Lemon Garlic Scallops (Print Page)

Sea scallops pan-seared and tossed in a bright lemon garlic butter sauce, perfect for any meal.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb large sea scallops, patted dry

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
05 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Seasoning

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Pat scallops thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
03 - Add scallops in a single layer without overcrowding; sear for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown and just opaque in the center. Transfer scallops to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
04 - Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Stir in garlic and sauté 30 seconds, until fragrant.
05 - Add lemon juice, zest, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Simmer 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits.
06 - Return scallops and any juices to the pan; spoon sauce over scallops and heat through for 1 minute.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • This goes from fridge to table faster than most frozen pizzas, which feels like cheating somehow.
  • The sauce comes together in the same pan while the scallops rest, so you look like you planned something elegant when really you just didn't want to do dishes.
02 -
  • Overcrowding the pan is the single most common way to ruin this; cook in batches or use two pans.
  • Scallops continue cooking after you remove them from heat, so pull them when they still look slightly underdone in the very center.
03 -
  • Buy dry-packed scallops if you can find them; wet-packed ones are treated with phosphate and will never sear properly no matter how hard you try.
  • Remove the small side muscle if it's still attached; it cooks tough and ruins the texture of an otherwise perfect bite.

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