Elevate your dinner with these delicious seared scallops in a zesty lemon butter garlic sauce. With just a few ingredients and minimal effort, you can create a restaurant-worthy dish in no time.
Not only are they beautiful, but they taste like a little bit of heaven. If you love seafood like I do, try shrimp scampi, baked cod, and blackened mahi mahi.
Impress your dinner guests with this simple, delicious recipe for perfectly seared scallops. Get ready to elevate your cooking game! I have tried other ways to cook scallops, and they are good, but there is no comparison to the flavor of these delicacies. You can sear scallops like a head chef with just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes. Serve this dish over angel hair pasta or white rice with fresh asparagus.
What Are Scallops?
Scallops are free-swimming mollusks with hinged shells that live in saltwater environments. There are two types of scallops, and most people have an opinion on which tastes best, but I like both.
The larger ones are Atlantic sea scallops, found in shallow open waters and harvested wild. The smaller bay scallops are found in the seagrass beds of harbors and bays along the Atlantic coastal waters.
How to Sear Scallops
First, ensure that the wet scallops are good and dry. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with a pinch of salt right before searing. Use a mixture of oil and butter and get it good and hot, almost to the smoking point. Then add the scallops and sear for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes on the bottom, then flip and sear the other side. They should have a golden brown crust on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan, so if it is necessary, work in batches.
Ingredients Needed
- Scallops: with the side muscle removed
- Oil: olive oil or canola oil
- Garlic: fresh is always best
- Lemons: for juice and garnish
- Seasonings: chopped fresh parsley, thyme, or dill, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation Tips
- If using frozen scallops, they should be completely thawed. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of ice-cold water just until thawed.
- Let scallops rest for 5 minutes at room temperature.
- Work with dry scallops. Dry sea scallops thoroughly with paper towels.
- Scallops become opaque when cooked through. They cook very quickly and become tough and chewy if overcooked.
- Try other citrus flavors like orange and lime.
More Seafood Recipes
Seared Scallops with Garlic Lemon Butter
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb sea scallops side muscle removed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1-2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or other fresh herbs
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt right before cooking.
- Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Get the fat good and hot and almost to the smoking point. Add scallops and sear for 1 1/2 -2 minutes on each side. They should have a golden crust on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan, so if necessary, cook in batches. As cooked, remove to plate.
- Wipe out the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the same skillet over low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice and return scallops to pan. Warm scallops for 1-2 minutes, turning several times to get them in the lemon butter. Sprinkle with parsley, salt, and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
Notes
- If using frozen scallops, they should be completely thawed. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of ice-cold water just until thawed.
- Let scallops rest for 5 minutes at room temperature.
- Work with dry scallops. Dry sea scallops thoroughly with paper towels.
- Scallops become opaque when cooked through. They cook very quickly and become tough and chewy if overcooked.
- Try other citrus flavors like orange and lime.
Nutrition
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Jennifer
These seared scallops are the best. They turned out just the way I like them. Pure heaven.
Elise
Those are some perfectly seared scallops. It’s one of the harder foods to cook but you have clearly mastered it. Thanks for the great recipe and tips.
Kat
Your scallops recipe was amazing, and I can’t wait to make it again. The step-by-step instructions and the tips you provided made it easy, even for a cooking novice like me. Thanks for sharing this delicious-looking dish!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kat! So glad that you liked the scallops. We love them too!
Olga
This is indeed the best way to make scallops. I served them over some angel hair pasta with roasted asparagus spears. One of my favorite dinners.
Mila R
Garlic Lemon Butter Seared Scallops are honestly my favs. I’m going to try your recipe tomorrow!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Mila! I sure hope you like them.
Sandra
This is my favorite way to cook scallops. It really works perfectly everytime just like a 5 star restaurant. Thanks for all the great tips.
Rose
We love these scallops. I wish I could make them once a week but scallops are a little pricey so it has to be a reason to celebrate. Oh well my birthday is coming up. Sounds like a plan.
Heather
Let me tell you, garlic and butter are magic together! What a tasty sauce for pan seared scallops. We loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Heather! So glad that you liked the seared scallops.
Debbie
I love seafood and these seared scallops were so amazing. I just love seafood with lemon and garlic. It is the best way to cook it.
Emily Fata
My mom was just talking about wanting to make scallops the other day for her and my dad! I’ll be sending this recipe over to them now. It looks so incredible!