Simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic, then cooked in butter and olive oil, these seared scallops are a delicacy. They're ready in minutes, and you can serve them as an appetizer or main course.
Seared scallops are incredibly delicious and surprisingly easy to make. I almost always have a bag of frozen scallops in my freezer. When I don't feel like making baked scallops, grilled scallops, or bacon-wrapped scallops, it's easy to defrost them overnight and quickly pan-fry them in butter and olive oil. They are a family favorite!
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Sea scallops: Be sure to use large sea scallops and not small bay scallops.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Sometimes, I add ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Fats for cooking: Unsalted butter and olive oil. Adding oil helps prevent the milk solids in the butter from browning too much. You can use different fats for cooking the scallops. I tried bacon grease (leftover from this oven bacon recipe) and loved the flavor it added.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Rinse the scallops and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the scallops with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add the scallops in a single layer. Cook the scallops until fully cooked and a beautiful brown crust forms on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
The scallops are done when browned on the outside and opaque on the inside, like this:
This is such a simple recipe with an amazing result. This is my go-to recipe for scallops. The peppery, garlicky, salty crust is delightful. So good! I cannot recommend this enough.
B. England
Read more comments
This is such a simple recipe with an amazing result. This is my go-to recipe for scallops. The peppery, garlicky, salty crust is delightful. So good! I cannot recommend this enough.Recipe Tips
Sticking
If not using a nonstick skillet, you might find that after the initial three minutes, the bottoms of the scallops slightly stick to the skillet. This happens to me when I use a cast-iron skillet. I simply slide a thin spatula (or even a cake server or a cheese slicer, as shown in the video) gently underneath each scallop to release it.
Scallop Size
Sea scallops are bigger and meatier than bay scallops. I prefer to use them in this recipe because while they still require a short cooking time, you can cook them long enough to form a beautiful, flavorful crust. Bay scallops are tiny and are more suitable for stir-fries, salads, and ceviche.
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
There's no best way! Seared scallops are wonderful because pan-frying forms a delicious crust on the outside. But baked scallops are great, too. The butter-parmesan sauce is phenomenal. And broiled scallops are amazing, especially with the parmesan coating. I love all of these recipes equally and make them often. Whatever method you choose, make sure they are fully cooked. Their inside should be white and moist.
Sweet, succulent, and meaty, I find that scallops need minimal added flavor. Simply sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder, sear them in butter and olive oil to form a crust, and serve. They don't need a sauce to taste good.
Soaking scallops in milk is a way to tenderize them and remove their slightly fishy odor. I find it unnecessary. As long as they're not overcooked, scallops are wonderfully tender, and cooking them in butter and olive oil removes any fishiness.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Gently reheat them, covered, in the microwave. Once completely cooled, you can also freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
Seared scallops make a great appetizer, but I usually serve them as an entree. They are so "meaty" and satisfying!
I like to serve them on a bed of something that would soak up the delicious cooking juices. So, I often serve them on mashed cauliflower, cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or Hearts of Palm pasta.
In addition, I add an easy vegetable side such as microwave asparagus, steamed broccoli, or sauteed spinach.
Recipe Card
Buttery Seared Scallops
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound sea scallops - about 15 scallops
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse the scallops and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them with kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large (14-inch), heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes.
- Add the scallops in a single layer, ensuring they don't touch each other.
- Sear the scallops for about 3 minutes on each side. You want a nice brown crust on both sides.
- When fully cooked, the inside should be white and moist. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Sea scallops are bigger and meatier than bay scallops. I prefer to use them in this recipe because while they still require a short cooking time, you can cook them long enough to form a flavorful crust.
- If not using a nonstick skillet, you might find that after the initial three minutes, the bottoms of the scallops slightly stick to the skillet. This happens to me when I use a cast-iron skillet. I simply slide a thin spatula (or even a cake server or a cheese slicer, as shown in the video) gently underneath each scallop to release it.
- According to the USDA, scallops should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Gently reheat them, covered, in the microwave. Once completely cooled, you can also freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition per Serving
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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.
Robin says
I cut the recipe in half. Scallops were perfectly brown outside and moist inside.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Robin! Thank you for the comment.
B. England says
This is such a simple recipe with an amazing result. This is my go-to recipe for scallops. The peppery, garlicky, salty crust is delightful. So good! I cannot recommend this enough.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you for your comment. I'm so glad you like this recipe!