14 Ways To Add More Flavor To Scallops

Cooking scallops at home might be one of those things that just seems like it's way out of most people's wheelhouses — especially considering how often Gordon Ramsay screams about scallops to hapless "Hell's Kitchen" contestants. What chance do the rest of us have if they can't get it right?

The pressure must be getting to them because scallops aren't that difficult and are easy to tell when they're done. A pan, a few ingredients, and three minutes on each side, and they're done. And that's the key: Done right, they have an amazing, crispy-on-the-outside, buttery-on-the-inside texture and a flavor that's sure to please even the biggest seafood skeptics. Scallops are perfectly fine when they're fried up with no extra help, but because they lack that fishy flavor that so much seafood comes with, they're an ideal canvas for something more. Like what? That's what we're going to talk about. It's super easy to add a kick of flavor to your scallops, and you might just find that it's so easy, they're going to be added to your weekly meal rotation.

There's a saying that everything is better with bacon, and we think that's absolutely true. Can you name a food that isn't taken to the next level with bacon? Even chocolate chip cookies and ice cream have gotten the bacon treatment, and when it comes to scallops, you're definitely going to be whipping up something next-level if you decide to go the bacon-wrapped route.

The trick to truly delectable bacon-wrapped scallops is to cook the bacon just part of the way and baste the scallops with the bacon fat before baking them. Right, so no one ever said that there was anything super healthy about this, but, sometimes, you just deserve a bacon-wrapped dinner. And here's the brilliant thing about this: There's a lot of this idea that's fairly hands-off, so that makes it an ideal appetizer to whip up alongside something else. It's also just as great as a main course, served with something like risotto or pasta. Don't feel like digging out the bacon? You can also make a flavorful scallop by wrapping them in prosciutto. This one is a little lighter because you're not going to be using all that bacon fat, but, let's be honest, anything made with bacon fat is delicious.

While seeing scallops on a plate might be the norm, there's a brilliant way to cook and serve them that increases the flavor infinitely. For that, we're going to look at Japanese cuisine and dashi. What is dashi? The simplest description is that it's a broth, but it's so much more than that.

This idea comes with two steps, and one is to pan-sear the scallops as usual, and then — instead of just putting them on a plate — serve them in a bowl with dashi. That sounds incredibly straightforward, and it is. At the same time, scallops in dashi have almost endless possibilities, because dashi can be made in a variety of ways. It's a very stock-like ingredient, but instead of coming mainly in chicken, beef, and vegetable varieties, dashi can be made from ingredients like (but not limited to) mushrooms, sardines, soybeans, bonito flakes, seaweed, shrimp, and adzuki beans. No matter what kind of dashi you use, you'll be adding something invaluable to your scallops: umami. And that? That makes it a total win.

If there's one thing that we like more than a recipe that turns something ordinary into something extraordinary, it's a tip or trick that does that with minimal effort and no extra dishes. If that's the case in your kitchen, Cajun-spiced scallops served with pasta are a dish for you.

Although we wholeheartedly recommend serving these scallops with creamy Cajun pasta, that's definitely not a requirement. What is a requirement is the Cajun seasoning, which makes this neat little trick super easy. Before pan-searing your scallops, just make sure they're dry, then press each side into the seasoning. Cook as you normally would, and all that delicious flavor from the blackened spices will turn those scallops into a dish that's worth writing home about. Seriously — it's the sort of thing that makes a meal into the sort of thing that gets requested for special occasions, and you don't have to tell anyone that it's easy enough to make on a Wednesday night.

One of the best things about scallops is that they lend themselves to being a vehicle for all different kinds of flavors, and they also give plenty of opportunities for using ingredients that might not be an everyday sort of thing for many people. One such ingredient is koji, a traditional ingredient in Japanese cuisine that's getting traction in other parts of the world.

What is koji? Mold, but not in a bad way. Koji is made through a series of fermentation processes that involve growing the mold on grains, rice, or beans, then turning it into the final product. Like so many Japanese ingredients, koji adds a delicious depth of flavor that's known as umami, and, while it's hard to describe, it's the sort of thing that elevates whatever is on the plate. When it comes to scallops, it's pretty easy to use koji either alone or alongside other ingredients. Why? Because it starts with using the koji to cure the scallops in the fridge for a few hours or even a few days prior to cooking. While that means this is going to take some planning ahead, it's absolutely worth it — and it might just mean koji will become a regular feature in your kitchen.

Let's say you went out of your way to pick up some really nice scallops. They're super-fresh, they're bigger than you thought scallops could be, and they were packaged up by the fishmonger who handed them over along with the advice to use them straight away. Those are the kind of scallops that you don't want to lose beneath a heavy sauce or seasoning, and in this case, a dash of lemon is the perfect way to add some flavor without overpowering the scallops themselves.

In fact, the simplest seared scallops call just for a quick seasoning with some salt and pepper, then a quick sear in the pan to that perfect doneness. And then? Grab a lemon, slice it into wedges, and serve those wedges on the side. Squeeze a dash of lemon before eating, and it doesn't get much closer to the ocean than that. You can also do scallops in an air fryer, and adding just a bit of lemon with some Italian seasoning all but guarantees a delicious meal in just a few minutes. Looking to add something a little more substantial? Serve over pasta, alongside risotto, or with a three-bean salad, and you're not going to go wrong.

Let's be honest here, there's not that much that's super fun about being an adult. There's a merciless amount of laundry that always has to be done, there are always errands that need to be run, and there's always an ever-growing list of chores that are waiting for attention. The good news is that there is one thing that's pretty cool about being a grown-up, and that's the chance to cook with alcohol (and perhaps while partaking in a little cocktail on the side while you do).

Some of the best and easiest recipes for pan-seared scallops involve adding a splash of white wine to the pan. White wine and scallops go together like peanut butter and jelly, but that's not the only option. Scallops made with a splash of whiskey added to the pan at the end of cooking deglazed, then put back over the heat can make for a fun and flavorful meal, especially when paired with fruit like blueberries. You could also opt for serving up scallops in a cream sauce elevated with a dash of beer — preferably your favorite IPA. And if you're going to all the trouble to make scallops, consider picking up a bottle of wine to go with them. Depending on how you're making them — and how you're kicking the flavor up a notch — you might want to pick up a dry Chardonnay, a Spanish white wine, a Champagne, or even a fruity rosé.

Here's something fun to look to for a meal when you want to pull out all the stops: Seared scallops in coffee dust, with a coffee vinaigrette. Now, admit it: You just went, "What?" and then, "Ohhh," right? The coffee dust is instant coffee, and it's mixed into an olive oil vinaigrette that's made to be drizzled over the veg you're going to serve alongside your scallops (we like asparagus!). It's also sprinkled over the cooked and buttered scallops at the very end, right before serving. All that coffee goodness, melting into the hot scallops? Sounds divine, right? Not only is it divine, but it'll have guests asking for your secrets.

We have one more recommendation for this meal, too. Whether you're making it for a special date night or just an everyday meal, it's a great reason to finish dinner off with one of those coffee cocktails you love, but might not always think of making. Try a White Russian, reach for the rum and mix up a Carajillo, or turn that cocktail into a dessert with a chocolatey mudslide. Life's tough: Treat yourself.

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