Seafood

Seared Scallops in 15 minutes

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You can make restaurant-quality Seared Scallops–perfectly cooked with a golden crust– right from home, with this easy recipe tutorial! Top with a simple garlic butter sauce to spoon over them, and you’ve got a dish to impress!

If you’re looking for an easy Scallops recipe that will impress your dinner party and leave your mouth watering for more, this is it! Good quality scallops are not cheap, but there is nothing worse then bad quality scallops.  A few extra dollars will go a long way in flavor. 

Seared Scallops
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Seared Scallops

Cuisine: American, SeafoodDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4-5

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Calories

125

kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs Sea Scallops*

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 Tablespoon butter

  • 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

  • Garlic butter for serving

Directions

  • Pat scallops thoroughly dry all over with paper towels. (If necessary, remove the small side muscle from the scallops.) Season them with salt and pepper.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Notes

  • Store leftover scallops in the fridge for up to 2 days.
  • Pro Tips:
  • Don’t overcrowd the pan, so the scallops can get a nice golden crust. You may need to cook them in batches, if your pan is not big enough.
  • Make sure the fat/oil in the pan is hot (but not burned) when adding the scallops. They should sizzle when added.
  • 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.

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