These grilled scallops are easy and delicious. Ready in about 20 minutes and bursting with flavor, it's the ideal summer recipe!
I adore scallops and enjoy recipes like seared scallops, broiled scallops, and baked scallops. But in the summer, these grilled scallops are the perfect choice. They are incredibly flavorful! The spice combination is wonderfully bold. It's a delightful summer recipe, a true crowd-pleaser. It's perfect for your outdoor grill, but you can make it anytime using an electric grill or a grill pan.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Scallops: You'll need one pound of large sea scallops. This is about 24 scallops.
- Olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oil has the best flavor, but you can use a lighter olive oil if you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point. You can also use melted butter or ghee.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika adds a lovely smoky flavor.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Add the scallops and toss to coat.
Preheat a grill to medium-high and oil it. Thread the scallops onto skewers. Grill them until opaque, about 3 minutes per side.
Serve the scallops immediately, garnished with lemon slices and chopped parsley.
Recipe Tips
Use Large Scallops
This recipe calls for large sea scallops. Small bay scallops are tiny and are more suitable for stir-frying, ceviches, or salads.
Remove the Side Muscle
If the scallops have a small, crescent-shaped muscle attached to their side, as shown in the photo below, use your fingers to peel it off and remove it. It gets tough when cooked.
Recipe FAQs
Scallops are done when golden brown, firm to the touch, and opaque.
If using an instant-read thermometer (inserted sideways), the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F. America's Test Kitchen says 115°F is ideal, since the temperature will continue to climb and reach 130°F.
You could, but it does brighten the dish and adds flavor. It's OK to use bottled lemon juice if you have that on hand.
Yes, but I prefer garlic powder because it coats the scallops more evenly and doesn't burn on the grill as quickly as fresh garlic.
Yes. See the photo below - I sometimes simply arrange the raw, seasoned scallops on an electric grill. 
Serving Suggestions
Grilled scallops are a light summer main course, best paired with a salad such as any of the following:
- Tomato salad
- Arugula salad, as shown in the image below
- Broccoli salad
- Cucumber salad
- Cauliflower potato salad
- Asparagus salad, as shown in the photo below
Alternatively, I serve them with lightly steamed or sautéed vegetables such as steamed broccoli, steamed asparagus, steamed carrots, or haricot verts.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I store them in a glass food storage container, as shown in the image below.
While you can reheat the leftovers in the microwave, I prefer to serve them cold with a selection of dips, as shown in the photo below, as I find that reheating dries them and makes them fishy. In the photo, they are served with pesto sauce, sriracha mayo, and cocktail sauce. Cold, cooked scallops are exceptionally creamy!
Recipe Card
Grilled Scallops Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound large sea scallops - 24 scallops
Optional garnishes:
- 1 lemon - sliced
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped
Instructions
- Soak 16 short (8-inch) bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.
- Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Add them to the bowl and toss to coat.1 pound large sea scallops
- Preheat a gas grill, an electric grill, or a stovetop grill pan to medium-high. Oil the grill.
- Thread the scallops onto the skewers. Thread three scallops onto 2 skewers to make them easy to turn.
- Grill until opaque, for about 3 minutes per side. If using a dual-contact electric grill, such as a George Foreman grill, cook them without flipping for about 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with lemon and parsley.1 lemon, 2 tablespoons parsley
Notes
- Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines - adjust to taste.
- This recipe calls for large sea scallops. You shouldn't use small bay scallops. They're tiny and are more suitable for stir-frying, ceviches, or salads.
- Extra-virgin olive oil has the best flavor, but you can use a lighter olive oil if you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point.
- If the scallops have a small, crescent-shaped muscle attached to their side, use your fingers to peel it off and remove it. It gets tough when cooked.
- Scallops are done when they are golden brown, firm to the touch, and opaque.
If using an instant-read thermometer, the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F. America's Test Kitchen says 115°F is ideal since the temperature will continue to climb and reach 130°F. - You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Owen says
So good! I used smoked paprika and doubled the cayenne. ️Used my indoor grill as it's already quite cold outside!
Vered DeLeeuw says
So glad you liked these scallops, Owen! I almost always grill them indoors. 🙂