Simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic, then cooked in butter and olive oil, these seared scallops are a delicacy.
They're ready in just minutes; you can serve them as an appetizer or the 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.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Sea scallops: Make sure you use large sea scallops and not small bay scallops.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Fats for cooking: Unsalted butter and olive oil. Adding oil helps prevent the milk solids in the butter from browning too much.
Variations
- An excellent way to vary this recipe is to use a different fat for cooking the scallops. You could use ghee, for example, or bacon grease. I tried bacon grease (leftover from this oven bacon recipe) and loved the flavor it added to the scallops.
- You can also add seasonings. Not too much, because you want the flavor of the scallops to shine through. But I like adding ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme and just a pinch of cayenne.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Rinse the scallops and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the scallops with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Combine the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Heat them over medium-high heat. A cast-iron skillet works well.
Add the scallops to the skillet in a single layer. You want them to develop a nice crust, so please make sure they don't touch each other.
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:
Expert 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 them forms a lovely crust on their outside.
But baked scallops are lovely, 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 use to cook them, make sure the scallops 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 think this is unnecessary.
As long as they're not overcooked, scallops are wonderfully tender, and cooking them in butter and olive oil removes any fishiness.
Serving Suggestions
Sometimes, I serve these scallops as an 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.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Gently reheat them, covered, in the microwave.
More Scallop Recipes
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Recipe Card
Seared Scallops
Ingredients
- 1 pound sea scallops - (about 15 scallops)
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other 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.
Video
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 the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Gently reheat them, covered, in the microwave.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Robin
I cut the recipe in half. Scallops were perfectly brown outside and moist inside.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Robin! Thank you for the comment.
B. England
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
Thank you for your comment. I'm so glad you like this recipe!