Lemon Garlic Scallops

These Lemon Garlic Scallops are pan seared in butter and served in a delicious lemon garlic sauce! 10 Minutes is all you need for these tender scallops!

Scallops are probably my favorite seafood and are perfect for a date night with your sweetie or a special occasion. I love my scallops over a plate of pasta, so I always make extra sauce to pour over the pasta.

Scallops are great because they’re super quick to cook and in 10 minutes you have yourself a fancy dinner of tender and succulent scallops. Scallops are not inexpensive, at about $20 a pound you want to make sure you cook them just right, so make sure to read the tips below.

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Scallops are best when cooked simple in a lemon butter garlic sauce as in this recipe. The sauce is super easy and quick to make, with only a handful of ingredients. I made the sauce separately because I had 2 pounds of scallops which I seared in 3 batches so the sauce would have been really brown and I wanted more of a clear sauce. However, you can make everything all in one skillet, and don’t worry about all those brown bits that’s where a lot of flavor is.

TIPS FOR COOKING SCALLOPS:

• Scallops sometimes have a side muscle that needs to be removed. It’s a little tag of muscle tissue on the side of the scallop which will feel a bit tough, so just pull it away. If you don’t remove this muscle, no worries, it’s safe to eat, just a little tough to chew.
• Always pat your scallops dry with a paper towel and once you add them to the pan to sear them, make sure you season them generously with salt and pepper.
• When cooking scallops in a skillet, make sure the skillet is nice and hot and the oil or butter has heated completely. You want to cook the scallops for only 2 minutes on the first side, don’t over cook them, or they will get too tough to chew. The scallop should release easily when trying to flip it, otherwise it’s not done cooking, then cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. Also do not crowd your pan, I always work in batches.
• Make sure you serve your scallops immediately, so if you’re serving them over pasta, make sure it’s already cooked and ready to go.

OTHER SEAFOOD RECIPES TO TRY:

• Creamy Garlic Butter Scallops with Prosciutto
• Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon
• Spicy New Orleans Shrimp
• Baked Lemon Garlic Halibut
• Firecracker Baked Salmon

If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!

5 from 8 votes

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Lemon Garlic Scallops

Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

These Lemon Garlic Scallops are pan seared in butter and served in a delicious lemon garlic sauce! 10 Minutes is all you need for these tender scallops!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Calories: 343 kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

Scallops

• 1 1/4 lb scallops
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste

Sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Remove the side muscle from the scallop the pat them dry with paper towels. 

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on high heat. Gently add the scallops to the skillet, making sure they are not touching each other. Season them generously with salt and pepper then add the 2 tbsp of butter to the skillet. Sear the scallops for 2 minutes on the first side then flip them over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. Season the other side with salt and pepper as well. They should have a golden crust on each side when they are done. Cook in batches if they don't all fit in the skillet. Transfer the scallops to a plate.

3. In another skillet (see notes) heat the olive oil over high heat then add the butter and cook until it melts. Add the garlic and saute for 20 to 30 seconds until it becomes aromatic. Don't over cook it, you don't want it to burn. 

4. Add the white wine and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the sauce for another minute then turn off the heat. Add the scallops back to the skillet, including all the juices. 

5. Serve immediately over pasta.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Please note that in the pictures that's 2 pounds of scallops, but I changed the recipe to 1 1/4 pounds since most scallops are sold in 1 to 1 1/4 pound bags.

 

I used a Pinot Grigio white wine for this recipe, which also make a great wine to serve with.

 

While I used a different skillet to make the sauce, you could certainly use the same skillet and scrape the brown bits from the bottom to make the sauce with. I basically wanted a more clear sauce, but this is totally optional. 

 

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

 

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