How To Reheat Scallops? – The Best Guide!

Despite how luscious and flavorful the freshly pan-seared scallops are, yet, you might find yourself with some scallops leftover. Don’t even think about throwing them away.

I gathered that there is a common misconception that seafood can’t be reheated by the amount of people with the question of “Can you reheat scallops“. That’s why I am here to show you How to reheat scallops to perfection. It will taste just like the freshly made ones!

Through this article, I am going to give you a step-by-step detailed guide of every possible method to warm up any leftover scallops. In addition to, the proper way to store them in the first place so that you could easily reheat them without finding any trouble.

Reheating scallops:

It is certainly possible and in fact, easy to reheat scallops. However, the most important thing for the whole process to be successful is for you to store the cooked scallops correctly. I am going to share with you two ways to easily store the scallops:

• Put them directly in an airtight container. Make sure the scallops exactly fit the size of the container and that there is no excess room for any extra air to exist, as the air might affect the quality of the stored scallops.
• The second method will decrease the chance for any air to be present with the stored scallops, that could be achieved by tightly wrapping your remaining scallops with aluminum foil and then with an extra layer of plastic wrap, and for a final step to ensure the best conditions of storing, is to put the wrapped scallops in an airtight container.

Refrigerated scallops can withstand 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Through this period of time, you can easily reheat them and enjoy them like the freshly made ones.

Once we made sure the quality of the scallops won’t be affected by the storage conditions, we can focus now on the reheating methods themselves. Choosing the right method of reheating is essential, as not all of the methods result in the same quality, but what’s even more important is the cooking time for each method. Scallops can easily turn from juicy and soft to chewy and dry in a matter of seconds if overcooked.

The fact that scallops are type of seafood kind of strikes another problem that we need to bear in our mind when warming them up, which is ensuring that their internal temperature reaches 125-140 °F. And that’s to avoid any type of food-related bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Can you reheat scallops in the microwave?

Sure the microwave is a fast method of warming up food. However, Microwave should never be your go-to when it comes to warming up seafood, especially scallops. It will save you time, but the outcome will definitely be a turnoff. The center will probably be cold while the outside of the scallops will overcook and dry out.

If by chance you have no other option but the microwave, then I suggest you to sprinkle some water on the top of the scallops and cover them with plastic wrap before you transfer them to the microwave to decrease the moisture that will be lost during their reheating.

Reheating the scallops on the stovetop:

It is one of the best methods of warming up leftover scallops that really results in entirely well heated scallops. The only downside is that it needs constant and careful monitoring as the scallops can easily dry up.

Here’s how to reheat scallops on the stovetop:

1. Let the refrigerated scallops reach room temperature after taking them off the fridge.
2. Adjust the flame to low-medium heat before you place your non-stick pan on top of it. Align your scallops on the pan. Don’t set the heat on high as it will probably overcook and burn your scallops.
3. Drizzle some drops of water before covering the pan with a lid so that the scallops can heat up with the steam formed.
4. Let them heat for a few minutes, uncover the lid, then flip each scallop so that they can evenly warm up.
5. Once they are heated enough, check their internal temperature before taking them off the pan. It should be between 125 and 140°F.
6. Serve the scallops and enjoy!

If you want to get fancy with your reheated scallops and impress your guests even if they are not exactly freshly cooked. Here’s a simple trick you can make:

In a small pan, melt a couple cubes of butter. Allow the butter to brown a bit and reach its maximum flavor, then add in finely chopped shallots. Leave for a few seconds, then take the pan off the heat, sprinkle thyme and parsley.

And before you drizzle this heavenly sauce on top of the reheated scallops, squeeze a fresh lemon on the sauce, and voila!

You will have yourself juicy and heavenly scallops!

What Is the Best Way to Reheat Scallops?

Now, it is time to share with you what I consider is the best way to warm up your scallops. Easy, simple, and guaranteed outcome.

Reheating the scallops using the oven:

The chances of the scallops drying out using the oven is kind of slim, plus the fact that it evenly warms up the scallops and doesn’t need to be monitored carefully.

Here are step-by-step instructions for reheating scallops in the oven:

1. Let the oven preheat at 275°F, and while it is preheating, take the scallops out of the fridge to allow them to reach room temperature before placing them in the oven. This is important as it will further encourage the scallops to equally warm up from the inside as well as the outside. Don’t leave them for more than two hours outside of the fridge.
2. Align the scallops on a tray or a baking pan.
3. Sprinkle some water on top of the scallops so that they form steam in the oven which will evenly warm up the scallops.
4. Transfer the pan to the oven after covering it with aluminum foil. This will keep the steam inside to heat up the scallops and prevent the external from drying and burning out.
5. Leave the tray for about 15 minutes, but check the internal temperature after 10 minutes whether it reached 125°F or not. If it is heated enough, then no need to leave them for the extra 5
6. Serve and enjoy!

How can I reheat frozen scallops?

Refrigerating scallops are meant for you to consume within 3-4 days of refrigeration, but in the case that you want to leave them for a longer period of time, then freezing might be your only option.

Scallops can generally stay in the freezer for 3 to 6 months. However, I usually recommend consuming them within 2-3 months maximum, as they tend to lose more of their flavor and taste after this time.

Just tightly wrap them in aluminum foil and plastic wrap and leave them in a 0°F freezer. Whenever you feel like eating scallops, allow them to thaw first in the fridge, then reheat them using any of the previously mentioned methods.

An extra piece of advice: cooking frozen scallops in stews and casseroles might even taste better than warming them up like the refrigerated ones.

How can I reheat Bacon-Wrapped Scallops?

Scallops wrapped bacon might sound complicated when it comes to reheating them. However, they might be the easiest to actually warm up. The best way to go will be the oven.

Here’s how to reheat bacon wrapped scallops:

1. Sprinkle some oil to grease the pan so that the scallops don’t stick.
2. Put the pan on the highest shelf in the oven after adjusting the heat to medium-high.
3. Let them warm up for about 25 minutes, but monitor them carefully so that the bacon doesn’t burn and dry out.

You can also go for the stovetop method, but you will need to cover the pan well and place it on a medium-high heat flame for 3-4 minutes.

How can I Reheat Pasta with Scallops?

If you have a whole plate leftover that is made of pasta and scallops, don’t worry you can easily warm it up.

Here’s how to reheat pasta with scallops:

1. Separate the pasta from the scallops.
2. Add your pasta to a microwavable plate, then sprinkle drops of water on top of the pasta. Move the plate to the microwave for the pasta to heat up. Adjust the time for a minute.
3. Once the paste warmed up enough, take it off the microwave, add in the scallops that were left at room temperature, then mix the scallops with the pasta to warm up slightly with the heat released from the reheated pasta. Enjoy!

Using the microwave to reheat the pasta isn’t your only option. You can reheat the pasta however you prefer. The key trick here is heating it enough so that once they are mixed with the scallops is the whole dish becomes warm and delicious.

Julie

Hi, I’m Julie, the passionate foodie and founder of Juliesfamilykitchen.com. I created this blog out of a drive to prove someone wrong, and then I realized how much I truly enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. In my free time, when I’m not running around after my kids or spending quality time with my partner, you can usually find me in the kitchen experimenting with new dishes.