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
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. In 10 minutes you have yourself a fancy dinner of tender and succulent scallops. They 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.
Ingredients Needed For Lemon Garlic Scallops
There are two main steps for this recipe, cooking the scallops and cooking the cause for the scallops. Here’s what you’ll need:
For Scallops:
- Scallops
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Salt & Pepper
For Sauce:
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Garlic
- White Wine
- Lemon Juice
- Salt & Pepper
How To Make Lemon Garlic Scallops
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.
Cook the scallops: Cook the scallops in a bit of olive oil in a large skillet on high heat. Make sure they’re not touching each other. Season them with a bit of salt and pepper then add the butter and cook for another 2 to 3 minute on the other side. Cook in batches, especially if you have lots of scallops. Transfer the scallops to a plate.
Make the sauce: 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.
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. 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. 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.
How Do You Store Leftover Scallops
Scallops are best served right away after they’re cooked. However, if you have some leftover scallops, store them in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Can You Freeze Cooked Scallops
I don’t really recommend freezing scallops after they’ve been cooked, the texture just won’t be the same. If you’re going to sear them, eat them right away. However, if you really needed to freeze them, store them in an airtight container in the freezer.
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
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Lemon Garlic Scallops
Ingredients
Scallops
- 1 ¼ lb scallops
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp pepper or to taste
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 tbsp lemon juice from 1 lemon
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare scallops: Remove the side muscle from the scallop the pat them dry with paper towels.
- Cook Scallops: 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.
- Make sauce: 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.
- 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.
- Serve: Serve immediately over pasta.
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.
How much pasta do you use for the recipe??
There’s no pasta in the recipe, but you can serve them over pasta. Cook as much as you need depending on how many people you’re serving.
Wonderful!
Absolutely loved this recipe!!!!
This was so delicious. I increase the amount of lemon juice in wine to make the sauce and added capers. I will definitely make this again.
This was so good!! Perfection. My wife loved it and wants it put into our rotation.
WOW! This recipe is amazing! An instant hit with my guy. The scallops were a bit challenging, as I forgot to pat dry the first batch. But it all worked out in the end. We will be making this dish at least once a month, and trying out variations on the sauce as well. Well done, Jo!
hi Jo ,how much wine & lenon juice please.
Hi Helen! If you scroll to the recipe card we have the amounts needed for each ingredient. Click here if you can’t find it.
I am anxious to try this. Thanks for sharing.
I find blanching the scallops first (literally 30seconds in boiling water then immediately into ice water and then pay dry) makes for an absolutely perfectly seated scallop.
I made this recipe after having had an almost identical recipe at a 5 star seafood restaurant in my area. The only difference is the restaurant adds a bit of flour to the sauce to finish it and render it silky. This is an amazing recipe. I will be making it again tomorrow…I forgot to take my scallops out of the freezer yesterday, so I now have to let them defrost overnight in the fridge. Bummer. Could not be easier to make and the scallops turn out tender and succulent every time. Thank you Jo for this terrific recipe!!! 💕
I’m so happy you liked it, Mary!