Perfectly Cooked Scallops: A Guide to Sautéing & Preparation

Cooking Scallops Browse the article Cooking Scallops

Cooking Scallops

Scallops come in two varieties -- bay or sea. During cooking, scallops turn milky white or opaque and firm. Depending on the size of the scallop, it generally takes 3 to 4 minutes to cook.

Sauteing Scallops

The word "sauté" is derived from the French word sauter, meaning "to jump." Sauteing is the technique of rapidly cooking or browning food in a small amount of fat in a skillet. The food is constantly stirred, turned, or tossed to keep it from sticking or burning.

1. Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat.
   
   

   
   Make sure the oil is well heated before you add the scallops.
   
   

2. Add scallops; cook and stir 2 to 4 minutes until scallops are opaque. Remove from heat.

Try It!

Here is a great scallops recipe from our collection:

• Scallops and Marinara Sauce on Spinach Fettuccine

Want more information? Try these:

• Cooking: Learn the ins and outs of some basic cooking techniques in this helpful article.
• Cooking Seafood: Get your feet wet by exploring the best ways to prepare seafood.
• Shellfish: From shrimp and lobster to clams, mussels, and more, you'll find valuable information on shellfish at HowStuffWorks.
• Shellfish Recipes: Dive into the many amazing shellfish recipes featured in this article.
• Cooking Mussels: Mussels need some prep work, such as debearding, before you can cook and thoroughly enjoy them. Find helpful tips on cooking mussels at HowStuffWorks.