This classic Coquilles St Jacques recipe is the bomb! Also spelled out as Coquilles Saint Jacques, I have been making it for over 20 years now and it always turns out really tasty! I started making it when I lived in Ontario and had many Quebecois friends introduced me to French recipes.
Now though, I have to say that I usually only make it 2 or 3 times a year on special occasions.
I generally buy frozen scallops and then for a special meal, if I have mushrooms I will make it for a nice treat. I almost never buy cream, so I usually use whole milk. This ends up tasting just as good. This recipe is easily modifiable!
Allergy Alert! This recipe contains shellfish and other ingredients that may trigger allergies. Please confirm your dietary needs prior to using this recipe.
For this recipe, I usually buy white button mushrooms. But the last time I made it I decided to use artichoke hearts, as I didn’t have mushrooms on hand. I was surprised at how well the artichoke hearts blended into the white wine sauce and gave it a slightly different flavor, but it was still excellent!
Keto Friendly Option
To make it a bit more keto friendly, I used almond bread crumbs in my casserole dish and regular bread crumbs in my husband’s. Then I only served mine with vegetables and he had pasta with his. It was worth it!
Please don’t hesitate to try this recipe and adjust slightly, as it really would be difficult to ruin it. Sometimes, depending on the size of the scallops, the seafood sauce flavor may not be as strong, but the wine and cheese make up for it. As well, depending on what type of cheese you prefer, it will taste slightly different. Either way, don’t worry, as it never turns out exactly the same. That’s the fun of it!
Anyway, here is the recipe. I really hope you enjoy it as much as my husband and I have over the years!
Ingredients for Coquilles Saint Jacques:
Caution: Please check the ingredients for any allergies / food sensitivities, before trying this recipe.
Thick Cream Sauce:
1 T Butter
2 T Flour
1/2 cup cream or whole milk
Salt and pepper (optional)
Remaining ingredients:
½ cup dry white wine
½ T parsley
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 T grated cheese (Mozzarella, Monterey, or Edam)
6-8 sliced mushrooms or artichoke hearts
Breadcrumbs 8-10 pieces per mini crock
2 – 3 T Parmesan cheese
1 lb of fresh or frozen scallops, 6-8 large scallops per person
Double sauce ingredients, if more than 2 people.
Instructions for Coquilles St Jacques:
Steam Scallops in a saucepan for 5 minutes. If frozen, steam 2 minutes longer. Set aside in liquid.
Make Thick Cream Sauce – melt the Butter in a separate sauce pan and add the flour, stirring into a thick paste. Let the paste cook as you stir until it almost looks translucent, about 5 minutes. Then slowly add cream/milk stirring to make a thick smooth sauce. (For future reference, this Thick Cream Sauce is the basis for any Cheese / White Wine sauce!)
Add salt and pepper as desired, heat but don’t boil. Slowly add white wine, 2/3 of the various cheeses (not parmasen), parsley, artichoke hearts or mushrooms. Add steamed scallops with their liquid.
Stir and transfer to one large or 2 individual casserole dishes.
Add 8-10 pieces of bread over top of sauce per person.
Then cover with remaining 1/3 of cheese and the parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees uncovered for 35-40 minutes until brown on top. Cover if needed last 10 minutes so it doesn’t burn.
Serve with pasta or vegetables and enjoy!
Recipe Card
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I hope you liked this recipe for classic Coquilles St. Jacques. Don’t forget to check out my other recipes. You might like my recipe for Creamy Caesar Salad. Please leave a comment if you like this Coquilles St Jacques recipe.
🙂 Bonnie