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Mastering Scallops
Recipe
55 min

Garlicky Scallops with Bread Crumbs

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Garlicky Scallops with Bread Crumbs
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on February 2, 2026

Saucy scallops blanketed with toasted crumbs represents the best of old-fashioned American cooking, but not when the seafood is waterlogged and tough.

Time

55 min

Yield

Serves 4

Why This Recipe Works

To avoid a waterlogged and tough seafood dish with a raw alcohol flavor, we turned to a stovetop skillet when making our garlicky scallop recipe. We seared the scallops on one side, removed them from the pan, built the sauce in the empty pan, and returned the scallops to finish cooking in the sauce. To eliminate the alcohol flavor, we cut the sherry with bottled clam juice, letting the mixture simmer for several minutes to concentrate the flavors and cook off excess alcohol.

Ingredients

3 inch piece baguette, cut into small pieces
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 pounds large sea scallops, tough tendon removed
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓-⅔ cup clam juice (bottled)
⅓ cup dry sherry
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground; you should have about 1 cup crumbs. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add crumbs, shallot, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley and transfer to plate to cool. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
  2. Thoroughly dry scallops with paper towels; toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Return skillet to high heat, add 2 teaspoons oil, and heat until shimmering. Add half of scallops in single layer and cook until well-browned, about 5 minutes (do not flip scallops). Remove pan from heat and transfer scallops to large strainer set over bowl to catch any accumulated juices. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and scallops; transfer scallops to strainer.
  3. Return skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. When melted, add garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until garlic just begins to color, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Pour accumulated scallop juices into measuring cup and add enough clam juice to measure 2/3 cup. Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in clam juice mixture and sherry. Bring to simmer and cook until mixture reduces to 3/4 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in lemon juice and remaining tablespoon parsley. Reduce heat to medium-low, return scallops to pan, and toss to combine. Cook, covered, until scallops are pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve with lemon wedges.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low, return scallops to pan, and toss to combine. Cook, covered, until scallops are pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Garlicky Scallops with Bread Crumbs

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on February 2, 2026

Time

55 min

Yield

Serves 4

Garlicky Scallops with Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

3 inch piece baguette, cut into small pieces5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves2 pounds large sea scallops, tough tendon removed4 teaspoons vegetable oil4 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour⅓-⅔ cup clam juice (bottled)⅓ cup dry sherry2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground; you should have about 1 cup crumbs. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add crumbs, shallot, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley and transfer to plate to cool. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
  2. Thoroughly dry scallops with paper towels; toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Return skillet to high heat, add 2 teaspoons oil, and heat until shimmering. Add half of scallops in single layer and cook until well-browned, about 5 minutes (do not flip scallops). Remove pan from heat and transfer scallops to large strainer set over bowl to catch any accumulated juices. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and scallops; transfer scallops to strainer.
  3. Return skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. When melted, add garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until garlic just begins to color, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Pour accumulated scallop juices into measuring cup and add enough clam juice to measure 2/3 cup. Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in clam juice mixture and sherry. Bring to simmer and cook until mixture reduces to 3/4 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in lemon juice and remaining tablespoon parsley. Reduce heat to medium-low, return scallops to pan, and toss to combine. Cook, covered, until scallops are pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve with lemon wedges.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low, return scallops to pan, and toss to combine. Cook, covered, until scallops are pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve with lemon wedges.
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