Breaded Scallops Recipe (Easy!)

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You'll love these baked breaded scallops!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Low Lactose

Servings: -5

Calories: 242kcal

Author: Mamma C

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

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.

Thawing Scallops

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.

If using bay scallops, which are small, bake them at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes or until done.

Don't use packages of "scallop pieces" because they come in all different sizes and don't cook evenly.