicious!!
So glad Linda!
That was great. I used gluten free matzo meal instead of bread crumbs and crushed squeeze ginger instead of garlic. Even my kids loved it. My five year old has disliked all fish and seafood until this meal. He bravely tried it anyway and declared a love for these scallops. Thank you.
What a great idea! So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m making this for my birthday dinner with steak and baked potato salad and garlic bread and chocolate cake for dessert(small portions!) It’s definitely a luxury item I make it every now and then as a special treat.
That sounds heavenly! I hope you love it!
Wow … just made your baked scallops & it’s soo good!
I didn’t have any Panko breadcrumbs so I substituted almond flour & it worked great :)
For some reason when I google healthy low carb meals your site always pops up with perfect meal ideas just loved your breakfast egg muffins and now this baked scallops … thank u!
That makes me so happy! Great reminder to make these again for my husband, he loves them! Please keep me posted of what other recipes you make!
This was delicious.i added a puece of crispy crunchy bacon before serving.i used the hit pepper and this is one of the best meals i have made..yummmmmmmy
Oooo that sounds so good!!!!
Delicious! This was my first scallops dish and is a winner! It was so tasty I had to have seconds. I’ll be making this for family at an upcoming get together. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Absolutely delicious! I served mine on a bed of pan toasted orzo, cooked in chicken broth and lemon juice till liquid was absorbed. Then sprinkled toasted garlic slices, pepper and Parmesan cheese on top, with a drizzle of olive oil and a small green salad. Scallops were definitely a 10 out of 10!
so happy you enjoyed it Bob!
Can I just tell you how amazing this dish was? You probably already know that! The only deviation I made was to halve the scallops and added shrimp. Scallops here were $17.99 a lb! Wowzers. So I did a 1/2 lb and defrosted some frozen shrimp. It was perfect! Thank you so much. I’m sharing the recipe on my blog. Christine
Great idea to improvise with shrimp!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Gorgeous shots of a gorgeous dish ~ bay scallops are such a luxury, the next time I find them, this is the recipe I’m making. Perfect for a romantic dinner for two!
Thank you so much!! I hope you try it!
I will definitely have to try this, because it looks so incredible!
So good and buttery!
I love that these are baked!
My kids devoured them!
I am loving the sound of this dish. Seafood is such a treat!
I can’t wait to try these. What do you usually serve them with?
Roasted veggies (like cauliflower or broccoli) are my favorite but I have tons of great side dish recipes to choose from: https://thelemonbowl.com/side-dish
Absolutely love this for Valentine’s Day!!
SO easy and yummy! Would go great with your cookies ;)