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Seared scallops in a pan topped with chopped garlic and herbs in buttery sauce.
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5 from 2 votes

15 Minute Pan Seared Scallops (with Garlic Lemon Butter)

These seared scallops in lemon garlic butter sauce will be going into your weeknight rotation! This recipe comes together SO quickly.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free
Servings: 2
Author: Lindsey Baruch

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry scallops cleaned and dried well
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed
  • juice of 1 small lemon adjust with more juice according to your preference
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Pat your scallops dry: Pat your scallops dry with a paper towel. Season on all sides with salt and pepper.
  • Sear scallops: Start by heating your olive oil in a skillet, you can use stainless steel or a cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat until piping hot. Add your scallops in a single layer, in a clockwise position, and sear scallops until a golden brown crust forms, around 2 to 3 minutes per side. Turn the scallops in your clockwise formation to keep track of the timing of each scallops. Remove and transfer to a plate. Turn the heat off the skillet, but keep on the stovetop.
  • Make your lemon garlic butter sauce: In the same pan, with the heat off, add in your minced garlic, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, it should soften, but you don't want any browning here. Stir until fragrant.
  • Then add in your butter, constantly stirring to emulsify. You want your butter sauce to be smooth and creamy, by constantly stirring and turning off the heat to do so, will ensure your sauce doesn't break.
  • Finish the sauce with lemon juice.
  • Add scallops back in, and warm through: Lastly, add your scallops back in the pan to heat through and toss with the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use your favorite herbs: For this recipe, we are using parsley, but you can use any such as basil, thyme, or chives.
Dry your scallops: Dry your scallops extremely well with paper towels to ensure they get an even coating and crust when searing.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.1mg