Name: Seared Scallops with Lemon Butter
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.5 lb sea scallops; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 lemon, juiced; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

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Seared Scallops with Lemon Butter

StovetopMediumPrep 10 minCook 8 minServes 4

Golden-crusted scallops in a bright lemon butter — a restaurant plate that takes eight minutes.

Ingredients

1½ lb sea scallops
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

Pat the scallops very dry and season with salt and pepper.
Sear in hot oil, 2-3 minutes per side, until deeply golden; do not crowd the pan.
Remove the scallops and melt the butter with the garlic for 30 seconds.
Stir in the lemon juice, return the scallops and spoon the butter over them.
Scatter with parsley and serve at once.

Serve with: creamy risotto or crusty bread to catch the butter.

Pat the scallops bone dry; moisture is the enemy of a good sear.

Find this recipe in the Seafood section on the RecipeDelish home page, where you can scale it, print a clean PDF, download the shopping list and use cook mode.

Tips & mistakes

Pat the scallops bone dry — any moisture stops the sear and steams them instead, and you get pale rubber instead of gold.
Use a very hot pan and don't crowd it; crowded scallops release water and never brown.
Sear 2-3 minutes per side and don't move them — moving breaks the crust before it forms.
Add the garlic to the butter after the scallops come out; garlic burns in 30 seconds on high heat.

Frequently asked questions

How do I pick good scallops? Dry-packed sea scallops sear best; wet-packed ones are soaked and won't brown well. Ask the fish counter which kind they carry, and choose dry-packed when you can.

Can I use frozen scallops? Yes: thaw overnight in the fridge and pat very dry before searing. Thawing in the fridge is gentler than water and keeps the texture firm.

What if they release water in the pan? The pan wasn't hot enough or was too crowded; sear in two batches next time. A screaming-hot pan and plenty of space are the two things that prevent it.

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