Best Recipes That Start with Frozen Bay Scallops

Carl Hanson is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes who has been writing about food and wine for nearly 20 years. He enjoys creating content that informs, entertains, and assists busy home cooks get nourishing meals on the table for their families.

We love our packages of frozen shrimp. But for quick weeknight meals, there's more than one shellfish in the sea! It's always nice to have variety, and frozen bay scallops are a great secret weapon. Small, sweet, and tender bay scallops are less expensive than silver dollar-size sea scallops, and they thaw and cook super quickly — keep a package in the freezer and they're always on hand for versatile, family-friendly dinners. We've gathered together some of our very favorite bay scallop recipes, featuring pasta dishes, chowders, risottos, and more!

A complete one-dish meal. "This is one of my mom's favorite noodle dishes!" says Diana71. "I've spiced it up a bit with more chili crisp than she would normally use, but it's worth it! The thin spaghetti noodles get an Asian flare, and the mini scallops add a wonderful but subtle seafood flavor. The broccoli is cooked perfectly since it is steamed first."

Combining bay scallops, mushrooms, onions, and garlic, "this recipe is quick-and-easy to make and requires only one pan to complete," says Evelyn Chartres. It's ready in about 25 minutes.

This creamy chowder features tender bay scallops, bacon, cubed potatoes, and just the right amount of spice, with a generous splash of cream at the end and a little lemon zest for some zing. "Very easy, incredibly delicious scallop chowder," says Chef John. "If you want a thicker, more traditional chowder base, simply mash some of your potatoes into the mixture."

Very fast and easy, these seared bay scallops in a simple sherry cream sauce are ready in about the time it takes the pasta to cook. Chef John says, "I cook the scallops a bit longer than many chefs, but that gives the dish more flavor, and they're still tender and moist. I think you'll agree, the sherry sauce benefits significantly from the longer cook time."

Here's a simple and fresh pasta with bay scallops, sautéed zucchini, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped tomatoes, and fresh basil. It's so quick and easy —and ready in about 30 minutes! "I used frozen scallops and they were delicious," says JANETP. "The fresh basil makes it taste like something from a restaurant."

"Delicious baked scallops with butter and garlic," says John Bragg. "Bay scallops are the little ones and they tend to be sweeter tasting than sea scallops."

"Great starter for an elegant dinner party or a main course," says ewilson11. "Works well with many different dressings, but I prefer the balsamic. Enjoy!"

Here's a rich bay scallop chowder made with mushrooms, garlic, leeks, a splash of sherry, and milk instead of cream. Recipe reviewer Bonnie says, "I transferred the soup base to a slow cooker and let it simmer for an hour or two, then added the scallops an hour or so before I wanted to serve it."

"Scallop Scampi is a healthy and delicious recipe with lots of taste," says NIKKICOM. "Serve with crusty bread and a green salad, if desired. If you like a thicker sauce, you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch at the end."

"These spicy scallops are good on their own or can be served in lettuce wraps, tacos, salads, or served over rice, pasta, etc.," says Soup Loving Nicole. "Serve with lemon wedges if desired."

Here's one that combines bay scallops and shrimp in a creamy risotto seasoned with basil and lemon juice. "Absolutely loved the combination of flavors," says nietsche979. "This is a great launching pad for testing out different ingredients. Excellent. Thanks for the fantastic meal."

"Shrimp, bay scallops, and crabmeat sautéed in a white wine and lemon sauce, and tossed with hot cooked pasta shells," says Beth Lewis. "Every time I cook for a large group, this is requested. Great tasting and really simple to make!"

"Delicious and easy ceviche. Always a crowd-pleaser!" says Genevieve Johns Seivert. "You can also serve it with tortilla chips as a dip. The action of the acid in the lime juice cooks the scallops, firming the flesh and turning it opaque."

Stuff pastry shells with a creamy mixture of bay scallops, mushrooms, shallots, tarragon, half-and-half, wine, sherry, mustard, and Parmesan cheese. "Put these out for a game-day buffet, and watch them be the first to leave the table," says lutzflcat. "They're even fancy enough to serve for a special dinner. Garnish with fresh tarragon if desired."

Top Israeli couscous with bay scallops in a simple butter, olive oil, and white wine sauce with garlic, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. The Dubna rates it 5 stars: "Quick and easy and delicious! Definitely worth it!"