Tender and sweet Scallop Sushi is easy to make at home! Simply butterfly sashimi-grade scallops and place them on top of nigiri sushi rice, then garnish with spicy mayo and yuzu-flavored tobiko. They made a luxurious appetizer or prized addition to your sushi platter.
Our family loves sushi. Among many different kinds of sushi, one of our children’s favorites is Scallop Sushi. Not only do scallops taste good, but the best part is that farmed scallops are considered sustainable/eco-friendly choice.
When the scallop sashimi is really good quality, the flesh is slightly firm but tender, and the flavor is sweet with a clean finish.
To enjoy scallop sushi at home, all you need to do is to defrost the scallop, make sushi rice, and make nigiri sushi topped with the scallop. How easy is that! These will make a great appetizer for your next party. Enjoy!
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Scallop Sushi
Ingredients
- 2 sushi-grade scallops (defrosted if frozen previously)
- ⅓ cup sushi rice (cooked and seasoned) (see how to make Sushi Rice)
- wasabi (optional)
For the Tezu (vinegared hand-dipping water)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
For the Toppings (optional)
- 2 tsp yuzu-flavored tobiko (flying fish roe) (learn more about it in my tobiko post)
- 2 tsp Homemade Spicy Mayo (you can make my Spicy Mayo recipe)
- 2 leaves chives
Instructions
- Before You Start: If you haven‘t already made your sushi rice, please note that it takes about 90 minutes to prepare. Please see my tutorial How to Make Sushi Rice for complete instructions.
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut off the muscle from 2 sushi-grade scallops.
- Butterfly the scallops.
- Moisten your hands with tezu (vinegar water made with 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) and ¼ cup water). From ⅓ cup sushi rice (cooked and seasoned), pick up a tablespoon-sized ball of rice. Gently squeeze the rice in your right hand to form a rectangular block with rounded edges and sides. Apply some pressure to the rice while forming it into a sturdy base for the scallops. Repeat with the rest of the sushi rice.
- Garnish each formed piece of sushi rice with a small bit of wasabi (optional) and top it with a piece of butterflied scallop. Garnish on top with 2 tsp yuzu-flavored tobiko (flying fish roe) and 2 tsp Homemade Spicy Mayo and decorate with 2 leaves chives. Since the scallop is raw, enjoy it on the same day!
What is the best way to defrost frozen Hokkaido scallop to keep its freshness taste?
Hi Bonnie! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
Here are a few ways to defrost.
1. Use ice and salt. Mix ice cubes and 2~3% of salt in the bowl. Then place the frozen scallops between the ice, and cover. Leave it at room temperature for 1~2hours until it gets halfway soft for this recipe.
2. Leave the frozen scallops in the refrigerator for about 3 hours for this recipe.
3. Use water and salt. Place the frozen scallops in the bowl of water. Mix 3% of salt and leave it for 15~30 minutes at room temperature. (This works well, but the texture is not good as when you use ice cube)
We hope this is helpful!
Just make chirashi! So easy! So glad you mentioned tezu. That was a must in my mother’s kitchen. I have just sliced 6 huge sea scallops (frozen), about 1.75 inches diameter, and they are mostly still frozen but in the fridge. Sashimi? Sunomono? Ceviche? Chirashi? Not sure quite yet or mix it up! I’m picturing some cucumber, wakame, shoyu, bit of vinegar, wasabi, homemade lacto-fermented ginger. Simpler would be my choice or make them all! Such a decision to make!? Lol! Thanks, Nami, for all your posts!!!
Hi Chieko! Your chirashi must be delicious! All the choices sound very nice. It’s light and refreshing!
I am so excited to tried all of the recipes you have made.
Hi Dorriya! Aww thank you! Hope you enjoy them. 🙂
This was great. Presentation was spectacular! I did cut the butterfly in half, I was not sure how to fit the hole piece in my mouth. It was Delicious! I am checking out the other sushi recipes.
Hi Dean! So happy to hear you liked this recipe! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. 🙂
How do you make “yuzu-flavored tobiko”?
Hi Melanie! I get it from a Japanese supermarket. Instead of orange color, it’s yellow. There is also wasabi-flavored tobiko which is light green color tobiko. 🙂 Not quite sure how they make it…
I have never eaten raw scallops but I can imagine the flavor from farmed ones! Yum!
Donna, it’s really amazing and hope you get to try good scallop one day! 🙂