Lemon Garlic Scallops
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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.
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.
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.
Discover More Seafood Recipes
- Creamy Garlic Butter Scallops with Prosciutto
- Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon
- Spicy New Orleans Shrimp
- Baked Lemon Garlic Halibut
- Firecracker Baked Salmon
- Bacon Wrapped Scallops
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Lemon Garlic Scallops
Video
Ingredients
Scallops
- 1 ¼ pound scallops
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
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.
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.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
