Baked Parmesan Scallops

Baked Parmesan Scallops are an easy, yet elegant, appetizer or dinner entree that’s perfect for holidays or special occasions. Garlic and herb butter and a blend of Italian cheeses lend tons of flavor!

How many times have you had rubbery, flavorless scallops? For years I was convinced that scallops were just not my thing. It was a wonderful surprise when I finally had a perfectly cooked, tender, and juicy scallop. It was like butter in my mouth and I was in love!

The key is to not overcook the scallops. They’re done perfectly as soon as they turn opaque. Follow this one simple rule and you can kiss those rubbery, flavorless scallops goodbye forever.

How To Buy Scallops

Shop for scallops with your eyes and your nose. Look for scallops that look firm, moist, but not milky. There should be no dark edges, large ridges on top, or look dry.

Give the scallops a sniff. They should smell like seaweed, but not overly fishy, and never like iodine. If there isn’t any odor at all and they are very white, they have probably been soaked in STP to preserve them. Walk away.

Cook the scallops the day that you buy them for the best results. If you have to store them, wrap them in a plastic baggie and place the bag in a large bowl of ice. Be sure that no water can leech into the bag with the scallops. Place the bowl of ice and scallops into the coldest part of your refrigerator. Cook the scallops within a day or two at most.

Ingredients Needed

• Butter – I used salted butter, but if you use unsalted, just add a pinch of salt with the herbs.
• Garlic
• Fresh herbs – I used rosemary, thyme, and parsley, but your favorite herbs will work wonderfully. Chives, parsley, and thyme would be delicious. Tarragon, thyme, and lemon zest would give your scallops a French flair. Be creative!
• Sea scallops
• Freshly grated Italian cheeses – I used half Parmesan Reggiano and a mixture of fontina and asiago. You could also buy a pre-grated Italian blend as well.

Steps To Make This Recipe

1. Make the herb butter by mixing together the butter and herbs.
2. Rinse and dry the scallops. Then place one scallop in each of your food-safe scallop shells.
3. Place a spoonful of the butter and some of the grated cheese on the scallops.
4. Bake until the scallops have just turned opaque. You can use a fork to carefully lift up the cheese to take a peek at the scallop underneath.

Tips And Tricks

• If you use frozen scallops, thaw them in a colander over a bowl in your refrigerator. Pat them dry and continue the recipe as written.
• Don’t have scallop shells? No worries! Simply place the scallops into a casserole dish and top each scallop with a dollop of butter and then the cheese. Bake until the scallops have just turned opaque.
• For a heartier dish, add a bit of white wine to the scallop shell before adding the scallop, herb butter, and cheese. Then after baking, serve the scallop with a slice of toasted baguette to sop up the delicious juices.

If you liked this recipe, please check out a few of our other seafood recipes:

• Luxurious Crab Bisque
• Spicy Seafood Dip
• Scallops Bruno
• Light And Crunchy Fried Shrimp
• Shrimp Cocktail
• Honey Bourbon Glazed Scallops
• Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi
• Classic Shrimp Etouffee
• Mexican Shrimp Ceviche
• Tavern On The Green Crab Cakes
• Thai Fish Cakes
• Spicy Shrimp Creole
• Shrimp Fra Diavolo
• Lemon Garlic Roasted Swordfish

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