These grilled scallops are easy and delicious. Ready in about 20 minutes and bursting with flavor, it's the ideal summer recipe!
These grilled scallops are incredibly flavorful. The spice combination - garlic, paprika, and cayenne pepper - is wonderfully bold. The olive oil adds great flavor, and the lemon juice brightens the dish. It's a delightful summer recipe, a true crowd-pleaser. It's perfect for your outdoor gas grill, but you can make it anytime during the year if you opt for an electric grill or a grill pan.
Ingredients
Here's a look at the ingredients needed to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Scallops: You'll need one pound of large sea scallops. This is about 24 scallops. Be sure to use sea scallops, not bay scallops, in this recipe.
- 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.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed tastes best.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Optional garnishes: Lemon slices and chopped parsley.
Variations
- Melted butter or ghee are great substitutions for olive oil.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best, but bottled will work too. You can also use lime instead of lemon.
- Using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika adds a wonderful smoky flavor to the scallops.
- Cilantro works well as a substitute for parsley. Its flavor is more potent, but to those who like cilantro, that's a plus.
Instructions
Here's an overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below.
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. You can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Serving Suggestions
Grilled scallops are a light summer main course, best paired with a make-ahead salad, such as:
- Tomato salad
- Asparagus salad
- Arugula salad
- Broccoli salad
- Cucumber salad
- Cauliflower potato salad
- Cucumber tomato salad
Alternatively, I serve it with lightly steamed or sautéed vegetables such as steamed broccoli, steamed asparagus, steamed carrots, or haricot verts.
Recipe Card
Grilled Scallops (Quick & Easy)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound large sea scallops - 24 scallops
- 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
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.
- Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Add them to the bowl and toss to coat.
- 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, about 3 minutes per side.
- Serve immediately, garnished with lemon and parsley.
Notes
- This recipe calls for large sea scallops. You shouldn't use small bay scallops in this recipe. 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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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
