Pan-seared scallops with garlic butter
Restaurant-style pan-seared scallops with a deep golden crust, basted in garlic butter and finished with lemon. On the table in 15 minutes.
63% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 6 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 210
- Protein
- 17 g
- Per serving
- $7.16
Why this recipe works
Seared scallops feel like a restaurant treat, but they take less than five minutes to cook. The only real secrets are buying 'dry' scallops, drying them well and using a very hot pan.
- Patting the scallops very dry and searing them in a smoking-hot pan gives a deep golden crust before the inside overcooks.
- Leaving them alone for the first 2 minutes lets the crust form and release on its own.
- Adding the butter only after the flip means it browns and flavors the scallops without burning.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- 12-inch stainless steel or cast-iron skillet
- Thin metal spatula or tongs
- Paper towels
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Dry the scallops
Peel off the small, tough side muscle from any scallop that has one. Lay the scallops on a double layer of paper towels, press more towels on top, and leave 10 minutes while you get everything else ready. Season both sides with the salt and pepper just before cooking.
Heat the pan
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just starts to smoke.
Sear the first side
Add the scallops flat side down, about 1 inch apart, working in two batches if they'd crowd the pan. Don't move them for 2 minutes, until a deep golden crust forms and they release easily.
Flip and baste
Flip the scallops, lower the heat to medium, and add the butter and garlic. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over them for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sides are opaque all the way up and the scallops feel firm but still springy.
Finish
Move the scallops to a warm plate. Stir the lemon juice and parsley into the pan butter, spoon it over the scallops, and serve right away.
Techniques in this recipe
Crowded: steams and turns grey Spaced out: browns and crisps Don't crowd the pan
Give food space in the pan or on the sheet pan so moisture can escape. Crowded food steams and turns grey; spaced-out food browns and crisps.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- 'Wet' scallops are soaked in a phosphate solution that makes them weep water and stops them browning. Ask for dry or 'chemical-free' scallops.
- Frozen scallops are fine: thaw them overnight in the fridge, then dry them extra well.
- Cook in batches rather than crowding the pan. Too many scallops at once drop the heat, and they steam instead of searing.
Nutrition per serving
210 calories
$7.16 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 33% of calories | 17 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 10% of calories | 5 g |
| Fat | 57% of calories | 13 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | |
| Sodium | 770 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
How do you know when scallops are done?
They turn milky white and opaque all the way through and feel firm but still slightly springy. The USDA advises cooking scallops until they're opaque and firm.
Why are my scallops rubbery?
They're overcooked. Large scallops need only 3 to 4 minutes in total, so take them off the heat as soon as the sides turn opaque.
Why won't my scallops brown?
They were wet, the pan wasn't hot enough, or the pan was crowded. Dry them thoroughly, wait until the oil starts to smoke, and leave space between them.
