Magic Crispy Baked Shrimp has been a favorite at 12 Tomatoes for long while now, so we thought why not take some of those same tricks and use them on something new… like scallops! And the end result was just as magical as the original – tender, succulent scallops surrounded in buttery, garlicky, crispy goodness AND an easy baked preparation to boot. It’s the type of dish that seems too good to be true, but it’s good to believe in a little magic every once in a while.

This is a situation where the oven does most of the work for you. It reduces the sauce, it gives the scallops their crispy coating… there’s no stovetop work at all for you to worry about. Just add some butter and white wine to your baking dish and pop it in the oven for a few minutes until the sauce reduces.

While that cooks, you’ll stir the scallops into a mixture of olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. It’s just the right flavor combo to accent the scallops but not overwhelm them, but the crispy topping is what really makes these magic. And I love that that’s done without frying!

You just stir together some panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and parmesan cheese and sprinkle it over the scallops. Everything bakes together in the oven – about fifteen minutes will take the scallops to perfect doneness and make the breadcrumb topping irresistibly crispy, all together with a buttery white wine sauce that’s perfect for spooning over pasta. Pure magic!