29 Scallop Recipes for Restaurant-Worthy Dinners at Home

The best scallop recipes are the ones that let the natural sweetness of the shellfish shine. The simplest way to cook scallops is to sear them and dress with a little melted butter and lemon juice, which is as easy and delicious as it sounds. But the versatility of this shellfish means that you can also put them in a stew, grill them, enjoy them raw, drizzle them with beurre blanc, or even toss it with pasta like linguine, angel hair, or busiate. Most of these recipes don’t require a lot of prep time and are perfect for quick weeknight meals, no-fuss appetizers, dinner party mains, or an effortless dinner for a date night in.

Scallops are best paired with sweet corn and ripe tomatoes in the summer and are excellent when served atop creamy risotto or lengthy pasta—think linguine or angel hair—in the winter. Regardless of season you can’t go wrong when cooking scallops with white wine or bacon, in a garlic butter sauce, or a simple seasoning of sea salt and black pepper.

If you’re working with frozen scallops, thaw them in the fridge and dry well before cooking. Some choose to rinse fresh scallops in cool water to dislodge any lingering sandy particles, but it usually isn’t necessary—just pat them dry with reusable or paper towels. You can also soak scallops in milk (for about 1 hour in the refrigerator) to tenderize them further and eliminate any fishy odors. Again, be sure to pat dry before cooking.

Many recipes will instruct you to remove the small muscle attached to the side of scallops before cooking them. These side muscles can become tough when cooking whole scallops, but don’t throw them away. Save them up to toss into a soup, where they’ll tenderize, or blend into a seafood patty with shrimp.

Below you’ll find our best scallops recipes, including simple appetizers, easy main dishes, and even restaurant-worthy showstoppers like scallop crudo.