Deep-Fried Scallops

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/23/22
Tested by Joan Velush
Deep-fried scallops in a white serving bowl

The Spruce
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
427 Calories
28g Fat
36g Carbs
8g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 427
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 63mg 21%
Sodium 278mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 72mg 6%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 119mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Health-conscious it may not be, but most everything tastes better fried—including scallops. The deep fryer is an excellent way to cook scallops, and it takes out some of the trepidation you might feel if cooking scallops feels intimidating. After all, they're not the cheapest seafood you can buy, so the fear of messing them up is a common one. Scallops are succulent, and luckily, they are especially good when deep-fried.

These deep-fried scallops are first dipped in a seasoned flour mixture, then they are dipped in egg batter and dry bread crumbs. It's a slightly messy process, but it's not difficult. Once you make them, they can be drained on a baking sheet rimmed with paper towels. They're best eaten the day you make them.

1:20

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“Fried sea scallops are a real treat and easy to prepare following this simple method. Be sure to bread all your scallops before you begin frying and the rest is easy. A quick homemade tartar sauce is  delicious with this dish.” —Joan Velush

Deep-Fried Scallops/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 cups vegetable oil, or amount needed for deep-frying

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 large eggs

  • 3 tablespoons milk (or water)

  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs 

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather ingredients.

    Deep fried scallops ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. If scallops are quite large, cut them so the sizes are fairly uniform.

    Scallops cut into smaller sizes with scissors
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  3. Rinse the scallops under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Remove the tough white side muscle if not already removed.

    Wash and dry scallops
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  4. Heat about 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep, heavy cast-iron skillet, saucepan, or deep fryer to 335 F.

    Oil heating in a cast iron skillet
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  5. Line a baking pan or baking sheet with 2 or 3 thicknesses of paper towels and set aside.

    Baking sheet lined with paper towels
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  6. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, paprika, and black pepper.

    Flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in bowl
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  7. In another bowl, whisk eggs with the milk.

    Eggs and milk whisked in a bowl
    The Spruce

  8. Put the fine breadcrumbs in a third bowl.

    Breadcrumbs in a white bowl
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  9. Dip a few of the scallops in the seasoned flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, and then roll them in the breadcrumbs to coat. Repeat with the remaining scallops.

    Dip scallops in flour mixture, egg and milk mixture, and breadcrumbs
    The Spruce

  10. Once the oil has reached the temperature (335 F), add several scallops―about 6 to 10 depending on the pan size―to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Take care not to overcook. They should be warm in the middle, but still moist.

    Add scallops to oil and fry until golden brown
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  11. Remove them from the oil with a metal slotted spoon and transfer them to the paper-towel-lined pan. Shake the pan gently for a few seconds so the scallops roll around and excess oil is absorbed.

    Add fried scallops to towel lined baking pan
    The Spruce 

  12. Repeat with subsequent batches. Keep an eye on the oil temperature and adjust the heat as needed to maintain a temperature between 225 and 250.

    Cooked scallops draining on a towel lined baking pan
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  13. Serve immediately with your choice of cocktail sauce, rémoulade sauce, or tartar sauce. Enjoy.

    Finished scallops with tartar sauce in a bowl
    The Spruce

Tips

  • Don't crowd the scallops in the pan. Crowding will make the oil cool down significantly, and the breadcrumb coating will end up absorbing more oil.
  • Make a quick homemade tartar sauce by combining 2/3 cup of mayonnaise with 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet bread and butter pickles and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Cover and chill until serving time.

Variations

  • Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning to replace the salt and paprika.
  • Spice the scallops up with a pinch of cayenne pepper, or reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon and add about 1 teaspoon of Cajun or Creole seasoning.
  • Use fine dry bread crumbs seasoned with garlic for the coating.

How to Store Deep-Fried Scallops

Like most fried foods, and especially fish and shellfish, scallops are best eaten right after they've been made. But you can reheat them if you have leftovers.

Take the scallops out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 F. Once the scallops have reached room temperature put them on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.