Seared Scallops
This pan Seared Scallops recipe has a beautiful golden crust and is served with the best garlic butter sauce to spoon on top. It's a restaurant-quality dish that you can cook confidently at home!
Servings: 5
Calories: 126kcal
Cost: 19
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Sea Scallops*
- salt and pepper
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
- Garlic and butter for serving
Instructions
- Prep Scallops: Pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. (If necessary, remove the small side muscle from the scallops.) Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook: Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil and butter. Once hot, add the scallops, spacing them apart so they’re not touching. The oil in the pan should be hot enough that the scallops gently sizzle when added. Cook for 2 minutes (without touching them), until a golden crust forms on the bottom.
- Reduce heat to medium high. Gently flip to the other side and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until golden on bottom and translucent/opaque on the sides.
- Test for Doneness: Scallops cook very quickly, usually in less than 5 minutes, so use the touch test to check for doneness; if they’re done; they should feel firm, with a little bit of bounce. Err on the side of undercooking them, as you can always add them back the pan to cook longer, if needed. Keep in mind they will continue to cook a little as they rest.
- Garlic Butter Sauce: Remove cooked scallops from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons butter, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 3-4 cloves garlic, juice from half a lemon, and ¼ cup white wine, chicken or vegetable broth. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Serve sauce over scallops. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Store leftover scallops in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Video
Notes
Yield: 1 1/2lb Sea Scallops.
Frozen Scallops: Thaw quickly by placing them (in their closed package) in a bowl of ice water, or thaw overnight in the fridge, before using.
Scallops: Buy fresh scallops from the seafood counter, or frozen scallops but allow them to thaw completely before using. Try to buy “dry” scallops, if possible. Wet scallops have been brined in water and chemicals and may not sear as well as dry scallops will. Also, smell them to check for freshness--they won't have a strong "fishy" odor, if they're fresh.
Nutrition
Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 280mg | Sugar: 0.002g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe Link
Recipe Video
