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Have these super easy and crispy Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops on your table in less than 10 minutes! Coated in a deliciously silky lemon garlic butter sauce!
Cheaper than going out to a restaurant and just as good as chef-made scallops! These crispy, pan-seared, and juicy garlic butter scallops are the ultimate treat when it comes to easy scallop recipes! Serve as a starter or main; nothing melts in your mouth quite like tender-crisp scallops with garlic butter.
Scallops
With so many shrimp recipes on this site, it was high time I gave the mic over to garlic butter scallops. And what a recipe to kick things off! You have all been writing in, telling me how much you loved my garlic butter scampi and that quick lemon garlic version. Both are so similar to how to cook scallops in garlic butter; I had to share this one with you in time for Good Friday!
Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops
Just one of the many ways I love lemon garlic scallops! Most people are extremely intimidated by cooking scallops, especially because of their high price tag. It’s something you don’t want to spend so much money on, only to have it go completely haywire.
But that’s also the beautiful thing about this seared scallops recipe. They are a luxury, and a feeling of fine dining washes over you when you have a bowl full of garlic-butter scallops and a glass of your favorite wine in hand.
Garlic Butter Scallops: Key Ingredients
The trick to these lemon garlic scallops comes down to the ingredients. Fresh seafood ensures a firm texture, garlic brings a strong bite, and butter creates a fast pan sear.
- Scallops: Opt for fresh, large sea scallops. I tried making this before with smaller bay scallops, but they shrink rapidly and turn rubbery under high heat. Large sea scallops hold their shape best when making garlic butter scallops.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves are a must. Pre-minced garlic from a jar lacks the sharp bite needed to cut through the fat. If you enjoy this flavor profile, you will probably also like my creamy garlic version.
- Butter: Use unsalted or European-style butter so you can control the sodium. I tested this with salted butter, but as the pan sauce reduced, it became far too salty. Unsalted gives you a much better base for a seared scallops recipe.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is required to deglaze the pan. I strongly advise against substituting with bottled lemon juice; I find it leaves an artificial aftertaste that overpowers the seafood.
Note: Please see Recipe Card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions And Substitutions
When it comes to garlic butter scallops, it’s all about balancing simple flavors. Short on an ingredient? Smart substitutions will still make this dish work.
- Citrus Variations: While lemon juice is my standard, you can experiment with other citrus fruits. Lime juice adds a sharper tang, while orange juice provides a sweeter, less acidic profile. Both variations bring a different twist to standard lemon garlic scallops.
- Herbs and Seasonings: Want to alter the flavor profile? Add a sprinkle of fresh thyme or rosemary with the parsley. Just use small amounts to avoid overpowering the seafood. These herbs complement the lemon and garlic directly, while a dash of smoked paprika introduces a mild smokiness.
How To Prepare Scallops
Try to find scallops without the bright orange or coral-colored crescent-shaped part still attached (or roe). The orange part can be a little bitter; however, some people do like this part of the scallop. It’s personal preference. If you can only find them with the roe attached, you can pull it off and discard it. If you have bought whole scallops, you will need to remove that and the muscle that attaches the scallop to the shell. For this reason, I buy frozen, wild-caught scallops without the roe when making garlic butter scallops.
How To Thaw Scallops
- Thaw scallops in a bowl of cold water for about 10 to 20 minutes until completely thawed, or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make sure to thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels to absorb all the liquid before searing your garlic butter scallops.
Recipe FAQ’s
Excess moisture prevents a proper sear. When learning how to cook scallops in garlic butter, the most critical step is patting the seafood completely dry with paper towels beforehand. Ensure your skillet and oil are hot before adding them, and never crowd the pan.
They cook quickly, usually within 2 to 3 minutes per side. You will know they are ready when the center turns opaque and they feel firm to the touch. Keep a close eye on the pan; overcooking is the main reason why a seared scallops recipe turns out rubbery.
Because of the pan sauce, I prefer serving garlic butter scallops over pasta, risotto, or plain white rice to soak up the extra liquid. For a lighter dinner, pair them with zucchini noodles, steamed asparagus, or green beans.
Yes. I actually buy frozen, wild-caught seafood most of the time. Just make sure to thaw them in the fridge overnight or in a bowl of cold water. Never use warm water or a microwave to defrost, and always pat them dry before making lemon garlic scallops.
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Seared Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds scallops
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 4-5 cloves garlic large, minced, or 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
Instructions
- If scallops are frozen, thaw in cold water. Remove the side muscle from the scallops if attached. Thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot and sizzling. Add the scallops in a single layer without overcrowding the pan. Work in batches if needed
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, then flip and fry again for 2 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a plate.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan, scraping up any browned bits left over from the scallops. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant (1 minute).
- Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes, or until the wine reduces by about half. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and lemon juice.
- Remove pan (skillet) from the heat; add the scallops back into the pan to warm through slightly and garnish with parsley.
Video
Notes
- Fridge: Place any leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the fridge within two hours of cooking. They will stay safe to eat for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can technically freeze cooked scallops for up to three months. However, I strongly advise against this. Freezing cooked seafood ruins the firm texture you just worked hard to achieve.
- Reheating: Avoid the microwave. To prevent them from turning rubbery, gently warm the scallops in a skillet on the stove over low heat. Add a splash of water or extra butter to keep the pan moist until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I didn’t use the last dallop of butter, but still sooo delicious and so easy! Thank you!
These are perfect scallops! The only things I did differently from the recipe is omitted the chicken broth. I didn’t see it in the ingredient list, but it wasn’t necessary in my opinion. I also added in about a tbsp of capers. Wonderful!!!
Sauce was phenomenal. Finally found a recipe for scallops. If using fresh, remember to rinse before cooking (which I did not do).
Absolutely delicious!!! We will add this to our meal rotation. I already want to buy more scallops and make it again!
Simple and delicious. I made this recipe with fresh cod a few days later because the sauce is so delicious.
Very delicious and easy! It turns out perfectly every time.
Thanks for sharing!
Very good! I used a whole fresh lemon 🍋 for the juice. Very tasty, cooked perfectly.
Terri says
Feb 23 2021
What goes well with scallops is baked brussels sprouts with three cheese tortellini’s with homemade alfredo sauce and croissants.
Focusing on no meat Fridays and no food waste for Lent, this was a wonderful choice. As we sat to dinner, I told me husband to think he was at Alma Nova (Hingham, MA). We had the scallops with oven roasted yellow potatoes and fresh steamed green beans. It was wonderful.
This recipe was sooooo easy, I was afraid it would be ok. WRONG! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. We had it over pasta with a side of garlic sautéed spinach. We will have this again and again! Thank you 😋