They have a distinctive fanned-out shell and up to 100 small blue eyes along their shell's opening. Peak scallop season is in late fall and winter, although they are available year-round. When cooking, sea scallops are ideal for searing, while bay scallops are best for quick sautés and broiling.

Their primary predators are starfish, particularly species like the common starfish (Asterias rubens) and the purple sea star (Pisaster ochraceus), which pry open the scallop’s shell using their tube feet and digest their inner tissues.

17 Easy Seafood Recipes That Are Impossible To Mess Up Scallop and Bacon Spaghetti Cajun Seafood Pasta 1,227 Ratings

There are many varieties of scallop, but the most common is the tiny bay scallop, found in East Coast bays and estuaries, and the larger sea scallop, which exists in deep, cold waters on the ocean floor.

This guide offers 25 flavorful scallop recipes plus expert tips to help you master restaurant-style results in your own kitchen. Few dishes capture the elegance of seafood quite like perfectly seared scallops.

This is the part that we eat! The interior muscle of a scallop can range in color from white to pink or even orange. When cooked, the muscle becomes round and tender, making it a favorite among seafood lovers. Scallops are also known for their impressive swimming abilities.

Once you understand how a scallop reaches the dock, the differences shift to the type itself. Here, we'll break down eight distinct kinds of scallops and how their size, sweetness, and texture differ from one another.