Description
Golden and crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, these panko-fried sea scallops bring restaurant-quality seafood to your home with ease and just a touch of spice.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 lb large dry sea scallops, side muscles removed
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Remove the small side muscles from the scallops, if present, and pat them completely dry with paper towels.
- Set up a dredging station with three bowls: flour in the first, beaten egg in the second, and panko mixed with cayenne pepper in the third.
- Season scallops lightly with salt and pepper just before dredging.
- Dredge each scallop in flour, then dip in egg, and coat with panko mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks.
- Place coated scallops on a plate and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes to help the crust adhere.
- Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet until shimmering; a pinch of panko should sizzle when added.
- Fry scallops in batches, cooking each for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Avoid flipping more than once.
- Transfer fried scallops to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with flaky sea salt immediately.
- Serve hot with lemon wedges or a dipping sauce like aioli or sriracha mayo.
Notes
Refrigerating the scallops before frying helps the coating stay on better.
Use dry scallops for best results—moisture prevents crisping.
Try smoked paprika or garlic powder as a variation on the seasoning.
Baking is an option for a lighter version—still crispy but less rich.
Leftovers can be reheated in an oven or air fryer at 375°F for 5–7 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 297
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
