American🐟 Seafood

Seared Scallops with Garlic Butter Sauce

Name: Seared Scallops with Garlic Butter Sauce
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb Large scallops; ½ tsp Coarse sea salt; ~¼ tsp Cracked black pepper; 1 tbsp High-heat cooking oil; 2 tbsp Unsalted butter; 3 Garlic cloves; 1 tbsp Lemon juice; ~1 tbsp Fresh parsley

⏱ 15 min

Restaurant-quality seared scallops made at home with simple ingredients. Golden-crusted exterior with tender, buttery interior, finished with garlic butter sauce—an elegant yet easy dish.

High-proteinLow-carb

Adapted from a video by Preppy Kitchen

Amazing Seared Scallops Recipe

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

Large scallopsside muscle removed, patted dry1 lb
Coarse sea saltdistributed evenly on both sides½ tsp
Cracked black pepperto taste~¼ tspest.
High-heat cooking oilsuch as avocado oil, not extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp
Unsalted butter2 tbsp
Garlic clovesminced, adjust to taste3
Lemon juice

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1
Select large scallops. Locate and carefully remove the small side muscle on the edge of each scallop (a darker, tougher strip). Fresh scallops should have little odor and feel firm, not slimy or sticky. Perform a smell and touch test at the market.
2
Thoroughly pat the scallops dry with paper towels. This step is essential for achieving a beautiful golden crust.
3
Season both sides of the scallops evenly with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper, about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per side.
4
Heat a heavy steel or cast iron pan (avoid non-stick) over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of high-heat oil and heat until it begins to smoke.
5
Place scallops into the hot oil seasoned-side down. Do not move or disturb them—let them sear undisturbed for about 3 minutes to develop a golden crust. Season the tops while they cook.
6
After 3 minutes, check the bottom of the scallops. If they have a golden crust and lift easily from the pan, flip them over. Continue cooking on the second side.
7
After flipping, add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and minced garlic to the pan. Spoon the melted butter mixture over the scallops—this basting step is optional but enhances flavor.
8
Cook the scallops for another 3 minutes on the second side until golden brown. Aim for a perfect balance—golden exterior with tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior.
9
Remove from heat. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and garnish with fresh parsley.
10
Plate and serve immediately. Pair with butter noodles or other sides of choice.

Seared Scallops with Garlic Butter Sauce

Ingredients

Steps

More like this